NAWSA GEN. CORRESP. New Hampshire Suffrage Assocn. CONCORD EQUAL SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, MRS. AGNES M. JENKS ,23 MERRIMACK STREET VICE PRESIDENT, MRS. BERTHA R. PAGE, 12 COURT STREET TREASURER, MRS. GRACE E. FOSTER, 64 NORTH STATE STREET SECRETARY, MRS. BERTHA A. CHASE, 20 SEWALL'S FALLS ROAD AUDITOR, MRS. JESSIE B. HARRIMAN, 1 SOUTH STREET CHAIRMAN MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE, MRS. BERTHA R. PAGE [*ANSWERED NOV 20, 1913*] CONCORD, N.H., Nov. 13th, 13 My dear Miss Ryan:- Apropos of our recent talk I have just written to Mis Blackwell telling her that I am sending into the office 12 copies of our pamphlet. I have also suggested to her as a result of our talk that I am sure a strong edition of the Journal bearing on the question of the women's clubs of America would be great propaganda work among our women of the clubs. If it would do good work here I see no reason why such a paper would not go finely in every state. If the Concord asso. can afford it, it will not only supply our local of three hundred but all the federated clubs in the State. Why would not the number that will be issued immediately after the National convention and telling all the news from that be the ideal number for a strong editorial on the women's clubs? That is if you would have space. That is bound to be an interesting number. We are going to bring the question of the Journal up at our State convention and try to have them for sale, and try to take orders. With kind regards I remain, Most sincerely yours, Agnes M. Jenks [*Answered Feb 28 1913*] 1913. New Hampshire Woman Suffrage Association President Miss Martha S. Kimball, Portsmouth Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Mrs. Mary I. Wood, Portsmouth Mrs. Agnes M. Jenks, Concord Miss Harriet L. Huntress, Concord Auditors Member National Executive Committee Mrs. Susan C. Bancroft, Concord Mrs. Mabel H. Churchill, Cornish Rev. Henry G. Ives. Andover [ *Honorary President Mrs. Armenia S. White Honorary Vice-Presidents Senator Jacob H. Gallinger Hon. Henry W. Blair Hon. Henry B. Quinby Hon. Oliver E. Branch Dr. Orlando B. Douglas Miss Mary N. Chase Miss C. R. Wendell Advisory Council Hon. D. W. Badger, Portsmouth Hon. H. H. Metcalf, Concord Mrs. George Bingham, Manchester Mrs. Josephine H. Sweet, Rochester U. S. Congressman Raymond B. Stevens, Landaff Mrs. Robert Hayward, Keene Sherman E. Burroughs, Esq., Manchester Mrs. Helen R. Thayer, Portsmouth Dr. Inez Ford Nason, Dover Mrs. Dorothy E. McLane, Milford Mrs. H. M. Perkins, Somersworth William Burlingame, Esq., Exeter Prof. George Ray Wicker, Hanover Miss Ida Taft Eastman, Littleton Miss Maud Starling, Plymouth Judge Charles R. Corning, Concord General Elbert E. Wheeler, Nashua Mrs. Robert P. Bass, Peterboro Mrs. Juliet Barrett Rublee, Cornish Andrew Felker, Esq., Meredith Center*] Portsmouth, N.H., Feb 27, 1913 The Woman's Journal, Boston, Mass. Dear Madam:- Perhaps you have already had something sent you about the very successful banquet our Association gave Monday night in Concord, if so you will not need the enclosed. It was really the affair of the season in Concord and a most encouraging feature of our work. The tables were decorated with yellow jonquils and the menus of yellow with a cut of our Honorary President, Mrs Armenia S White (95 yrs old) on the front page. There were 120 present and the Governor, Speaker of the House, Congressman as guests, and two Councillors also. The speakers came out very decidedly in favor of Suffrage, promising their help. One of the Councillors is Mayor of Portsmouth also, and a very good friend of the causes We have heard nothing but praise of the whole thing. Yours truly Martha S Kimball. P.S. I would like to ask about the stock of the Woman's Journal. Is there any for sale and for how much? I would like to help in some way; is that the best way? MSK. 1913. New Hampshire Woman Suffrage Association President Miss Martha S. Kimball, Portsmouth Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Mrs. Mary I. Wood, Portsmouth Mrs. Agnes M. Jenks, Concord Miss Harriet L. Huntress, Concord Auditors Member National Executive Committee Mrs. Susan C. Bancroft, Concord Mrs. Mabel H. Churchill, Cornish Rev. Henry G. Ives. Andover [ *Honorary President Mrs. Armenia S. White Honorary Vice-Presidents Senator Jacob H. Gallinger Hon. Henry W. Blair Hon. Henry B. Quinby Hon. Oliver E. Branch Dr. Orlando B. Douglas Miss Mary N. Chase Miss C. R. Wendell Advisory Council Hon. D. W. Badger, Portsmouth Hon. H. H. Metcalf, Concord Mrs. George Bingham, Manchester Mrs. Josephine H. Sweet, Rochester U. S. Congressman Raymond B. Stevens, Landaff Mrs. Robert Hayward, Keene Sherman E. Burroughs, Esq., Manchester Mrs. Helen R. Thayer, Portsmouth Dr. Inez Ford Nason, Dover Mrs. Dorothy E. McLane, Milford Mrs. H. M. Perkins, Somersworth William Burlingame, Esq., Exeter Prof. George Ray Wicker, Hanover Miss Ida Taft Eastman, Littleton Miss Maud Starling, Plymouth Judge Charles R. Corning, Concord General Elbert E. Wheeler, Nashua Mrs. Robert P. Bass, Peterboro Mrs. Juliet Barrett Rublee, Cornish Andrew Felker, Esq., Meredith Center*] Portsmouth, N. H., Mary 16, 1913 [*Mailed*] The Woman's Journal, 585 Boylston St., Boston, Mass Dear Madams - Enclosed please find a check for five dollars for four tickets to the May Festival and Supper May 22nd. Yours truly, Martha S. Kimball. 