The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-11

AN EXPERIMENT IN VERMONT WHICH HAS
PROVED A PRACTICAL FAILURE.

A correspondent OF the Boston Aduerti-
ser writes from Burlington, VT: In view
Of the comforting OF the right OF suffrage in
school affairs upon women in some States,
and the efforts to that end now being made
in others, q statement OF the practical
working of the plan in Vernon: may be
OF timely interest. Our tax-paying women
have now for three years enjoyed the right
10 vote for school officers and 10 hold cdu-
cationa offices. The law giving them the
right was passed by the Legislature OF 1880,
and provided simply that "women shall
have the same right to vote as men have in
all school district meetings and In the cleo
ton OF school commissioners in towns
and cities, and the same right to hold Of
fees relating TO school affairs" The law
Is not only wherein it
does not differ materially from the majority
Of our statutes-but somewhat obscure.
The interest in the subject has been so
slight, however, that no effort has ever
been made to obtain judicial interpreta-
ton OF the law. In making up the voting
list OF the city the advice OF several promi-
nent lawyers was sought, and they gave 1t
as their opinion that the law conferred the
right to vote on those women only who
paid an individual tax, and this opinion
has been followed throughout the State.
Under this construction of the law rea-
sonably close estimate shows that there are
about $4,000 women In the State who are
entitled to vote In school matters.
The result OF the law. however, has been
far from justifying the expectations Of
those who secured its passage. In the
three years il has been IN operation simple
proof has been afforded that the women Of
Vermont, however they may stand on the
general question Of female suffrage, do not
care to exercise the limited right extended
them. The figures for the city OF Burling-
ton are worth quoting, because 1t has q
large proportional number OF taX-paying
women. At the first election after the pas
sage of the law only sixteen women voted
for school commissioner. though the num-
Der entitled TO vote and enrolled on the
checklist was 200. The second year
only five voted OF the siXty-iour en-
titled to vote, and the present year only
eight voted, though 3l4 had the right.
And OF those who voted. it may not
be unjust 10 say that all, or nearly all, were
women who had long been prominently
before the public in connection with the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union or
other reformatory work. As Il was in
Burlington 20 was it throughout the State.
The experiment was so novel a one for
Vermont that it gave rise TO very general
discussion and comment, and every woman
interested must have been made fully aware
of her rights and privileges. They RETAINED
from voting, not from ignorance, but from
lack Of desire TO vote. In some OF the
tor Ia hnan
seen at the polls. but i'm the great majority
OF places the women have stayed quietly ut
home: and for the entire three years the
number who have voted forms an insight
ticant percentage OF the $1,000 who may
vote ii they please.
OF the 241 towns in the State twenty
have this year chosen women for superin-
tcndents OF schools, but in no case, so far
rs the writer is aware, has such choice
been brought about by the votes of women.
or the twenty the majority are clergymen's
wiyes-a very natural choice in small. Sc
Guided communities; and most OF the rest
are maiden ladies who have spent their lives
teaching district schools. Female school
superintendents are no novelty in Yer
mont, however, for they have held office
for many years; but the legality Of their
election was not formally recognized until
| 1880. when the Legislature, which had adj
vanced ideas on the subject of female suf-
irage, passed law making all women over
twenty-oue years Of age eligible, not only
for school superintendent, but also for
| town clerks.
The summing up OF the whole matter is
that the women of Vermont, as a class,
have no desire to exercise the elective
franchise. They know their rights. but
refuse TO avail themselves OF them. IL may
be added that the Boston female Sutiragists
have by means Of several series Of meet
ings, held in all parts OF the State tried to
arouse them TO a sense Of their alleged
duty, but the attempt was complete
| failure.