During the campaign six women in Sioux Falls published an appeal to
voters not to support the amendment as they did not wish to vote.
Shortly after an appeal to the voters of the same city was published
and was signed by 3,000 women. In every county of the state the women
manifested their interest by doing all they knew how to do. West
Virginia was the first Southern state to submit a referendum on woman
suffrage and the vote was taken November 7, 1916. The amendment was
defeated by the largest proportional majority any suffrage amendment
ever received. Unlike Iowa and South Dakota, where all the educated
classes with notable exceptions believe in woman suffrage, West
Virginia probably has many conscientious doubters. Arguments and
excuses which did service in the West twenty-five years ago were
brought forward as though just formulated. The illiteracy of the state
is appallingly high and the illiterate is universally an antiwomen
suffragist.
The ever present prohibition issue again played an important if not
a determining part.
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