Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-28
SUFFRAGE ] MON
BRINGS REMINDER
To CONGRESSMAN
Representatives of Organization
Ask Hon. F. L. Greene to
Consider Susan B. An.
thony Amendment.

st. Adams, Oct GA deputation OF
women, representing the Congressional
Union for Woman Suffrage, with Mrs.
w. d. Ascough of Hartford, Conn, as
the principal spokesman. visited Con-
gresham Frank L. Greene of this city
this afternoon and asked his careful
| consideration of the Susan b. Anthony
amendment to the federal constitution
providing for enfranchsing women.
Mrs. j. Borden Estee Of Montpelier
gave a history Of the amendment and
! told what the Congressional Union had
| asked the deputation to do in interview
| ing Congressman Greene. and Mrs An
nette w. Parmeee of Enosburg Falls
spoke on THE Good Effect of Woman
Suffrage upon the Government and up
on the Women Themselves"
Local suffragists present were DR..
Grace Sherwood. president of the Ner-
mont Equal Suffrage association. Mrs
A. II. Rublee. Miss Alberta L. Beeman,
Mrs. f. A. Chittenden Mrs. George w
Nye, Miss Grace Watson and Miss NJ.
Emilia Houghton. corresponding secre-
tary Of the Vermont organization.
Mrs. Ascough. in addressing Congress-
man Greene, said:
I'VE are not here to-day to ask of
you any statement concerning your
views on woman suffrage we simply
want to lay our case before you as the
elected representative of the people ana
to ask your serious consideration for
the Susan B. Anthony amendment en-
franchising women. This amendment,
known in the last Congress as the Bris-
tow Mondell amendment, is endorsed by
all the suffragists in the country, and
by every organization working for the
enfranchisement of women. We feel
| that the demand for votes for women
has now become so great and so wide
! spread that 1t behooves not only the in
dividual senator or representative, but
also the great political parties to take
It into consideration and to weigh scri-
ously the reasons for adopting woman
suffrage as a part Of their party plat
form"
Mrs. Ascough then reviewed the his
| tory OF the suffrage movement in this
| country, mentioning the fact that there
| are IL States now in which women vote
on equal terms with men, She called at
tention to the apparent fact that there
is strong and insistent demand to con-
| side the suffrage question from the ma
tional point of view. She pointed out tina
| at the presidential election next year
one-ffth of the electoral college will be
chosen from the States in which women
vote.
In conclusion Ms. Ascough sa,d
III a federal amendment for wom-
an suffrage is violation of States
| rights then every federal amendment
which has been passed violates them
And as the Constitution of the United
States in article provides for its
own amendment, if there is any vio-
lation it lies with those who drafted
our constitution and not with the
women who are asking to be enfran-
chised by means of n federal amend
ment as provided for in the constitu-
ton itself But in this instance there
is no violation because the State it
self may decide what qualifications
are necessary for it's electorate. The
| claim is sometimes made that fed
eral amendment would force equal
suffrage on a possible IL unwilling
States. hut If it We're finally ratified
by SO States. is not that protecting
our American ideal Of rule by ma
1ority, a basic principle OF our democ-
racy? We cannot govern by unani-
nous consent, either in enacting n
law or adopting n constitutional
amendment Vermont. which ratified
the 18th amendment. and thus en-
franchised a mass of people who had
only recently been slaves, surely
would not refuse to ratify an amend :
ment which would increase the pro-
portion of intelligent and educated
voters-of moral voters of American
voters"
Mrs. Ascough after the conference.
said: I'VE were pleased with the cor
dal way we were received by Mr..
Greene. He did not express his opin-
ion on the matter, but we did not ask
nor expect that. He listened to us
with deep attention and interest"
Mrs. Ascough addressed the women
present. and tea was served.