ve in
Southern California, where federations, parliaments and societies of
many kinds flourished, and the Woman Suffrage League had held monthly
meetings. Besides Mrs. Severance, another pioneer suffragist had come
there from the East many years ago, Mrs. Rebecca Spring, now past 90
and still alert and interested. Mrs. Clara Shortridge Foltz, Mrs.
Alice Moore McComas and Mrs. Almeda B. Grey were still among the
capable and valued workers.

In answer to an invitation from the Los Angeles city and county
suffrage leagues the State convention of 1904 was held in the Woman's
Club House, October 6, 7, with three sessions daily. Articles of
incorporation had been drawn by George C. Sargent of San Francisco and
filed with the Secretary of State, and the State organization had been
incorporated under the name of the California Equal Suffrage
Association. The convention was welcomed by Mrs. Ada J. Lingley and
Mrs. Mabel V. Osborne, county and city presidents. Mrs. Sperry in
responding expressed her great pleasure that Northern and Southern
California would now work together for woman suffrage. The report of
Miss Laughlin, State organizer, showed that fifty-two new clubs had
been formed and that the membership had more than doubled in the past
year, and the treasurer, Miss Schlingheyde, told of $2,063 contributed
for organization work. Subscriptions to the amount of $1,110 were
made, Mrs. Keith leading with $500. Miss Amanda Way, an Indiana
pioneer, now of Whittier, made her offering. Mayor M. P. Snyder, Judge
Waldo M. Yorke, the Rev. Eliza Tupper Wilkes and a long list of able
speakers addressed the evening meetings. Strong resolutions presented
by the chairman of the committee, Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blinn, were
adopted. Mrs. Severance and Mrs. Spring were made honorary presidents.

The work for the coming months was to secure a large petition to the
Legislature for the submission of a woman suffrage amendment and Mrs.
Osborne was appointed chairman of the committee. Heading the 15,000
names which were eventually obtained were those of Governor George C.
Pardee, President David Starr Jordan, U. S. Senator George C. Perkins,
W. S. Goodfellow, T. C. Coogan, Fred S. Stratton, A. A. Moore, George
A. Knight, Henry J. Crocker, William H. Mills, Lovell White, M. B.
Woodworth, Congressman James G. Maguire, Judge Carrol Cook and F. J.
Murasky, all men of influence. The amendment was endorsed by the State
association of 1,000 teachers. W