the platform that the suffragists were "slackers," unpatriotic,
pro-German and concerned only in getting the franchise for themselves.
This charge was frequently made by the editor of the paper and
president of the association, Mrs. James W. Wadsworth, Jr., wife of
the Republican U. S. Senator from New York, also a strong opponent of
woman suffrage.

At the close of this very interesting session the convention enjoyed
an automobile ride to see the beautiful city and its environs,
tendered by the St. Louis Equal Suffrage League and under the auspices
of Mrs. Philip B. Fouke. The "inquiry dinner" in the banquet room of
the hotel in the evening, with Mrs. Catt presiding, carried out the
clever idea of trying to ascertain why American women could not obtain
their enfranchisement. The program was as follows: What is the matter
with the United States? Women want it! Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout
(Ills.); Men want it! the Rev. W. C. Bitting (Mo.); Political Parties
want it! Mrs. Emma Smith De Voe (Wash.); The Press wants it! Miss Rose
Young (N. Y.); The Old South wants it! Mrs. Pattie Ruffner Jacobs
(Ala.); Congress wants it! Mrs. Maud Wood Park (Mass.); The
Legislatures want it! Mrs. T. T. Cotnam (Ark.); All other Countries
have it! Mrs. Guilford Dudley (Tenn.); Who doesn't want it! Mrs.
Harriet Taylor Upton (Ohio); Well then what is the matter? Mrs. Arthur
L. Livermore (N. Y.); Making it right next time! U. S. Senator Selden
P. Spencer (Mo.).

At one business session Miss Laura Clay (Ky.) argued that the time had
come to change the form of the Federal Suffrage Amendment to meet the
objections of the southern members of Congress. Discussion showed a
preponderance of sentiment in favor of the old amendment and the
convention so voted, but at the suggestion of Mrs. Park it empowered
the Congressional Committee to make any minor changes which might seem
advisable. At another session there was considerable talk of merging
the National American Association into the new organization of voters
and dropping its name at this convention, but Miss Hay carried the
delegates with her in urging that they retain the old name until they
celebrated Miss Anthony's one-hundredth birthday and were safely
through the ratification of the Federal Amendment. This decision was
especially pleasing to the older members for whom the name had many
endearing memories. Mrs. Catt announced that suffrage societies had
been formed in Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii an