Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-02-22

BARRE Feb 1l-Thc fifth annual meet
itg of the Vernon, Woman Suffrage as'oci-
alton closed this evening after the most in
tcresting session i'm the history of the assocl-
alton. Noted speakers were present ANA
great enthusiasm was manifested. The ses-
sions which were held in the opera house
opened las. evening with devotional services
led 10y Rev. H. l.. Bceman. The following
committee on resolution. was appointed by
the chair Colonel Albert Clarke Of Rut-
land. Miss Emma Wymm OF Waterbury,
Mrs Phcue Stone Bceman Of Barre. The
address Of welcome was delivered by Mrs.
J.. t. Beemau Of barrc who said: I'VE
welcome YOU not so much for the work you
have done as the work you expect
to do. When young She became in
tercsted in this work on account of
much prejudice and opposition TO equal
rights. At one time there was much
prejudice against womaus speaking in
public but that had been overcome and in
the same way The right of suffrage would
triumph. She spoke of the oft repeated
story of mans holding the purse strings and
said there wcrc over 500 occupations in
which women are engaged. She also spoke
against the ini1stic, of some Vermont laws
Men do not abide 10y the golden rule unless
they allow women to vote. She closed with
the following words: 1--WE welcome you be
cause | expect You will do great things, be
cause J believe the cause of woman suffrage
will succeed bccauseit is right aud we should
have Justice though the heavens fall, be
cause right is right and We wish You all
success.
Mrs. VI. f. Tucker of Brattlchoro. prosi-
dent of the society. responded and gave her
annual address. SHE thought it was a good
omen that they should receive such vel
come under the very shadow Of the capital,
where 50 lately they had met with utter de
feat She thanked the people of Barre for
their kind hospitality. She referred to the
Legislature of 1883 as a fossilized specimen
which should never lie dug up. She thought
the influence of women who were against
suffrage was the prime reason for their de
feat The association belonged 10 no politi-
cal party but the prohibtionists naturally
graVitated to the society. She also SAID
that the government of the people was 10
longer in the hands of the people, but of po-
litica monopolists. She considered the men
who adorn our congressional halls as Il dis
grace, many Of them. She considered the
brains in the Vermont Legislature to have
been ON the side Of woman suffrage. The
speaker closed by recitlng poem lifting to
the occasion.
Prof Harley Newcomb and Miss L. NJ.
helQQl OF trOUtlilu seminary llcu pay tt IL
piano duet in very acceptable manner,
The secretary gave her report which con-
tanned many statements similar to the
above She spoke Of the hopeful signs of
success among them being the organizing of
Christian Endeavor societies which We're
really to educate the young to this idea; and
that 81 petitions We're presented to the last
Legislature containing between 2OOO and
1000 names 800 of which We're obtained in
Montpelier. She spoke of the sadness of the
funeral of the suffrage bill, November 10,
1855, when it was lost by vote Of 1872 90
IS. She thought the names of this brave IS
should be carved in marble and 90 down
through future generations as the noble men
of IS. Sixteen hundred letters were sent
out by the secretary i'll lSSS, and 1900 copies
Of the minutes of the last meeting and claim
ed that the Legislature was not backed by
popular opinion in this respect.
Colonel Albert Clarke delivered an adj
dress IN the course of which he presented
these two theories of suffrage; 1st, a right
conferred by the State, 2nd. an inalicnable
right. You cannot argue five minutes
against woman suffrage unless yOu argue
against the constitution OF the United States.
The speaker proceeded to give the
history OF suffrage i'm America, and
asked, why. if You allow the negro,
Monaghan and the Iri-hman 10 vote,
do YOU deny it to the tairer portion Of our
nation, 10 Your teachers and your mothers :
He called the argument that women can
not fight and SO Oocht not to vote. COW
ard argument il women could vote our
sanitary condition would he bettcrcl.
Women would purify The polls. instead Of
the polls Niliiying women only the best
women are asking for suiIrage. The rc-
rro-