The women, therefore, approached the political
parties this year in quite a different frame of mind from that of the
past, feeling the strength of their position and realizing that where
they had formerly pleaded they could now demand. The burning question
of the hour was whether the 36th State would ratify in time to enable
the millions of women to vote in the Presidential elections in
November. The National Committees of the two dominant parties had
become ardently in favor of it. Through the influence of Republican
women suffragists, the committee of that party sent on June 1 to the
Republican Governors and legislators of Delaware, Connecticut and
Vermont the following appeal to ratify the Federal Amendment so that
the Republican party might have the credit of assisting women to win
their final battle and thus gain their gratitude and allegiance:

Whereas, The Republican National Committee at its regular
meetings has repeatedly endorsed woman suffrage and the 19th
Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and has
called upon the Congress to submit and the States to ratify such
amendment; and, whereas, it still lacks ratification by a
sufficient number of States to become a law, therefore be it

Resolved, by the Republican National Committee that the 19th
Amendment be and the same is hereby again endorsed by this
committee, and such Republican States as have not already done so
are now urged to take such action by their Governors and
Legislatures as will assure its ratification and establish the
right of equal suffrage at the earliest possible time.

When the Republican National Convention met in Chicago June 8-12 the
Resolutions Committee received the following memorial:

The National American Woman Suffrage Association asks permission
to place on record with the National Republican Convention its
appreciation of the resolution of the National Republican
Executive Committee on June 1.... It seems the spirit of fairness
underlying the committee's action must commend it to every lover
of liberty regardless of party and its political far-sightedness
must be evident to every Republican desirous of party victory.

Conceding to the committee's action its full and friendly
significance, this association further asks permission to
re-emphasize before this convention the fact that on the very eve
o