The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-11-21
AS A WOMAN SEES 1T
LEGISLATURE Is a Curious and Unfa-
thomed Organization

Montpelier, Nov 21.-To woman
blessed with, none of the proclivities
/ of a suffragette, visit TO the capitol
building when its halls are crowded
with the men who make and unmake
the laws of the state of Vermont, can
not help but inspire her with more
or less of a feeling of awe and per
haps a little confusion.
Men whose names she has heard
, and read of in the newspapers as be-
ing prominent politicians and wire
pullers are pointed out to her and she
meets many OF them, and thereafter
they exist not alone in name but she
carries away with her some impress
sions OF their personalities. In some
cases she may have been disappoint-
ed and in others not.
Men are gathered everywhere en-
gagged in conversation more or less
earnest and she cannot help wonder
ing If the babbe would be any worse
if instead of the men, the groups CON
sisted of women. That. however, is
straining ones imagination to very
nearly the breaking point Not beng
suffragette, she does not go very
far into the realms of the imagination,
in this particular She does not want
10 shake her loyalty 10 her own sex.
These then are the men, who grind
out the laws OF the state every two
years. Some of them are gray haired
and have served several times as le-
gislators and some of them look as If
they were Just entering the political
lists. However. she as woman has
great deal Of respect for their in
tellects
As she sits in the gallery of the
House and hears the bills read of and
voted on. she wonders a little on the
dospatch with which the business is
done and perhaps doesn't realize how
much Of it she does not see here, but
rather in the Hobbies, before the ses-
sion opens The work in the house,
except when some legislators indul-
ges in a little oratory or debate, is
routine. and If she could mingle with
the lawmakers in the halls she would
hear much that would interest her,
not posing as q sufiragette, she has
not the privilege and so must be con-
tent TO be on the outside locking in
And women win probably be consign-
ed to the position for some time to
come. IN Vermont at least.
There Is a woman suffrage bill Low
in committee end several weeks ago
a public hearing was held on the SUR
'ject. the ants lined up strongly
against the measure. The suffragettes
and the ants are organizing and an
other public hearing will be held be-
fore the end of the session The an
tbs are strong and some Of their arsu-
ments are convincing At the hear
ing, one Of the leaders OF the ants
showed by statistics that in states
where woman has the vote, the
legislation has been less progressive
than where they haven't the right.
This of course is body blow at the
other faction, but when woman meets
woman. it is interesting to see who
comes out ahead.
At present there seems to be moth
ing doing in this line and the fair sex
is not haunting the corridors or button
holing the members and her voice is
not heard above the din in the halls.
How long this silence will last is a
question, but according to tradition 1t
viii not be long.
However. the work seems to be go
ing on very well without her assist
ance and the men seem satisfied to
get along a little while longer by
themselves