The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-11-13

MAN SOIne lOur years ago, Us ne says.
Possibly the readers of this paper re-
member the time and the occasion-and
perhaps they do not.
THE conviction of Durrant in San
Francisco and Holmes in Philadelphia
of murder in degree that is not only
first under the statutes, but supreme in
enormity and its display of human de-
pravity, satisfies the public sense of
justice. In respect of Holmes the
Springfield Republican has the hardi-
hood to comment: d" Go up to the cold,
stern hills of New Hampshire and find
his birthplace; in the New England
village school and the little white
church were the influences that sur
rounded his early life. Then later the
medical college, with its special learn
ing, and al last we have finished
product of our New England civiiza-
ton" Only moral nature, warped
and twisted inlo such distorted shape
as long idolatry at the shrine of mug
wumpery might produce, could contem-
plate Holmes as the product of any civ
ilization. But there is saving grace in
the first personal pronoun tour" by
which the Republican limits the appli-
cation, and makes personal matter of
its conception of an ideal monster. 1t
is possible to think of the crimes of
Holmes as a " finished product" of the
fertilization of which the Republican,
with one or two exceptions, is the most
conspicuous living representative.
MASSACHUSETTS is generally re-
garded as the birthplace of the move.
ment for woman suffrage. There have
lived and labored the pioneers and
some of the most conspicuous ad-
vocates of the idea of giving women
the ballot. In one form or another for
more than generation past woman
suffrage has been before the legislature
of that state-victorious occasionally in
one branch, but encountering defeat in
the other. To obtain a direct express
sion of public opinion on this subject
the legislature submitted to the voters
at the election last week this question:
els it expedient that municipal suf-
frage be granted to women?" The
tax-paying women, of whom there are
about 100000 in the state, who are
qualified to vote for members of school
committee, were permitted to vote on
the question, but only 10000 complied
with the preliminary requirement, in
cumbent on all legal voters, of register
ing. BY the voters at large the ques-
ton was answered in the negative by a
majority of some $4,000. Many of the
women who actually cast their ballots
contributed to this majority. But the
most significant thing about the verdict
is the fact that only about five per cent
OF the women qualified to vote 80 far
participated in the decision of the ques-
ton as to register. And this in the
birthplace and nursery and home of the
movement. This answer is quite con-
elusive. If the women do not desire
to vote, that should settle the ques-
ton. Woman has different ideas as
to the ways and means by which she
will employ her powers to advance the
public good. Not through the ballot,
but through the old God-given ways,
she prefers to exert her influence on
the side of good government and public
morality. Along those lines her influ-
ence is supreme and she prefers not to
lessen or destroy it by engaging d.
rectly in the strifes of politics.