1913. [* 2 M 7/22/3*] [* Copied *] New Hampshire Woman Suffrage Association President [*copy marked ?*] Miss Martha S. Kimball, Portsmouth Vice-President Secretary [* + return with list *] [* attached *] Treasurer Mrs. Mary I. Wood, Portsmouth Mrs. Agnes M. Jenks, Concord Miss Harriet L. Huntress, Concord Auditors Member National Executive Committee Mrs. Susan C. Bancroft, Concord Mrs. Mabel H. Churchill, Cornish Rev. Henry G. Ives. Andover [ *Honorary President Mrs. Armenia S. White Honorary Vice-Presidents Senator Jacob H. Gallinger Hon. Henry W. Blair Hon. Henry B. Quinby Hon. Oliver E. Branch Dr. Orlando B. Douglas Miss Mary N. Chase Miss C. R. Wendell Advisory Council Hon. D. W. Badger, Portsmouth Hon. H. H. Metcalf, Concord Mrs. George Bingham, Manchester Mrs. Josephine H. Sweet, Rochester U. S. Congressman Raymond B. Stevens, Landaff Mrs. Robert Hayward, Keene Sherman E. Burroughs, Esq., Manchester Mrs. Helen R. Thayer, Portsmouth Dr. Inez Ford Nason, Dover Mrs. Dorothy E. McLane, Milford Mrs. H. M. Perkins, Somersworth William Burlingame, Esq., Exeter Prof. George Ray Wicker, Hanover Miss Ida Taft Eastman, Littleton Miss Maud Starling, Plymouth Judge Charles R. Corning, Concord General Elbert E. Wheeler, Nashua Mrs. Robert P. Bass, Peterboro Mrs. Juliet Barrett Rublee, Cornish Andrew Felker, Esq., Meredith Center*] Portsmouth, N.H., July 19, 1913. The Woman's Journal, #585 Boylston Street, Boston, Mass. My dear Miss Ryan:- I enclose a rather imperfect list of the members of the Portsmouth Equal Suffrage League, but it is the best I can do just now. We are working for votes for women in New Hampshire in 1915, or as much as the Legislature can give us; and hope in the next few months to organize the State as thoroughly as possible, which will mean more subscribers to the Woman's Journal. Please send The Woman's Journal for three months to Mrs. H. L. Hardy Raymond, N.H. Mrs. E. A. Hicks " " Mrs. Mary Brown " " Mrs. Mabel Marden " " Mrs. Bessie Richardson Candia, N.H. Please send the bill to me. I am very sorry to hear that Miss Blackwell has been ill, and hope she is recovering rapidly. Yours very sincerely, Martha S. Kimball. 1914 New Hampshire Woman Suffrage Association President Corresponding Secretary Miss Martha S. Kimball, Portsmouth Treasurer Miss Sallie W. Hovey Portsmouth 1st Vice President Miss Harriet L. Huntress, Concord Recording Secretary Mrs. Mary I. Wood, Portsmouth Auditors Mrs. Anna S. Haynes, Concord 2nd Vice President Mrs. Susan C. Bancroft, Concord Mrs. Agnes M. Jenks, Concord Rev. Henry G. Ives, Andover Member National Executive Committee [ *Honorary President Mrs. Armenia S. White Honorary Vice-Presidents Senator Jacob H. Gallinger Hon. Henry W. Blair Hon. Henry B. Quinby Hon. Oliver E. Branch Dr. Orlando B. Douglas Miss Mary N. Chase Miss C. R. Wendell Advisory Council Hon. D. W. Badger, Portsmouth Hon. H. H. Metcalf, Concord Mrs. George Bingham, Manchester Mrs. Josephine H. Sweet, Rochester U. S. Congressman Raymond B. Stevens, Landaff Mrs. Robert Hayward, Keene Sherman E. Burroughs, Esq., Manchester Mrs. Helen R. Thayer, Portsmouth Dr. Inez Ford Nason, Dover Mrs. Dorothy E. McLane, Milford Mrs. H. M. Perkins, Somersworth William Burlingame, Esq., Exeter Prof. George Ray Wicker, Hanover Miss Ida Taft Eastman, Littleton Judge Charles R. Corning, Concord General Elbert E. Wheeler, Nashua Mrs. Robert P. Bass, Peterboro Mrs. Juliet Barrett Rublee, Cornish Andrew Felker, Esq., Meredith Center*] Portsmouth, N.H., Jan. 20, 1914. Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, 3 Monadnock Street, Dorchester, Mass. My dear Miss Blackwell:- You asked me to remind you of the article you so kindly consented to write for our Woman's Edition of the Manchester Union, and we shall probably get that out in about two weeks. The articles was to be on the federations and national bodies that have endorsed equal suffrage. Five hundred words or more; we should certainly like more. I am enclosing you a clipping from the Manchester Union, explaining a little about the position we women are taking on the school board seat. This is not for publication, but if you saw the unfavorable report of the meeting which was given in the Boston Post, I would like to have you know the truth of it, and that all the trouble was caused by the men opposed to us, while the three best men on the School Board were with us. Mrs. Wood sturck to her point in a wonderful way, so that nobody could criticize her with a bit of fairness. Of course they are always trying to put the blame for everything on the women, but I feel it very seldom belongs there. Yours very sincerely, Enc. Martha S. Kimball P.S. The edition itself does not come out till March 31st, but the Suffrage section is to be printed in about two weeks. MSK. [*Cart to [curte?]