The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-10-27
PLURALITY
BILL LOST
Completely DiSOWned by Yer
mont House Today
AFTER VIGOROUS PROTEST
There Was Scarcely Voice In De-
fence of the Measure to Allow
Representative Choice On
Third Ballot.

With q resounding whoop, the YER
mont House OF Representatives to-day
killed the measure providing for the
election OF town representatives by plu-
rality ON the third ballot, although the
debate on teh measure took up nearly
the entire forenoon session. This was
somewhat OF surprise, as the bill had
been reported fnvorably ky the com.
mittee and yesterday had been ordered
to third reading without dissenting
voice. When the bin came up this morn
ing Mr.. Dewitt OF Newfane arose and
said he was surprised that the bill was
yesterday ordered to a third reading
without a single man out of 245 voting
in protest. He couldn't see why the
committee should have approved the bill
at all.
Then followed fusilade Of small shot
against the measure. with only one or
two in defense of it. Mr.. Gatchell Of
ChaTlestown said the plurality bill was
too revolutionary for him, and he didn't
see why Vermont needed it when the
law wouldn't apply to any other office.
Mr. Warner of Cornwall said he might
be n FOSSIL but he wouldn't vote for
the plurality measure, not he Mr. Bee
man Of Milton though such law would
lead to corrupt methods in elections;
therefore, he was against the bill
Mr.. Dearborn Of Lincoln then told how
they voted in his town from Tuesday
to Friday to get a representative, the
farmers being compelled to give up hay
ing, milking and all their chores, in
order to stay at the voting place. He
was in favor of the plerality election
on the third ballot Mr.. Hunt of New
Haven was with him on the matter
But Mr. Pittridge of Leicester thought
1t would be to the advantage OF the
Democrats to have such law, and he
wasn't going to give them an advantage
when he could help it. Mr.. Wall OF Dor
set believed that the majority should
rule. Hence, he opposed the measure.
Someone then arose to ask what would
happen if there were no election on the
third ballot, q question which no one
thought 1t worth while 10 answer, al.
though Mr. Stone OF Wallingford got up
and defended the bill for the committee.
After Mt Holly's representative had had
his throw at teh bill, Mr. Cook OF Thet-
ford made the motion that debating
cease, but he was drowned out by big
opposition Many other members then
took occasion to speak their disapproval
Of the measure. and the only voice in
favor Of it was that OF Mr. Page Of
HYDE Park. who thought it would be
to Vermont's advantage to pass the
measure
When the members had got tired of
lambasting the proposed law, the yea
and nay vote on It's passage was called
for; but in Difference TO the wishes OF
many members the gentleman withdrew
his request Then the question was put,
and the bill was smothered in viva
voce protest.
Woman's Suffrage Hearing.
A hearing on bill to grant the right
of suffrage to women was held in the
House chamber yesterday afternoon,
when the House resolved itself into
committee OF the whole and the Senate
adjourned to hear the arguments Mrs
Annette W Parmalee Of Enosburg was
the chief speaker, and she occupied about
an hour in defending the bill
In her opening remarks she called
the attention of her audience to the
fact thar women voted for George Wasa-
ington for president, but when the l4th
amendment to the constitution was
adopted. the women voters were shut
out and the negro voters were admitted.
Her plea throughout was for the ballot
for tox-paying women, and not for uni
versal suffrage for her sex.
she Landed the mo vote, no tax
league Of Chicago, and believed those
women were justified in refusing to pay
their taxes SO long as they are denied
The ballet The success of the ballot
for women in Colorado, Utah and
was referred to, and the one
lone woman in the legislature of Col
orado Was eulogized
Mrs. Parmalee said this question is
simply one OF right and wrong and
must be settled on that basis Women
now are not citizens in the ewes of the
law; thev are simply relatives OF some
man. la closing She thanked the COM
mittee and the audience for their at
tention, and said that the women of the
state would await the action of the
legislature on this bin with prayerful
The farmers club met last evening in
the cloak room and listened TO an adj
dress by Senator John w Gordon of
Barre on the employers liability bin
now before the legislature. lie denounced +
the present law of the state and asked /
for legislation which wosld protect the /
employe. At present, if an employee re-
ceives injury, he cannot recover damages |
If he has in any way contributed TO the 1
negligence, no matter how faulty the
system under which he is working may
be. in a railroad accident. according to /
the present law, if any of the railroad
men or passengers are killed, the pas
sengers' families may collect damages
from the road, but the families of the /
dead railroad men have no such redress. /
Mr.. Gordon said his bin had found favor /
both with employers and employees and /
contained nothing radical. After Nir /
GordonS address, ther was some discus.
sion Of that measure and Others, Presi-
dent Hatch OF the club spoke on the for /
astrv problem of the state.
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