right
side. It will be remembered that Judge Mason opposed woman
suffrage in the constitutional convention of 1871. His
closing sentences were:

The more intelligent and exalted the character of the
electors in a government whose foundation rests upon the
franchise, the more safe and secure are the liberties of the
people and the property of that government. The higher the
social and moral standard of the electors, the better will
be the type of manhood that is chosen to make laws and
administer the government. As you elevate the standard of
intelligence, and increase the ability and intensify the
power to recognize the right and a sense of obligation to
follow it, you make sure the foundations of civil and
religious liberty. You do more, you elevate the character of
the laws, and better the administration in every department
of government. It has been wisely said that government is
best which is best administered.

Do as we will, however, forget the rights of others, treat
them with contempt, summon to our aid the united efforts of
great political parties, invoke statutory and constitutional
law to aid us in the mad career, yet, let no one forget that
God's balances, watched by his angels, are hung across the
sky to weigh the conduct of individuals and nations, and
that in the end divine wisdom will pronounce the inexorable
judgment of compensatory justice.

Previous to all of these meetings Hon. E. M. Correll had
introduced on January 13, H. R. 59, a bill for an amendment to
the constitution striking the word "male" from qualifications of
electors. This had given impetus to the friends of the measure
and inspiration to the meetings. A vote of thanks was tendered
Mr. Correll by both the State and Thayer County Associations. The
bill not being technically correct, Mr. Correll introduced on
February 3, a joint resolution of the same purport, H. R. 162.
The committees of Senate and House on constitutional amendments
gave a hearing that evening to the advocates of the measure:

Of the fourteen members of the committees, ten were present;
the full number from the House and three from the Senate.