*] Copy January 15, 1919 Hon. Charles Curtis, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. My dear Senator Curtis:- I asked Mrs. Tillinghast who has been representing us in New Hampshire to wire you when the resolution should be passed by the Senate. Whether she would take the same action now that it has been defeated, I do not know. You doubtless have heard of the vote, but there are some things that perhaps you will not have heard and which I wish to lay before you. There was no difficulty in getting signatures on the petitions to ask Senator Moses to vote for the resolution. The men were willing to have the vote and to stand by their signatures on the resolution in the House. Those who had interviewed the men watched the vote with great care. They found that most of the men who had signed voted "aye". A few did not do so, but on the other hand some who had not signed did vote "aye". Senator Moses went up to New Hampshire at the opening of the Legislature and hired a room at the hotel and saw a great many members of the Legislature. I must say that the best people in New Hampshire have a very small opinion of Senator Moses. They hold him to be absolutely dishonorable and unscrupulous. I know nothing of my own knowledge. I did not get this from the women, but from men and men of his own party. They believed that Senator Moses was there to see that the resolution did not go through, and that if he was assuring the men of his party in Washington that he stood ready to vote for the federal amendment when the resolution should go through, he was carrying water upon both shoulders and was asking his faithful friends that he should not be instructed by New Hampshire. I did not believe these charges when I heard them, but I must say the results bear out that theory. The following nine men signed the petition to Senator Benjamin G. Hall, Ex-Sheriff of Marlborough, Joseph P. Boucher, Northumberland, Guy H. Hubbard, Boscawen, George L. Sadler, Nashua, William P. Sullivan, Nashua, Gedeon Lariviere, Manchester, Alvah T. Ramsdell, Dover, Oliver B. Marvin, Newcastle. -2- Hon. Charles Curtis, Washington, D. C. January 15, 1919 The first on the list, George H. Eames, claims to be a suffragist. What happened to those men to make them change their minds? What was the influence. The most remarkable case of all is that of Andrew J. Hook of Warner, a Republican. He was an opponent and never claimed to be anything else. He did not sign the petition. Mrs. Tillinghast herself saw Mr. Hook and had a long talk with him. Finally of his own volition, he "passed the buck" as did Senator Moses and said if you can bring me a petition signed by a majority of all the Republican town committee men in my district, I will vote for it. He made that as a straight, deliberate pledge. Mrs. Tillinghast at once wishing to secure his vote made the arrangements to send some women to his district on Monday morning. When all the arrangements were made to send the women to his district, Mrs. Tillinghas called him on the telephone and told him that she was going ahead to get the petitions and asked him if he would assure her that he would give his vote provided the names were obtained. He replied significantly, that he had decided to tell her that if she could assure him that twelve men would vote for the resolution, he would give his vote to make the majority. She told him she was glad to know that but that she would go ahead with the petition. Now, the evidence seems very convincing that Mr. Hook meanwhile knew that the majority had been fixed by the opposition and that there would not be twelve men. He knew that such a promise was a safe one and he did not wish to add to the embarrassment of the situation by having a petition from his committee men turned down as he intended to do. My dear Senator Curtis, I wish I could hand over to you some information I picked up in New Hampshire years ago when there was a suffrage campaign there. It was straight and reliable. At that time about 1901, it was certainly one of the most corrupt states in the entire country. Men who were pillars of their Churches made a common practice of selling their votes. The Legislature had been bought over and over again and if there were any honest men in politics, nobody knew their names. Putting together the facts I learned at that time and the remarkable antics which have just taken place in the Senate, I give it to you as my firm conviction that there was deliberate bribery in the New Hampshire Senate. That is a bold charge to make without any positive proof, except the circumstantial evidence. I only knew New Hampshire behaves that way when money appears and does not behave that way when there is no money in sight. Who put up the money? I should like to