The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-24
by the Governor.
MEN, WOMEN AND TEMPERANCE
LEGISLATION

by Ine GONeTnOr.
-------------------
MEN, WOMEN AND TEMPERANCE
LEGISLATION.
The agitation of the question of g wo-
mans rights" " female suffrage and Xiv
dred topics has lad one or two good effects
at least We do not particularly ascrihe
the legislation, III Vermont, relative to the
rights Of married women to any such
agitation, because the material part thereof
had been engratted on ,ur statute law be-
fore any such agitation was commenced IN
this state and before the female voice was
heard from the pulr't, the rostrum or the
stump. We are LIT aware that, even now,
any very large number of our female pop
ulation demand any greater rights than are
now accorded to them or seek to exercise
the right of suffrag. Be this as it may,
however, the voice of woman is now heard
IN the churches, on the platform and IN the
public assemblage and this is one of the
results of the agitation referred to, Another
result, and most excellent one TOOLS that,
when they speak, they dare to speak the
truth, as it is given them to see the truth,
regardless of consequences. This last and
greatest benefit, we greatly fear, would be
wholly lost if the right of suffrage was
conferred upon them, especially if accom-
panied with the right of holding office
and the right suffrage implies and carries
with it not only the right to vote but,
also, to hold office. Thus situated, now,
might be we'll weighed before uttered, in
order that availability might not be i'm
paired. Not that they would not always
speak the truth, but that, at times, the
truth might be Withheld on account of the
"moral responsibility" we have heard
1t called-which they might suppose them
selves to sustain to the party or the 'cause. >
Far be it from us to inslnuate that men,
politicians or legislators are ever actuated
by such sense of responsibility" at or
just before election, in their public or pri-
yate utterances. Oh no! We have seen
too much of human nature to believe any
such calumny. The whole histor of
man dlsproves the mere idea. Examine the
records of congress and the several state
legislatures and find, If you can. a single
instance of member being recorded as
"absent or not voting"-that is "dodging"
when vote was being taken, by yeas and
nays, on an important issue, especially
when that issue might affect in
some way the prospects of his
reelection. Such thing is, of course,
impossible with man, because he belongs
to the sterner sex; but with woman it
might be different because, you know, she
Is a ''wcaker vessel" and who dare trus,
her?
This "dodging" propensity will find am
pie illustration in the record of yeas and nays
on Mr.. Norton's license bill recently acted
upon in our state legislature. We may be
permitted to remark, 10 passing, that VIZ
trust the gentleman may obtain his wish
as expressed one day last week, that on hi
resolution in reference to license and pro
hibition the members of the house may
vote, as they take their whiskey, straight.
Whether they do or not, certain it is tina
Mrs. Mai Davis, of Burlington, talke(
"straight" at the womans national temper
ance convention at Cleveland That sh
spoke the truth we doubt not that ii me
the sympathy of tae convention ant
audience is testified by the applause witt
which her speech was received. She SAT-
that "the prohibitory law which prevaile,
:" in this state was, in great measure
worthless" Did she tell the truth O
speak falsehood? Stringent as the lay
is, every person knows that she spoke til
truth. Yet we can but ask the question
what would have been the effect, if man
candidate for office, had arisen in pub
lie assemblage, in Rutland, and said
Temperance men and women o
Vermont, l tell you that you
prohlbitory law is, in great meai
"ure, worthless? Would not the
man have been assailed with all manner G
epithets-signifying that he was any thin
but temperance man? Would he not /
politically ostracised, so far as receivin
the votes of professed temperance men
candidate for Office might ostracise hin
Having once received party nomination
the cohesive power of party plumber an
the dictation of caucus might, and pro-
ably would, lead these men to the pol
there to deposit their votes for the ma
whose nomination they had opposed in pl
mary meetings for principles" sake. III
not this very thing, in effect, occurred he
In Rutland times almost without numbe,
Does 1t not, in fact, occur every year in OF
form or another? Everyone knows tn
such is the fact. Yet a Vermont lady, ,
spected wherever known for her piety Al
philanthropy, can say the same thing a
receive hearty applause therefor. 1t
strange what vast difference il makes
whom certain sentiments are uttered
Continuing her remarks, she said ''tl
I" the ladies of Vermont had been {
- deavoring to have the legislature anne
Z" this law, and, although this had not
been done, there was bright prosp,
"that the desired end would soon be
tained." That "bright prospect" {
lady will find on her return home, has v,
ished In dark cloud. Here, too, a
function may be found between the fem
without suffrage and the man with 8