NAWSA
Subject File
Congressional Union
Brown, Olympia

Honorary President
Belva A. Lockwood, LL. D. 
Advisory Council
Mrs. Miles Poindexter, Washington.
Mrs. Abigail Scott Duniway, Oregon. 
Mrs. Alice Park, California.
Mrs. Philenda Spencer, California.
Mrs. Burton French, Idaho.
Mrs. Frank W. Mondell, Wyoming. 
Mrs. Mary Smith Hayward, Nebraska.
Mrs. Sarah Clay Bennett, Kentucky. 
Miss Emily Howland, New York. 
Mrs. May Wright Sewall, Indiana.
Mrs. Virginia Johnston, Maryland.
Mrs. Dora B. F. Mitchell, Kansas. 
H. Parker Willis, New York. 
Mrs. Anson Mills, Washington, D. C. 
Mrs. Mary S. Lockwood.
Mrs. W. T. Hancock.
Mrs. F. Carl Smith.
Mrs. W. D. Bigelow.
Mrs. Jennie L. Monroe.
Mrs. Charlette Emerson Main. 
Wm. C. Lee. 

Federal Suffrage Association
President, Rev. Olympia Brown, Racine, Wisconsin
Corresponding Secretary, Clara Bewick Colby, Ph. B., Portland, Oregon.
Office Address, 522 6th St. N. W., Washington, D. C. 
Vice-President, Mrs. Charles Morton, Washington, D. C. 
Mrs. B. H. Ransom, Washington, D. C. 
Recording Secretaries, Martha Mitchell Hoyt, Washington, D. C. 
Mary MacCartee, Hyattsville, Md. 
Treasurer, Clara W. MacNaughton, Washington, D. C. 
Assistant Treasurer, Anna Harmon, Washington, D. C. 
Auditors, Dr. Elnora C. Folkman, Washington, D. C. 
Mrs. H. K. Prosser, Washington, D. C. 
HEADQUARTERS:  522 6TH STREET N. W. 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Honorary Vice-Presidents
[REPRESENTING THE FREE STATES] 
Wyoming:  Senator Clarence D. Clark.
Hon. Frank W. Mondell. 
Colorado:  Senator John F. Shafroth.
Hon. H. H. Seldomridge.
Idaho:  Senator James H. Brady. 
Hon. Burton L. French.
Utah:  Hon. Jacob Johnson.
Washington:  Senator Miles Poindexter.
Hon. Wm. L. Lafollette.
California:  Senator John D. Works.
Hon. John E. Raker. 
Oregon:  Senator Geo. E. Chamberlain.
Hon. A. W. Lafferty. 
Kansas:  Senator W. H. Thompson. 
Hon. P. P. Campbell.
Arizona:  Senator H. F. Ashurst. 
Hon. Carl Hayden.
Alaska:  Hon. James Wickersham.
Illinois:  Hon. W. H. Himebaugh. 

PRESIDENT'S OFFICE:
941 LAKE AVE. 
Racine, Wisconsin,  941 Lake  [1914]
June 1, 1915
My Dear Mrs. Catt,
I have received, your letter to Miss 
Paul - a copy of it - today- In many things 
I quite agree with you. It is always a 
pity to compel a man to take a position
I felt it also during our campaign
here when many were active in asking
men to pledge themselves. If not in favor
of the cause the request to give a pledge offends
them a makes them more difficult
to reach afterward - I also sympathize 
deeply with your feeling that it is wrong for
outside people to interfere in a state
campaign - The women in the state have

2 
a terrible burden to bear and they know 
the spirit and needs and possibilities 
of the state better than any outsider 
can possibly do.  I am in sympathy 
with Miss Paul's Society and allow 
my name to stand as a member 
of their advisory board because 
they stand for the constitutional amendment 
prohibiting states from disfranchising 
citizens on account of sex 
while the national association advocates
the state rights (Shafroth) amendment Those
of us who remember the war dread incorporating
the state rights doctrine into
the constitution of the United States Even by inference It will
be so easy for Congressmen to vote for
the state rights amendment & thus please
the women and yet not help the suffrage
cause, it gives them such a chance to shirk 
that I dread its being discussed in congress
and if it should pass it would be a
terrible misfortune 


3
Federal Suffrage Association

Honorary President
Belva A. Lockwood, LL. D. 
Advisory Council
Mrs. Miles Poindexter, Washington.
Mrs. Abigail Scott Duniway, Oregon. 
Mrs. Alice Park, California.
Mrs. Philenda Spencer, California.
Mrs. Burton French, Idaho.
Mrs. Frank W. Mondell, Wyoming. 
Mrs. Mary Smith Hayward, Nebraska.
Mrs. Sarah Clay Bennett, Kentucky. 
Miss Emily Howland, New York. 
Mrs. May Wright Sewall, Indiana.
Mrs. Virginia Johnston, Maryland.
Mrs. Dora B. F. Mitchell, Kansas. 
H. Parker Willis, New York. 
Mrs. Anson Mills, Washington, D. C. 
Mrs. Mary S. Lockwood.
Mrs. W. T. Hancock.
Mrs. F. Carl Smith.
Mrs. W. D. Bigelow.
Mrs. Jennie L. Monroe.
Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Main. 
Wm. C. Lee. 