know. I imagine I do know. Naturally, I am wondering whether if men can be bought in New Hampshire to keep us from getting the one vote that a certain man that you and I know, who changed his position, was not also bought when we needed his one vote and there is still one other man who is on my list of suspects. Many a night in New Hampshire years ago I walked the floor in mental agony aroused by the fact that we did not have representative institutions, but that the money of corrupt interests could make laws, make and break men, write constitutions and build our civilization. I am not so much depressed over the result of the resolution in New Hampshire, as I am by the conviction that it was obtained in the ever-recurring criminal way. Yours truly, C C C President NH NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION BRANCH OF INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE AND OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, PRESIDENT DR. ANNA HOWARD SHAW, HONORARY PRESIDENT 1st Vice-President Mrs. Stanley McCormick, Mass. 2nd Vice-President Miss Mary Garrett Hay, New York 3d Vice-President Mrs. Guilford Dudley, Tenn. 4th Vice-President Mrs. Raymond Brown, New York 5th Vice-President Mrs. Helen Gardener, Washington D.C. Treasurer Mrs. Henry Wade Rogers, Conn. Corresponding Secretary Mrs. Frank J. Shuler, New York. Recording Secretary Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, New York. Directors Mrs. Charles H. Brooks, Kansas Mrs T. T. Cotnam, Arkansas Mrs. James Lees Laidlaw, New York Mrs. Arthur L. Livermore, New York Mrs. Nonie B. Mahoney, Texas Miss Esther G. Ogden, New York Dr. Mary Safford, Florida Mrs. Horace C. Stilwell, Indiana NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 171 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK TELEPHONE 4818 MURRAY HILL NATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc Miss Esther G. Ogden, President 171 Madison Avenue, New York PRESS DEPARTMENT Miss Rose Young, Chairman 171 Madison Avenue, New York CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Chairman Headquarters 1626 Rhode Island Ave., Washington, D.C. October 11, 1918 Miss Martha S. Kimball, and Members of the Board of Officers of the New Hampshire Women Suffrage Association Dear Friends:- It is difficult to put a heart to heart talk on paper. If I could meet with you and say what is in my own heart today and you could respond, asking questions, contradicting, etc. we should more readily arrive at a mutual understanding. As that is impossible, I will have to say my say as best I can, trusting to you to understand it. The truth is that when New Hampshire, together with all the other states, was asked to take up a petition to campaign preparatory to ratification, and to carry the suffrage work together with the war activities already resting upon the shoulders of many of you, the answer was returned that although your President desired you to proceed with this campaign, the Board were loath to do so upon the ground that the war activities absorbed all their time and energy and that this was not the time to do suffrage work. That decision was more tragic and disastrous than any of you could have imagined. You were secure in the knowledge that you had two Senators who were ready to vote for the federal suffrage amendment at any and all times. You could not foresee that our good friend, Senator Gallinger, would suddenly pass away and that another would come in his place who would take an opposing view. Ever since June, we have known that we lacked two votes and every friend of our measure in Congress has repeatedly told us that we could get one vote, we should have no difficulty in getting the last vote, as one man has said that if all the votes were secured, except one, he would make that one in order to let it pass. Under no circumstances would he vote for it. One vote was, therefore, vital to the passing of the amendment. That vote turned out to be that of Senator Drew and upon New Hampshire rests the entire responsibility for the failure to pass the federal suffrage amendment on September 30th. Everything which could be done politically to secure -2- Senator Drew's support was done, but Senators Lodge and Weeks who are of the same type as Senator Drew, used their utmost influence upon him and his sympathies were theirs. When women went to see him and when Senators talked with him, he invariably made one answer. "I am myself opposed to this question. The only claim which weighs with me at all, is that I would like to vote as Senator Gallinger would have done, but in my state there is no suffrage demand for the passing of this amendment and consequently I will not do it." Had the petition work been done and had the campaign been conducted as we had asked, there would have been a defense in this plea of Senator Drew and today we would not stand shamed before the world by the refusal of our Senate to keep pace with Great Britain and Canada. Since the mischief