tained a statement that the small dues and special
gifts had never been sufficient to meet the expenses of the league and
said: "With the exception of $450 lent by one of its former officers
all the loans and debts of the National College League, amounting to
$6,686 were paid off by its president, who stated that in thus
financing its work during the past few years she believed she was
making the most valuable financial contribution that she could make to
the cause of woman suffrage."

FRIENDS' EQUAL RIGHTS ASSOCIATION.[143]

The Society of Friends always has held advanced views on the woman
question and was for a long time the only religious body which gave
women equal rights with men in the church. Women of this sect were
naturally leaders in the great movement for the emancipation of women
educationally, professionally and politically. Lucretia Mott stepped
forth almost alone at first but soon Susan B. Anthony and Lucy Stone
(both of Quaker ancestry) stood by her side, powerful in vision to see
and will to do and dedicated to their great task.

With such heritage comes unusual responsibility, and, feeling the
surge of this tremendous wave everywhere for human rights, the Society
of Friends at its Biennial or General Conference (liberal branch)
representing the seven Yearly Meetings of the United States and
Canada--Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and
Genesee (western New York and Canada)--held at Chautauqua, N. Y., 8th
month, 24th day, 1900, through the Union for Philanthropic Labor,
created a new department to be known as Women in Government and
recommended to the committees of the various Yearly Meetings that they
"should work in this direction." Before the adjournment of the
conference Mariana W. Chapman of Brooklyn was made superintendent of
the department and the name was changed to Equal Rights for Women.
This official action committed all the Yearly Meetings of this branch
of Friends to the endorsement of political rights for women.

Realizing the need for increased enthusiasm and active participation
in the imminent struggle for the enfranchisement of women, members of
the New York Yearly Meeting organized the State Friends' Equal Rights
Association, with annual membership dues to meet necessary expenses. A
definite list of members was thus made, who could be called upon when
opportunity for service occurred. At Westbury (Long Island) Quarterly
Meeting in 1901 a proposal was ap