President, Rev. Olympia Brown, Racine, Wisconsin
Corresponding Secretary, Clara Bewick Colby, Ph. B., Portland, Oregon.
Office Address, 522 6th St. N. W., Washington, D. C. 
Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Charles Morton, Washington, D. C. 
Mrs. B. H. Ransom, Washington, D. C. 
Recording Secretaries, Martha Mitchell Hoyt, Washington, D. C. 
Mary MacCartee, Hyattsville, Md. 
Treasurer, Clara W. MacNaughton, Washington, D. C. 
Assistant Treasurer, Anna Harmon, Washington, D. C. 
Auditors, Dr. Elnora C. Folkman, Washington, D. C. 
Mrs. H. K. Prosser, Washington, D. C. 
HEADQUARTERS:  522 6TH STREET N. W. 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 

Honorary Vice-Presidents
[REPRESENTING THE FREE STATES] 
Wyoming:  Senator Clarence D. Clark.
Hon. Frank W. Mondell. 
Colorado:  Senator John F. Shafroth.
Hon. H. H. Seldomridge.
Idaho:  Senator James H. Brady. 
Hon. Burton L. French.
Utah:  Hon. Jacob Johnson.
Washington:  Senator Miles Poindexter.
Hon. Wm. L. Lafollette.
California:  Senator John D. Works.
Hon. John E. Raker. 
Oregon:  Senator Geo. E. Chamberlain.
Hon. A. W. Lafferty. 
Kansas:  Senator W. H. Thompson. 
Hon. P. P. Campbell.
Arizona:  Senator H. F. Ashurst. 
Hon. Carl Hayden.
Alaska:  Hon. James Wickersham.
Illinois:  Hon. W. H. Himebaugh. 

President's Office
941 Lake Avenue
Racine, Wisconsin,     1914 
I rejoice in the activity of Miss Paul's
society in organizing the congressional
districts and creating and gathering 
up a public sentiment of the right
kind but I regret very much that they
call out public men, members of
congress, and compel them to take a
stand. it is not dignified and it places
men in antagonism who might
be brought to our side -  Of course the
president has acted so cowardly and
in such an unprincipled way that I
can not blame people for denouncing
his attitudes   Welcoming to the ballot

4 
box a lot of foreigners who have
done nothing for the country while
turning a deaf ear to the appeals
of millions of native born intelligent
citizens! It is too bad.
But to hold controversies with
him does not help. Ephraim is
joined to his idols let him alone.
I wish our leaders in this
great cause had a little more common
sense. But what can you
expect & These women have just cause
into a little light & liberty and they 
are dazed by it, they do not know what
they do. they are wild with the idea that
they have a little power - Fortunately
there is a power that will cause all
things to work together for good.
Olympia Brown


June 4
PS: I see I have not sent
my letter. I add a word
to tell you that the policy of
of publicity and aggression
pursued by the
union is the same used
here by Miss Shaws League
in opposition the Wis. W.S.A.
As an instance of
the folly of counseling
men to commit themselves
I would mention
the case of Bishop Mesiner
the head of the Catholic
Church here - The League
wrote a letter to
the Bishop requesting

2
him to come out and
declare himself on the
subject. They were greatly pleased
to receive a polite
reply saying that he had
not looked into the subject
but would do so.
In due time he came
out with a strong message
to all Catholics
denouncing womans
suffrage in the strongest
terms. He also
went about the state
addressing Catholics
& urging them to vote
against it. But the


3
league instead of being
quiet or even replying
to his argument or statements,
for he did not
argue, advertized his
message to the extent of
their ability by way of
showing the perversity of
men in general & the 
Bishop in particular.
Had they been
quiet & minded their
own business the Bishop
might never have
give the subject the
slightest attention.
As to punishing him
by [detailing?] his iniquity

the Catholic church is so 
much stronger and larger 
than the suffrage society 
that the attempt was more 
impotent and silly 
beside most injuring 
to us. Why not let the 
Bishop do his own 
advertising.

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