The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-11-22
MONTPELIER CORRESPONDENTS,
specisl to the BANNER.

Specisl to the BANNER.
MONTPELIER, Vt. Nov, 90, 1888.
This week has been glorious one for |
the woman suffragistS while the pres
ence of the ladies has had the effect of
bring out able speeches on both sides. |
From the first it was evident that the
bill could not pass; the returning of the
bill by the committee to the Legislature |
without CONNIE mt was omnibus enough |
in itself to inspire the most hopeful with
a premonition of failure. During We'd
nesday and Thursday the members OF
the House, like the dogs of war embossed
themselves, and poured forth volume
of oratory not seen or heard in the ses-
sion before, Mr.. Ballard OF Burlington
said that the passage of the bill would
make heroes of every man who vott
for l.. Lincoln freed the slaves and his
name is immortal. The Legislature
should free women from their bonds
and raise them to the plane of man in
the enjoyment Of political liberty; by
so doing the members would make for
themselves a place in history as com
manding as that of Lincoln himself.
The speech of Mr.. Ballard was success
as rhetorical effort, but was too high
flown to fit the occasion. The members
were out for business and not for glory.
Mr.. Eldridge of Middlebury said he was
opposed to the bill. Women, he said,
were made to be nurses, mother and
teacher and to be good ones could not
give their time to political duties. The
speaker facetiously remarked that when
couple were married they were sup
posed to become one; one body, he
urged, ought not to have right to cast
two votes. The speaker asked how
many advocates of the bill would like to
have their wives chosen listers, if wo-
men were allowed to vote, and have
them tramping about in the March mud
while they staid at home and dosed the
baby with soothing syrup. The balance
of Mr.. Eldridge's speech woul have
been better If left unsaid. He made
some remarks which were ungallant to
saw the least; further, he seenned to feel
called upon to define woman's sphere
and he made such sorry exhibition Of
himself that even the ladies in the gal!
lery we're constrained to add pity to
their contempt for the speaker. 1t was
undoubtedly a great effort for Mr.,
Eldridge for on Thursday morning he
was absent from his seat. 1t was rumor-
ed that he had suffered a shock but hap
pily there was no truth to the rumor as
the gentleman from Middlebury was
only trifle Frustrated. Mr.. Mann of
Wilmington who followed Mr.. Eldridge
found great favor in the eyes of the gal
lery goddesses by his manly argument
in favor of the bill He said that he did
not think that it would hurt any woman
to allow her few minutes each year to
vote. The speaker did not believe that
a woman was designed to be simply the
housekeeper of man, to stay at home
and make things pleasant for him. She
ia as capable as man and in many in
stances where men halt and stumble,
women never falter. Mr.. Furman of
Swanton opposed the bill, saying that
woman was the noblest work of God,
and that she should be kept so. Her
sphere is above mans and he did not be-
lieve in lowering her from her proud
position. The speaker thought that the
granting of suffrage tothe women would
create quarrels in families and bring
more divorces in'o the courts. Mr..
Palmer spoke of the law allowing wo-
men to vote in school districts. He said
that it was not only in cases where they
had grand list that women could exer.
else the free right to vote on school mat
tiers. Mr.. Boyden of Randolph, said
that a majority of Vermont women did
not ask for the right to vote because they
do not want to vote. Politics were be-
yond women and would do them more
harm than good. Privately MIR. Boyden
sail that he would favor bill extending
suffrage to single women. He objected
to granting the privileges of suffrage to
married women because he believed it
would cause family jars. Mr.. Doyle in
troduced an amendment to bill provid
ing that the question be submitted to a
popular vote, Messrs. Boyden and Bal
lard opposed the amendment though the
latter advocated the passage Of the orr
giual bill. The amendment was defeated
by a vote of 219 to II. The question
then was, Shall the hi pass The yeas
and nays were then call9d for The
nays were thundered out with great reg
ularity with an occasional yea sand
wiched in. The bill was buried deep in
the abyss Of hopelessness by the vote of
I192 to 81.
The hill Of Mr.. Mann providing for the
gathering of farm statistics is a useful
measure and should pass. The informa-
lion sought is necessary to insure good
farming and is not to be found in the
United States census reports. 1t is de-
signed to give yearly reports of hay and
other crops, butter, cheese, maple sugar,
live stock, manufactures, ETC., such in
formation would undoubtedly tend to a
more intelligent administration Of the
State affairs. 1t is as necessary for
State to know of the products Of State,
as it is for the merchant to take an in
ventory. The information indicated can
be secured at comparatively small ex-
pense, but will be of inestimable value.
In connection with the industrial COM
mission bill this measure of Mr.. Mann's
would prove most beneficial. 1t is a
measure lying at the root of the States
prosperity and should become a law.
The Committee on Education is to
have public hearing tomorrow evening
on the II introduced by Mr.. WalbridRe
of Concord, to establish the Vermont
School of Agriculture, and unite the ex-
pertinent Herewith.
1t is limited by the opposition that
large number of the representatives hold
against the woman suffrage bill at the
request of their wives.
II. IA, introduced Friday, provides
for the INCORPORATION of the Baptist
Ministers Aid Society of Vermont.
L. o. Greene of Woodstock, has been
appointed inspector of finance by Gov
ernor Dillingham;.
The Committee on Elections find that
Mr.. Wood worth of Unnerhill had clear
majority Of one vote after taking out
all votes found to he illegal. Mr.. Wood
worth, therefore, keeps his seat.
A. B. Valentine of Bennington at
tended the reunion of the Senate of 1885
last Thursday.
The Committee on Grard List have
reported favorabiy on H. So, legal zing
the quadriennial appraisal of the grand
list of Dorset.
II. PAT, to enable the town of Dorset
10 issue bonds to fund its Indebtedness,
was intaOduced last We inesday and re.
ferred to the Committee on Finance.
CLAYT.