rike any liberal idea on the head
whenever it appeared. They are still active, hysterically active,
over our amendment; still imagining, as their progenitors for
thousands of years have done, that a fly sitting on a wheel may
command it to revolve no more and it will obey. They are running
about from State to State, a few women and a few paid men. They
dash to Washington to hold hurried consultations with senatorial
friends and away to carry out instructions.... It does not
matter. Suffragists were never dismayed when they were a tiny
group and all the world was against them. What care they now when
all the world is with them? March on, suffragists, the victory is
yours! The trail has been long and winding; the struggle has been
tedious and wearying; you have made sacrifices and received many
hard knocks; be joyful to-day. Our final victory is due, is
inevitable, is almost here. Let us celebrate to-day, and when the
proclamation comes I beg you to celebrate the occasion with some
form of joyous demonstration in your own home State. Two
armistice days made a joyous ending of the war. Let two
ratification days, one a National and one a State day, make a
happy ending of the denial of political freedom to women!

Our amendment was submitted June 4, 1919, and to-day, eight
months and eight days later, it has been ratified by thirty-one
States. No other amendment made such a record but the time is not
the significant part of the story. Of the thirty-one
ratifications twenty-four have taken place in _special sessions_.
These mean extra cost to the State, opportunity for other
legislation and the chance of political intrigue for or against
the Governor who calls them. These obstacles have been difficult
to overcome, far more difficult than most of you will ever know,
and in a few instances well-nigh insurmountable, but the point to
emphasize to-day is that they _were_ overcome. As a whole the
ratifications have moved forward in splendid triumphal
procession. There have been many inspiring incidents of daring
and clever moves on the part of suffragists to speed the campaign
and there have been many incidents of courage, nobility of
purpose and proud scorn of the pettiness of political enemies on
the part of Governors, legislators and men friends. On th