St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-10-26
WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
The Midwinter Convention,
[correspondence Of the cALEpoNAXl


friends Of equal suffrage in that
pleasant lakeside city, Burlington,
VT, received and entert aimed all who
attended the mid-year convention oil
New England Woman Suffrage
Association. The opening session
was convened in the new Howard
Reliefhall, Thursday evening Oct. s.
The convention was called to
order and presided over by l.. F.
Wilbur Esq, OF Burlington. Opened
with singing; and during all the
sessions most enjoyable music was
rendered by male quartette, con-
sisting of Messrs. Griffiths, Severson,
Knights and Armstrong, with piano
or organ accompaniment. Com
mittees were appointed by the chair
as follows:
Committee on resolutions, Mrs.
M. A. Livermore, Melrose, Mass,
Rev. Geo. L. Story, Bakersfield, VT,
Mrs. L. w. Franklin. Rutland, Mrs.
Ida H. Read, Shelburne.
Committee to secure membership,
Mrs. E. M. Bell, Morrisville, Mrs.
E. B. Lund, Burlington, Mrs.
E. M Wheeler, Burlington. Mrs. M.
!. Wilbur read scripture and Rev.
Mr.. Perkins led in prayer, after which
Hon. Henry Ballard of Burlington,
tried friend Of the cause of wom-
ans enfranchisement, welcomed the
convention to the city and heartily
endorsed the principle of equal
suffrage. Mr.. Ballard was mem
Der of the Vermont house of repre-
sentatives in 1888; and was one of
the ever-to-be-lorgotten 49, who
stood for justice against 1892" who
opposed the passage of bill to
grant municipal suffrage to tax
paying women" To Mr.. Billiards.
address, Mrs. May A. Livermore
responded. In earlier years Mrs.
Livermore has rendered great SER
vice to this cause, in Vermont as
elsewhere; and in attending this
convention, resisted the attractions
of Worlds Congress at Chicago,
Western constitutional amendment
campaigns and her own pecuniary
advantage, to aid the work of this
convention. From this it may be
inferred she is not without hope for
the cause in New England. In hon
or of the esteemed president of New
England Woman Suffrage Associa-
ton, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, the au-
thor of the Battle Hymn of the Re-
public, who was unavoidably alb
sent from this convention, the au-
dience rose and joined in singing
that good old hymn. Wendell
Phillips Stafford, Esq, of St Johns
bury, the kind friend to whose efforts
the women of Vermont are so largely
indebted for the passage of the bill
granting municipal suffrage to wom-
en- the Vermont house of representa-
tives in 1892, by the large vote ot149
toS3, a logical and eloquent speaker,
was now introduced and presented
unanswerable arguments to show in
that the state belongs to the wom-
an and woman belongs to the state"
After collection and singing the song
New America the convention ad-
Journed to meet at 2 p. M, Oct. 7.
At this session Mrs. l.. n. Franklin
of Rutland presided. Scripture was
read by Mrs. Ida H. Read of Shell
burne, from Matthew vii 1-13 verses,
and Rev. Ferguson led in prayer.
The secretary then read a telegram
bearing Greetings to New England
Woman Suffrage Association, from
Wisconsin Woman Suffrage Asso-
citation, in session at Wakmanago,
Madge Waters, Sec'y."
Miss Elizabeth Colby, A. NJ, gave
an address on woman's widened
sphere, the claims the world has
upon her, and o. P. Ray, Esq, of
Burlington presented many good
reasons why the right of suffrage
should be granted to women.
After soul-stirring anthem, SALIVA
ton coming" had been finely rem
dered Miss Laura Moore of Barnet
spoke of the Vermont Outlook"
as viewed by one who has been for
ten years the secretary of Vt. w. S.
A. mo good reasons exist why
Vermont may not be leading state,
of the East, to enfranchise women"
and friends ofjustice are called upon
to aid in securing legislature in '94
that will respect the rights of the
whole people" In response to in
vitation to aid the cause, ten new
members were added to Vermont w.
S. A. at this time, and three were
subsequently added, making in all
thirteen.
Committee on resolutions now
made report and the following res.
olutions were adopted:
Resolved; /, That the New England
Woman Suffrage Association is now, as
formerly, non-partisan, and we do herehy