Anthony officially became president of the new organization in 1892, and remained at that position until 1900. While Anthony was president she thought they should focus the movement almost completely on winning the votes.
Down in the South woman suffrage was being supported. In 1980, Laura Clay and NAWSA (National American Woman Association) leaders went to great trouble trying to bring the South's opionion up, so more people would listen and agree with it. They called that plan "The Southern Strategy". They sent Catt and Anthony throughout the southern regions on speaking tours. One of the largest conventions they made in the South was in 1895, it was held in Atlanta. The women continued their attempts to spred the movement further across the country and to more people. But leaders of the North and South began arguing about the danger women suffrage. They were worried about how women would vote and how they would handle having the same rights as the men. And by the North trying to convince the South on what a bad idea supporting woman suffrage was, they changed the South's mind about supporting woman suffrage. At least for the time. By 1903, it was clear to the women that their so-called "Southern Strategy" had failed. .
After the "Southern Strategy" had failed, the NAWSA went through a major period of rebuilding. They were rebuilding not only in membership but also in image. "The association began succesfull efforts to recruit large members of socially and politically influential women." # This time around they were reaching out to all different types of women. They were also getting numbers of middle and upper class women. The association also reached out to the new generation of colleg-educated women. There were many young leaders getting involved, but a few of the young leaders who really stood up and took charge were, Maud Wood Park, Inez Haynes Irwin, Mary Hutcheson Page of Massachusetts and Hariott Stanton Blatch(daughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton) of New York.
