The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-11-25
@attbman 4 Suurnal.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1896.
Woman Suffrage,

stand them, as to the existing status O
woman suffrage, full and limited.
There is full suffrage for women il
Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Idado.
In Massachusetts,, after The question
of granting suffrage to women hAt
been the subject of discussion befor,
the people and in the legislature fo
some fory years, the subject was las
year submitted to the voters to procure
an expression of opinion on the MAR
question, not for the acceptance or re-
lection of any specific measure. The
proposition to extend the outrage to
women was defeated by about 100000
majority.
AT the late election in leo ifornia a
proposed constitutional amendment
extending the suffrage to women re-
ceived only 1900 v, ties, while the
number of votes recorded against it
was 33 900, according to the latest re-
turns we have seen. In state that in
1894 cast $50 900 votes, the small num-
Der that voted on the question indicates
lack of interest in the subject, while
the large majority against the measure,
among those who voted, indicates that
"the reform against nature" is not
making Roadway on the Pacific coast.
A woman suffrage law was passed in
this state which the supreme court de-
clared uncons itutioni in 1875.
Kansas has municipal suffrage for
tax-paying women, but proposition to
give women full suffrage was recently
rejected on its reference to the people.
The New York legislature of 1895
passed an amendment to the constitu-
ton for full woman suffrage, but it
failed to receive the sanction of the
next legislature or of the people, both
of which were necessary tc render the
amendment effective.
In New Jersey, at the election of
1894, the proposition to give women
equal suffrage with men at elections
was rejected by vote of $4,000 in fc-
vor to 100, 900 against the measure.
In Michigan, the act of the legisla-
ture of 1898, giving women the right to
vote at municipal elections, was de-
clared unconstitutional by the supreme
court of that state.
In Washington, when territory,
the women voted for while, but the
territorial supreme court subsequently
decided against this extension of the
suffrage. When the state constitution
was adopted, clause allowing women
to vote was defeated.
In matters relating to the schools and
taxation, the laws of several states
allow women to vote. With the posi-
BILE exception of Kansas, these laws, as
is the law of Vermont permitting
women to vote in school meeting, are
practically dead letters, by reason of
the natural disinclnation of women to
overstep the boundary line of sex.
In the older states in particular, the
movement for the past few years, has
been steadily and firmly against woman
suffrage, and woman herself has been
the most effective opponent of the az
sumption by her, or imposing upon her
sex, a public duty that, in the econ
omy of things, like many other public
duties, has been assigned to man by a
decree higter than the enactments of
legisla ures or constitutional conven-
tions. 1t is not in accordance with any
Interpretation of human rights, that
minority shall enforce its will upon the
majority; and the zeal of the few who
are now, or have been at former ses-
sions of the legislature, pressing this
matter upon the lawmakers, should
not be allowed 10 exclude from view
the ninety and nine in every hundred
who make no petition.
If the suffrage is extended to woman
at all, the extension should be as broad
as to man. There is neither right nor
reason in giving to woman who may
chance to have 5000 in her own right,
or given to her to constitute her voter,
public privilege that is denied to her
neighbor, who may be the more worthy
of the two, and the better qualified to
vote int lligently and right on any mat
ter, school or municipal, or any ques-
ton of general politics. The 5000 re-
striction embodied in the bill now
pending in the Legislature is abhorrent
to every principle of our government,
and opposed to every consideration of a
wise public policy. In this country
the man votes, not his OK, nor his ass,
nor his money; if she votes at I'll, let
the aComdn vote, not her 5000, nor any
other sum of money or amount of prop
erty.
Rofaotod Inv fha Hauca