has been done, you may now say that there is no reason for weeping over "spilt milk" and that you are sorry it is so, but that you must go on your way as before, doing your war work with so much absorption as to squeeze out any suffrage service. We are hopeful that we may yet pass the amendment before the end of this Congress on the reconsideration which has been moved and is now pending, but whether or not we are able to do it, depends altogether upon the outcome of the election in New Hampshire. You have reported that Mr. Moses is a violet opposer of woman suffrage. It has been stated in the press that he has come out for it. We have not been officially so informed, yet men as opposed as he have changed and perhaps he has. If he is for it, the day is saved; but you must find out whether or not he is for it and if he is not, then we must ask of you the most important service you have ever been called upon to render this movement since its beginning. Further, in the event that the votes are not forthcoming before March, it will come up in the new Congress and perhaps New Hampshire will cast two votes against, instead of two for, with the incoming of Senator Keyes. It is absolutely necessary to learn where these two men stand. In the event New Hampshire, through this unfortunate change of circumstances shall reverse her position in the Senate concerning the federal amendment, it might be possible that the federal amendment could not be passed in the next Congress. That will mean that the women of this country will not have the vote until long after the war is over; it will mean that the woman suffrage movement now forging ahead in France and Italy, will be stayed because of the hesitation of our own country; it will mean that when the reconstruction period comes with far more important and awful questions than are now before our people, women with their point of view will not be represented. It is so imperative that women shall have a voice at that time that I trust New Hampshire will see the responsibility which rests upon it. Mind, I am not asking you to lay aside war activities, but I do say to you that if the war is won by the forces of might and the German Empire is reduced to a humiliating surrender, the objective for which we would have fought has not been won. That objective is the Democratization of the world as the only certain preventative of world wars and if we devote all our time to the mere question of winning the victory without making preparations for the even more important acts which are to follow, we shall have failed in our duty. Our President, with a broader vision than the rank and file of our people, even the rank and rile of suffragists, sees this question in its important and international relation at this time and we are failing him and failing our country if we do not stand by our won cause. What do I ask you to do? -3- First, to find out in the most tactful but certain way at your command whether or not Mr. Moses and Mr. Keyes propose to vote for the federal amendment if it has not yet passed the Senate. Secure from them, if you can, a statement which can be given to the public, a statement so emphatic that they will not reverse their attitude. It is especially important that this statement be secured from Mr. Moses. It may prove wise for you to secure this statement through men who will give to you the assurance that they are bound to the federal amendment. In the event you cannot secure this promise then I ask you to secure the appointments, so far as you are able, in every precinct in the state, of a consecrated suffragist with a vision big enough to understand that New Hampshire is the block which stands between women of the nation and their enfranchisement. This woman should then attempt to pull off from both Mr. Moses and Mr. Keyes votes that would normally support them. Our policy is not to go for a candidate; I do not even know the names of both candidates standing in opposition to Mr. Moses and Mr. Keyes. New Hampshire has had one Democratic Senator and a good one he is. In Mr. Moses place it would only give a short term Senator so that Republicans need not hesitate on that account. They are only giving to the Administration one of its own kind for the period of the war and it would not be difficult I am sure with proper education to pull off enough votes from Moses to elect his opponent whose name I do not know. This should not be done with public acclaim,, but must be the quiet work of men and women in each precinct. We are depending upon you to do this thing, not for the National Board, not alone for the women of the Nation, many of whom can never secure the vote, except by the federal amendment, but we are asking it for the women of the entire world and we hope that the women of New Hampshire will be big enough in their vision to the imperative necessity for immediate and emphatic action now. I am, Yours cordially President Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.