 Emma and May |
| ©Linda Allen 1989 Emma Smith DeVoe was a lady of no small acclaim, her name was synonymous with grace and gentility Emma Smith DeVoe was a leader of wit and of charm - her style was disarmingly steeped in civility Then there was May (hah!) May (whee!) May Arkwright Hutton From the East side of the mountains with a passion for a fight May (hah!) May (whee!) Bigger than an army! Hats and furs and feathers, Lordy, mercy! What a sight! Emma Smith DeVoe was a slow thoughful lady whose style was to smile as she'd lobby for women's equality Emma came from the East to Tacoma in nineteen-o-six, she organized women to fight - but act "womanly". Then there was May (hah!) May(whee!) May Arkwright Hutton Rags to riches lady made a fortune in the mines May (hah!) May (whee!) Loud and bold and brassy Impudent and sassy, never one to toe the line Emma and May, how they argued and lobbied and fought, each thought that the other's defeat would bring victory It still goes on today - some fly high and as bright as a kite, but the string's held by those on the earth, planted solidly Women like May (hah!) May (whee!) May Arkwright Hutton! Wild and strong and common as our passion to be free Women like Emma! Emma! Graceful, bright and cultured We all need each other to achieve equality Notes: In Washington, women's suffrage was first proposed by Arthur Denny in 1854 at the first Territorial Legislature, but the measure was defeated by one vote. It was not until 1910 that the women received the vote through referendum. National women's suffrage was finally achieved in 1920. The three most prominent suffragists in the Northwest were Abigail Scott Dunniway of Portland, Emma Smith DeVoe of Tacoma, and May Arkwright Hutton of Spokane. |