The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-11-19
WOMEN AND THE REFERENDUM.

WOMEN AND THE REFERENDUM.
Editor Waterman SHOULD the Yer
mont women vote on the high IL
cense law if this privilege were given
them? l will say it would be their
duty, as well as their privilege to do
So
The editor of one of our papers
says, it is not right to burden the
women with this responsibility of
going to the polls and casting her
vote. His editorial reminds me of
the shiftless old farmer who said he
was always sorry for his wife when
she did the churning, it was such hard
work, and she got so tired. 1t is pos
sible if the men who are so anxious
to save women this great burden of
voting should be equally as anxious to
bear the other burdens of life, we
might think them sincere in this. 1t
is true that were the women required
to go one day in every week to vote, as
they are to wash, iron, scrub, bake
ETC., it might become a burden too
grievous to be borne. But for once, |
think every wifi, and mother would be
glad TO help bear this burden, and
say by her vote whether or not this
rank poison which destroys both body
and soul should be scattered broadcast
through our State.
Should women be allowed to vote
on this question, she would not be
hampered by any fears of losing votes
for herself if she did not vote for such
and such parties; neither would a
man dare try to buy woman's vote,
for he knows she would tell of it !;
consequently, every woman would be
free to vote according to the dictates
of her own conscience, and possibly
it might be the means of helping to
purify the ballot which we hear so
much about KassH H.
Another reason why the Ewomen
should be allowed to vote on the high
license law is, that the women who
would be legal voters are, as a class,
vastly different from the men who are
voters. A woman who would be a
legal voter would have to be born
within the precincts of the United
States and have lived here twenty one
years, thus forming a love of country
which would be impossible for an
| alien to form. There has as yet no
| law passed the United States Congress
whereby a woman can be naturalized.
Men who are eX-convicts from
| Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia
may, and do come to our country and
after five years can become legal vot-
ers. These men care not for the laws
of our land, have no love of country,
| care only for the almighty dollar
which is placed in their hands on
election day, and yet they are the
men who in many parts of our country
i l.,,11 81 ,g l,lp Il 70
| to us who shall be our law makers.
Almost every law on our statute
books affects both men and women
alike, but the license law is an ex-
ception. The temperance question of
today is of vital Importance to every
home in our State. The saloon in
our midst means the loss of home,
poverty, and wretchedness, while its
absence means safety, happiness and
comfort. Our last State election shows
too plainly where we would be,
should the high license bill with the
referendum pass, unless the women of
| Vermont come to the rescue. "The
hand which rocks the cradle rules the
world" should be true, but what car
the hand which rocks the cradle dc
when the intellect and power which
should protect that hand places, just
outside the home, a legally licensed
saloon, and claims as his excuse fol
doing so, that as long as men anC
boys will drink we might as well
have the benefit of the money derived
from such licenses to help pay oul
State expenses.
Think you that in our State there
is mother who would stoop so low
or become so avaricious as to barter
the soul of her boy to lessen the bur
den of State taxation? l think not
The majority of the women of Yer
mont have not asked for enfranchise'
ment of their sex. | think large
part would prefer that the presen
list of voters should be so revised thai
no mans name should be placed OF
our check list, who could not reaC
and write intelligently, and know
how, why, and for what, he wanted t.
vote.
The last of our State may not be al
we could wish, but let us hope tina
right may prevail, and as the grea
political wheel turns, and the tenn
perance men of Vermont find them
selves, they know not where, it will b'
deemed wise for them to give til,
brave and true women an opportunit.
to help them establish righteous Law
which shall be as enduring as that O
the Modes and Persians that canno
be altered.
Mrs F. A. Bragg.
Waitsfeld, Nov. ID.
ASTORIA.