Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-22
WOMEN GIVE MEN A CHANGE
Latter May Become Associate
Members in E. F. l..
Demonstration Day Program An
nounced-senator shaw Reviews
Work Of Legislature and says
S~ufYragfsts should Take
Courage.

The Burlington Equal Franchise
League held a meeting in the parlors
Of the Hotel Vermont Tuesday evening,
adopted an amendment to the constitu-
ton by which men may become as
sociate members. listened to the an
nouncement OF the demonstration day
program and we're afterwards enter
tained by a talk on the word Of the
recent Legislature by senator Henry p.
Shaw.
It was announced at the business
meeting that demonstration day would
be observed the evening of April 80.
May 1 Is the real date. but It Is more
conveniently locally to have the OBJ
Friday instead of Saturday
night. The speaker Of the evening will
be Owen Lovejoy of New York, secre-
tary of the national child labor COM
mittee and there may be other enter
tainment. No admission will be
charged and no collection will be taken
up. Hitherto the active members OF
the league have consisted, according to
the constitution. Of women who are
interested in the suffrage movement,
but 1t was decided last evening to
htiCiib NV ~ ~ N'oN 49,
upon payment Of dues, may become as
sociate members. II was voted also
that the league join the national peace
party.
Senator Shaw gave an interesting ac-
count Of the work Of the Legislature.
recently adjourned. He said that he
was a member of the corporations com
mittee and had been obliged to give
a large share of his time during the
session to the work of the mint
in preparing the corporations act, &c
was not present at all times while
other legislation was in the making
He gave "A short account of the suf-
frage bill, S. 16. Before a bill was
presented, he said. the qeustion OF
women paying a poll tax in connection
with giving them suffrage was as
4; cussed and it was apparent from the
first that it would be a serious obstacle
to the passage of a law. Tho blii as
> introduced provided that all women OF
tWenty-one should have the same po"
or to vote for municipal offlce us
men and to hold the same offlces
a,so that the women qualified as mention
cd would have the game right as men to
vote for presidential electors. The Senate
committed was in favor Of the oil ant
made an important amendment to the Ell
. feet that the women given the r1ght u
vote should be citizens. A referendum
amendment was defeated. The ol' pass
cd the Senate and went to the House
where II was amended so as to proNld'
T that women between 81 and 20 shoui'
t nav a g. poll tax. The bill was finally
t defeated in the House by a majority ol
90 votes. Senator Shaw said that th'
; women favoring suffrage should not b'
f disheartened because they had made al
q excellent showing and they were so stroh-
that the anti-suffragist adherents OF TN
House were genuinely alarmed as to tn
outcome of the measure. lie said ina
the suffragists during the campaign pre-
ceding the vote on passage CONDUCTED
themselves in a becoming manner lher'
. was no log rolling, no lobbying and NJ
militancy. He looked for milltancY more
t he said. amog the ants. The anu-suf
~fragists presented cords and cords OF pc
~titions and they undoubtedly had som
influence among the members of IN
O House. Petitions. however, are consid
. cred as Of little value among men OF ar
fairs. The activity as to suffrage demon
n strated that the question is no longer i
the political football class, where It is
generally understood that If a suffrag
measure Is passed in one House IT Is I
be killed in the other.
Senator Shaw reviewed the more impor
tant measures adopted by the Legislature
= He said the outcome of the legislatio
MS to educational matters was to leav
the colleges OF the State more firml
entrenched than ever in their contentio
that they had a right to State aid. n
was not sure that the simplified cour
n procedure law meant much In this Stat
where the legal procedure is already sim
8 plified. The same WAS true of the mum!
cipal courts bill. which would probabl
not accomplish all that it's friends claim
ed It would. Senator Shaw expressed him
self as against tho referendum, bill
under a representative form c
c government, He pointed to the fac
that the primaries law, carrying with
a second referendum, was a sample {
. the Legislature not carrying out tn
wish Of the people. The same is true {
the State House bill. He was incline
IS to think that the open primary law
propose was not not desirable as
IF would put n premium on newspaper II
fluence and any mar who wanted offic
cOul0 get II II ne nHN the support {
three newspapers in the State which +
could mention. He cor~0lended the worl
mems compensation bill, although it dl
not include all that could be wished b,
IT was Just as TO principle. The bill r.
- garding venereal diseases was distinct
advanced legislation, The measure pr,
viding that medical inspection Of publ
schools could be done by a physician {
nurse was not so good as the first lay
which provided for physicians only. Tt
new law IL the result OF the expArienc
Of one town in the State which had a,
complished much In medical inpectio
, through the administrations of a yer
competent woman. He commended II
bill as to uniform divorce laws and IL
one which Jacks up the husband who
arrested for non-support, also the new Ia
- relative to the Identification OF criminal
The Legislature Of 1918. however, Sen;
tor Shaw said, will be remembered Ion,
n est for its action IN the appointment
t. supreme and superior judges followir
the two-year appointments of Governc
FLETCHER. thus restoring the constit,
tional court