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Certificate of Incorporation of Equal Suffrage League of North Carolina, Inc.
This is to certify that we, the undersigned, do hereby associate ourselves into a corporation, under and by virtue of the laws of North Carolina, and do hereby severally agree upon the following articles of association:
First—The name of this corporation shall be Equal Suffrage League of North Carolina, (Inc.);
Second—The location of the principal office of this corporation shall be in the city of Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg, and State of North Carolina;
Third—The object for which this corporation is formed is to promote equal suffrage principally in North Carolina, and to take or receive any estate, real or personal, by gift, by grant and by will of any person whatsoever, and to sell, to convey, to demise, place at interest or otherwise dispose of the same for the benefit of the cause, the interest of which it is formed to further;
Fourth—This corporation is a non-stock corporation, and to be a member thereof it is essential only, to be a citizen of North Carolina, in favor of equal suffrage and a subscriber to the by-laws governing said corporation;
Fifth—The names and addresses of the incorporators are as follows:
(We omit names.)
Sixth—The period of existence of this corporation shall be unlimited.
Seventh—The Board of Directors of this corporation (which shall consist of the chairman of the local organizations throughout the State, the State President, Vice-Presidents, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer) shall have power by votes of a majority of all the said directors to take, alter, amend and rescind the by-laws of this corporation, subject to ratification of at least two-thirds of the members.
In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names and affix our seal, this the 25th day of November, 1913. We omit names and seals.)
BY-LAWSof the Equal Suffrage League of North Carolina, Inc., (as amended.)
ARTICLE I.Name and Object.
This association shall be known as the Equal Suffrage League of North Carolina, Inc., working under the charter granted by the State of North Carolina, dated the 28th day of November, 1913. Said association shall be auxiliary to the National American Woman Suffrage Association:
and shall have for its object the gaining of equal suffrage principally in North Carolina.
ARTICLE II.Classes of Membership, Dues and Obligations.
Section I. There shall be four classes of members, viz.: Auxiliary, members-at-large, co-operating, and life members.
Section 2. Any Suffrage Organization in the State consisting of five or more members may become an auxiliary member.
a. An auxiliary member shall pay to the State League within three months after the State Convention, annual dues of fifty cents for each certified dues-paying member; this amount to be one-half the dues paid in to the local treasury.
b. An auxiliary member shall, four weeks prior to the State Convention, submit to the State Treasurer in a writing signed by two officers, the membership recognized by it at that date.
Section 3. Any individual not affiliated with a local League may join the State League as a member-at-large.
Section 4. Any individual may become a co-operating member upon payment of annual dues of ten dollars.
Section 5. Any individual may become a life member upon payment of one hundred dollars.
Section 6. Any individual may become a non-dues paying member, either of a local League or of the State League; Provided, that such member shall not be entitled to representation at Conventions, nor eligible to office in the League.
ARTICLE III.Conventions and Meetings.
The State Conventions of the membership shall be held during the week-end immediately preceding the annual Convention of the American Woman Suffrage Association, or at such other time as the Board of Directors shall decide; at which time there shall be elected from among the membership by a plurality vote, by ballot, the following State officers for the ensuing year: President, first, second and third Vice-Presidents, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer who shall immediately upon election assume their respective duties.
Section 2. Special State Conventions to the Membership shall be called by order of the Board of Directors, and it shall be their duty to call such meeting upon written request of one third of membership.
Section 3. At all State Conventions every ten members shall be represented by one delegate, and each delegate shall he entitled to one vote, which vote must be given personally.
Section 4. A quorum at the State Convention shall consist of ten delegates. If no quorum is present at any meeting it may be adjourned from time to time until a quorum shall be present.
NOTE.—Italics represent proposed amendments
Section 5. The order of business of all Conventions of the membership meetings of the membership, and meetings of the Board of Directors, shall be as follows:
1—Reading of minutes of last regular meeting and any intervening called meetings;
2—Unfinished business;
3—Report of standing committees;
4 —Report of special committees;
5—Balloting for any election of officers;
6—New necessary business;
7—Reading and approval of the minutes.
The order of business may be changed or temporarily disposed of by the President or such other officer as hap-pens to be presiding when pressing emergency may re-quire it.
Section 6. A meeting of the Board of Directors shall take place on the day preceding each State Convention and at such other time as the State President shall order. A majority of the Board represented either in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum and each director shall have one vote.
ARTICLE IV.Section 1. The Board of Directors to consist of the chairman of the local suffrage leagues throughout the State, the State officers, and have power as given by the Charter and to manage the affairs of the League.
Section 2. This Board shall have power to fill all official vacancies until said vacancies are duly filled by the membership.
ARTICLE V.Officers.
Section 1. State President shall have charge of the Charter and By-Laws; shall preside at State Conventions and at all meetings of the Board of Directors; shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Convention and of the Board of Directors are carried out; appoint the standing committees; execute all conveyances, contracts and agreements authorized by the Board of Directors, and see that all officers and agents of the League perform their du-ties.
Section 2. The State Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in her absence.
Section 3. The State Recording Secretary shall record the minutes of the State Convention of the membership, and shall be ex-officio secretary of the Board of Directors; shall record the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Board of Directors all in the minute book kept for that purpose, which book shall also contain a copy of the Charter and By-laws. She shall be custodian of the common seal and shall attest the same when affixed by the order of the Board of Directors.
Section 4. The State Corresponding Secretary shall have charge of all correspondence, forwarding of literature, and any written communication for the purpose of gaining new members.
Section 5. The State Treasurer shall perform the duties usually performed by a treasurer, such as to collect, receive and hold the money of the League; endorse and collect all checks and negotiable instruments; keep full and accurate account of the receipts and disbursements of the League; render a full account to each regular meeting of the Board of Directors; and shall give bond satisfactory to the Board of Directors in such amounts as they from time to time shall see fit to require.
ARTICLE VI. Committees.Section 1. There shall be the following standing committees, appointed by the State President and ratified by the Board of Directors: A Committee on Membership; Committee on Legal Enactments; Committee on Finance; and Committee on Press and Publicity.
Section 2. The Committee on Membership shall have direction of the campaign for members.
Section 3. The Committee on Legal Enactments shall have direction of the ways and means to obtain the proper laws to gain equal suffrage in North Carolina.
Section 4. The Committee on Finance shall attend to raising funds to meet the expenses of the League; shall from time to time examine the books of the Treasurer and make a written report thereon and on the financial wants of the League at each State Convention, or oftener if required, and shall carefully investigate every claim against the League before the payment of the same shall be ordered by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. The Committee on Press and Publicity shall attend to the press and newspaper work of the State so as to secure the greatest advancement of the cause through this medium.