Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-02-21

cause of education or to the fair SEX whom al
so much admire and respect.
Mr.. Fox of Lowell. regretted the absence
of the gentleman from Rockland Mr.. Hall
who mad great interest in the welfare of III,
bill. Tie proceeded to argue the equality u
woman with man, and claimed that il
all ages whenever women had been elevated
and esteemed and honored. the people of thai
land had been elevated and advanced in
civilization. and that wherever they hat
been degraded the people had become pro-
portionately degraded. Before this legis
lature came the great question whether
women should have another and an important
privilege by which they could work and acl
in unison with men in the cause of education
He said that about three-ffths of the teachers
of our State and about four-tifths of the
teachers in Massachusetts are females. Other
States showed an average nearly equal &c
this. The results were well known and un
disputed throughout the land, In behalf OF
this mighty interest, the responsibility OF
which no man should shun or avoid. in behal
of the rising generation and of those who
seek the elevation of the people to the grand
eminence which human beings are destined
to reach. he trusted that the bill would receive
a Passage.
On motion of Mr.. Goodnow of Calais the
taken it should be by yea and ray vote.
Mr.. Spofford of Deer Isle said he did
not suppose his friend from Castine had
anything TO do with il, but he found upon his
desk the picture of very beautiful woman.
Looking upon this picture he saw that it had
all the graces. and that the hair of the lady
was banged in the most fashionable, at
trartive and idiotic manner. He did not know
as there was any design in placing this pie
ture upon the desks of all the members bu;
he hoped if il was so that gentlemen would
guard themselves against any such eXtrinsic
and seductive influences. He expressed his
contempt for the bill and characterized it as
piece of political quackery. Nobody want
ed il. He knew but one woman in his coun-
ty in favor OF it. The bill afforded the ladies
an opportunity TO vote for school district
agents and experimenting school committees,
and gave him the privilege OF taking his
wife upon his arm and going to town meet
ing and mixing up with a crowd of 200 cleo
tors. This was the whole of il. The law had
been tried in Massachusetts and had failed.
Mr. Piper of Kenduskeag preferred tn look
upon all measures coming before the House
upon their merits. His democracy was
such that he could not oppose the bill. He
deemed it truly democratic. He believed in
the broad principle that if he had right to
vote in this land his neighbor had the same
right, regardless of race, color or sex. He
would accord to women universal suffrage.
This matter was in its infancy, but it was a
subject that the American people had vet IN
consider. He had seen in the west the work
ings of law similar to the one proposed by
the bill. and it had worked we'll and given
good satisfaction.
Mr.. Fox of Lowell again spoke in favor of
the bill
Mr. Allen of Dresden regretted that any
member should seek to cast ridcule upon the
bill. He regarded it as a great and grave
question, and one which would have to be met
sooner or later. He thought it might
be well to inquire how lar prejudice
caused opposition to the measure.
The bill before the Honse gave to women
the right to vote in school matters. II there
was in our constitution any principle that
was clear beyond dispute, it was, first. free
and equal suffrage; second. no taxation with
out representation. He believed free and
impartial suffrage to be the correct principle.
When ladies were refused the right to take
part in public affairs then there was a viola
ton of the principal of no taxation without
representation. 1t ha been said that women
did not want the right of suffrage. He con-
tended this did not affect the question. 1t
was matter of right.
Mr.. Eaton of Camden, said he had some
times been in the habit of observing how
certain persons voted on great moral ques-
tons, and then of making up his mind that
he would vote the opposite ticket. In the
matter before the House there was a reason
why it should pass which went deeper than any
he had heard advanced. which was that women
have the education of the children. The in
f1uence she cxerts in this direction is vastly
superior to that exerted by man. Mothers
have more interest in the common schools of
our land than any male can have, and they
should have the privilege of a voice in the
selection of school agents and the manage
ment of school affairs. He believed better
schools would be the result. He would give
woman the ballot and allow her to say who
shall educate her children, and when she had
had this right for a while and it was found to
work well, then he would enlarge her rights
in the same direction.
Mr. Thatcher of Bangor said he was OPP
posed to the bill, not because he had any OBJ
lection particularly to women taking part in
the election of school officers, but because he
thought it would let down the bars and estab-
ish precedent for which there might be
regret hereafter. He thought the members
of the House and citizens of the State gener-
allv were opposed to women suffrage, and
that women as a class did not ask for it. He
thought it especially so in the large cities,
and that the better classes would not attend
the caucuses and elections, and the result
would finally be an increase of corruption in
politics.
Mr. Freeman of Cherryield said if he I'M
derstood the objection to the bill by the gen
tleman from Bangor Mr.. Thatcher it was
that il would let down the bars to something
else. He disagreed with the gentleman, and
also With the gentleman from Deer Isle Mr..
Spoffordl Gentlemen had seemed to con-
found it with universal suffrage. 1t had moth
ing whatever to do with that They were as
different az light from darkness. The bill
simply gave to women the right to vote upon
all matters relating to the education of the
children of the State, and nothing more
Prior to 1881 school suffrage to women had
received but very little favor in anv legisla
ture of the State, not more than one
as he understood. In 1881 this very
measure was carried in a full House
bv majority of two. he thought, but was
afterwards voted down by majority Of one
The world moves on, and there is progress
in everything which interests human life
and he believed the present House, il
they fully understood the question would
be in favor of giving to women tbs
right to vote upon all matters connected
with schools. In l6 States women are al
lowed IN vote on all schnol natter. and in