ffiliations
yet to make."

A parade of 25,000 women had been planned to show the strength of the
movement. A cold, heavy rain upset these plans but on June 7, 5,500
women (the others believing the demonstration would not be given)
braved the storm, gathered in Grant Park and marched to the Coliseum,
where the Republican Resolutions Committee was meeting. The Chicago
_Herald_ in describing that march said: "Over their heads surged a
vast sea of umbrellas extending two miles down the street; under their
feet swirled rivulets of water. Wind tore at their clothes and rain
drenched their faces but unhesitatingly they marched in unbroken
formation. Never before in the history of this city, probably of the
world, has there been so impressive a demonstration of consecration to
a cause." The first division reached the convention hall before five
o'clock. The committee had given a hearing to the suffragists and was
listening to the "antis." Just as Mrs. A. J. George of Brookline,
Mass., was asserting, "there is no widespread demand for woman
suffrage" hundreds of drenched and dripping women began to pour into
the hall, each woman's condition bearing silent witness to the
strength of her wish for the vote. Thousands of converts were made
among those who witnessed the courage and devotion of the women in
facing this storm.

The hearing took place before a sub-committee of the Resolutions
Committee and instead of seven minutes being allotted to it, as in
1912, representatives of the National American Woman Suffrage
Association had half an hour, the National Association Opposed to
Woman Suffrage the next half hour and the Congressional Union a final
half hour. Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Abbie A. Krebs of California, Mrs. Ellis
Meredith of Colorado, Mrs. Grace Wilbur Trout of Illinois and Mrs.
Frank M. Roessing of Pennsylvania spoke for the National Suffrage
Association. They asked for the following resolution: "The Republican
party reaffirming its faith in government of the people, by the people
and for the people, as a measure of justice to one-half the adult
people of this country, favors the extension of the suffrage to
women." The speakers for the Congressional Union were Miss Anne
Martin, Mrs. Harriot Stanton Blatch and Mrs. Sara Bard Field and they
asked for an endorsement of the Federal Suffrage Amendment. The
"antis" were represented by their national president, Mrs. Arthur M.
Dodge, and national secretary, Miss Minnie Bronson; Miss