Oregon Woman Suffrage February 10, 1911: Following the Course of Senate Joint Resolution 12 and House Concurrent Resolution 24.

We are following the events of 100 years ago in the Oregon state legislature and the course of Senate Joint Resolution 12 and House Concurrent Resolution 24. The Oregon State Equal Suffrage Association asked legislators to “cordially recommend” the ratification of the ballot measure for woman suffrage placed there by initiative petition.

On February 9 legislators introduced the resolutions. On February 10, as you’ll see below, the Senate voted on the resolution. By a vote of 16 to 12 with 2 absent the measure passed. I’ve added legislators’ residence and counties and political affiliation. Of 30 senators just three were Democrats and one Independent with the rest Republicans.


FEBRUARY 10

Friday, February 10, 1911, Morning Session, Oregon House of Representatives

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12

Be it Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives Jointly Concurring:

Resolved by the Senate, the House Concurring: That we have carefully considered the equal suffrage amendment, as submitted by initiative petition to the present legal voters of the State, for their adoption or rejection, and we cordially recommend its ratification at the November election of 1912.

Journal of the House of the Twenty-sixth Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, Regular Session, 1911 (Salem: Oregon State Printer, 1911), 496.



Friday, February 10, 1911, Afternoon Session, Oregon Senate

REPORT

Salem, February 10, 1911

Mr. President: Your Committee on Resolutions, to whom was referred Senate Joint Resolution No. 12, beg leave to report that we have had the same under consideration, and respectfully report it back with the recommendation that it do pass.

Dan Kellaher, Chairman.

The report was adopted.

The question being, “Shall the resolution be adopted?” the roll was called and the vote was:

Yeas—16

Abraham [Albert, Roseburg, Douglas, Republican]
Albee [H.R., Portland, Multnomah, Republican]
Barrett, C.A. [Athena, Morrow, Crook, Umatilla, Republican]
Carson [John A., Salem, Marion, Republican]
Dimick [W.A., Oregon City, Clackamas, Republican]
Hoskins [J.L., Newberg, Yamhill, Republican]
Joseph [George W., Portland, Multnomah, Republican]
Kellaher [Dan, Portland, Multnomah, Republican]
Malarkey [Dan J., Portland, Columbia, Clackamas, Multnomah, Republican]
Miller [M.A. Lebanon, Linn, Democrat]
Norton [H.D., Grants Pass, Josephine, Independent]
Nottingham [C.W., Portland, Multnomah, Republican]
Oliver [Turner, LaGrande, Union, Wallowa, Democrat]
Patton [Hal D., Salem, Marion, Republican]
Wood [W.D., Hillsboro, Washington, Republican]
Mr. President [Ben Selling, Portland, Multnomah, Republican]

Nays—12

Barrett, W.N. [Hillsboro, Lincoln, Tillamook, Washington, Yamhill, Republican]
Burgess [J.N., Pendleton, Umatilla, Republican]
Calkins [W.W., Eugene, Lane, Republican]
Chase [W.C., Coquille, Coos, Curry, Republican]
Hawley [C.L., McCoy, Benton, Polk, Republican]
Lester [C.F., Warrenton, Clatsop, Republican]
Locke [J.K., Portland, Multnomah, Republican]
McCulloch [Claude C., Baker, Democrat]
Merryman [George H., Klamath Falls, Crook, Klamath, Lake, Republican]
Parrish [C.W., Izee, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Republican]
Sinnott [N.J., The Dalles, Hood River, Wasco, Republican]
Von der Hellen [H., Wellen, Jackson, Republican]

Absent—2

Bean [L.E., Eugene, Lane, Linn, Republican]
Bowerman [Jay, Condon, Gilliam, Sherman, Wheeler, Republican]

So the resolution was adopted.

Journal of the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, Regular Session 1911 (Salem: Oregon State Printer, 1911), 444-45.