Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-07-06
EQUAL SUFFRAGE.

We are in receipt of the following
article from the secretary of the Yer
mont Woman's Suffrage Association
in reply to an editorial which APP
peared in a recent issue of this paper.
We will not discuss the question at
this time beyond TO reiterate our
state ment that it is the women and
not the men who stand in the way Of
equal suffrage. If the leaders of the
suffrage association wish to continue
petitioning the legislature they GER
tainly have right to, but their work
will be ineffective until they have
first succeeded in enlisting the hearty
cooperation of a majority of their
sex in the state. Many people will
sign a petition rather than to offend
friend by refusing, but such petitions
do not influence legislation to any
great extent.
The MONITOR has no suggestion to
make beyond what it has already
made, that is to agitate the question
among the women until not only a
majority are willing to sign petition,
but are also out in quest of other
signers, then equal suffrage will come.
Mr. EDITOR:
As it is only fair to presume that
your criticism of June Is on the
methods adopted by the Vermont
Woman's Suffrage Association is
made with friendliness, an explana-
ton seems called for in defence of
said methods" and also to state the
position of the noble women, in your
own county, who have, for many
years, been doing the laborious work
of securing petitions for municipal
suffrage for women.
And first it may be we'll to state
that the Vermont Woman's Suffrage
Association is composed of men as
we'll as women; that Section of its
constitution reads 'No distinction of
membership or ineligibility to Office
shall be made on account of sex"
Men have held the Office of president,
alternately with women, since the
organization has been in existence,
and with satisfactory results. In re-
ply to the suggestion that petition
ing the legislature" be "discon-
tinued," it may be said that as the
constitution has guaranteed to
women but one right, which is that of
petition, there is no choice left them
but to accept this method of influ-
encing legislation, and while we
realize that to elect men as law
makers who are noble enough to be
just, would be more effective course
to pursue, unfortunately the power to
cast ballots for such men is denied to
women, and il any expression OF
opinion is made on legislation, by
this disfranchised- onehalf of the
people, it n ust be done by petition.
Doubtless the good women who cir
culate these petitions could find
other amusement(O, but il they
would see the cause of equal rights
advanced. they must accept the con-
ditions. They may task their hus-
bands and sons to help them obi ain
the ballot" and in many instances
this 'help' is granted, but the men
who are in the legislature alone have
the power to grant-or refuse
their request, and are the persons to
be influenced. 60 elect men who
need no influencing to do the right
would seem to be the wiser course. }
But another important reason fol-
continuing the petition work is that
in no other way can so effective
educational work be accomplished
Al the people are reached and what
ever expression may be given, the
subject is brought to their attention
and this "arrest of thought is i'm
perative for their acceptance of the
principle. In towns where the peti.
ton work has been most faithfully