The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-05
Hiding Behind PettIcoats.

I'VE have never believed the wo-
men of Vermont wanted the right of
general suffrage, but, If there is any
question on which they should have
he right TO vote it is that of the IL
censed sale of intoxicating liquors,
for the saloon affects the homes of
the workingmen more than many Of
us care to think. Is anybody afraid
to have the women OF Vermont vote
on the license question, any more
than on school commissioners, and,
il so, why?'-Burlington Free Press.
There are two great Independent
questions intermixed here, and en-
tangled In such manner as TO make II
well-ngh impossible to arrive at a
fair solution of either One is the
right of woman to vote, and the 9th
er is the maintenance Of the local op.
ton liquor law.
The legislature only few weeks
before the introduction Of this meas
ure giving women the right TO vote
annual ~ under the local option liquor
law decided that ii would not extend
the general franchise TO women. And
whatever may be the academic judg'
ment OF many very thoughtful citi-
zens of the state today, whatever
may be the prospective evolution OF
public opinion on this question to-
morrow, the fact is that public senti-
ment In Vermont is. at The least pos
sible calculation, negative on the mat
ter OF woman suffrage, and in all
probability would show a great ma
iority at the polls against It. So that,
generally speaking, for the time be.
ing the legislature has taken judicial
knowledge of the fact that the people
OF Vermont are not yet willing and
ready to experiment with woman
suffrage.
1t is true that women are permitted
| by statute to vote in school meetings
and for school offices. but do they
They have had this privilege fol
years, but do they exercise Il? Here
too, is public interest that comes
straight home to the Preside, here /.
the question of the education anC
training of mothers boys and girls
Does mother go to the polls and yot,
on II? No, she believes, after th'
good old-fashioned way, that father
interests are the same as hers ant
that he Is Out In the world OF affalri
has a first hand knowledge Of thu
ways and means Of business and poll
tics, and can represent her better II
the school meeting than she can heI
self And father reflects her vote II
his own every time, and she know
lit
Now, II women were to be admitte
to the ballot by any experiments
stages, the beginning might well b
made with the administration 9
school affairs, because that is a flel
! OF governmental interest that wome
may well be expected TO have frs
hand knowledge of and In which the
themselves directly or indirectly pa
ticipate as they do In no other go
ernmental functions. And yet, ate
years and years of opportunity
vote on school affairs, the women d
not vote. Why not?
But, In the very face OF this expeI
ence, In the face OF the general pu
lie sentiment opposed to woman su
frage, In the face OF the fact III
when the ballot has been given to W
man to use In a sphere she has pee
| liarly intimate knowledge Of 81
does not use tit Is now proposed
| give her the ballot in deciding pc
| haps the grayest, the most complies
cd, social problem that confronts u
| voter today. II is true that WON'T
has vital interest in the solution
the LIQUOR problem. It is true that u
fearful results OF intemperance n
excess come straight home to h
and to her children. But hers Is q
| homo experience with the results
not the mans outside experience wi
| the conditions that in one form or q
other produce them. Probably n
one woman In a hundred has to dc
seriously with the problem Of int
perance IN her household. But eve
male citizen and man of affairs h
TO deal with the outside problem
| the regulation of the liquor trat
that the woman from practical exp
fence and personal contract. kno'
luothlng about. II might be a pref
sentiment, for instance, that prom