Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-30
Points IN Senator's Letter Taken
Up by the Suffragists.
No Qualification sfor DisfranchiseD n, ent
Based on Sex and No state should
Have the Right to Commit In
justice, II Declares.


replies to his arguments as follows:
The senior senator from Vermont, under
pressure from his constituents, printed In
the Montpelier Argus a long letter written
in March, 1914, to explain his opposition
to the federal suffrage amendment. 1t
Is interesting to analvze the points which
Senator Dillingham; thinks will deter the
women of his district from supporting
their own Acknowledgement by federal
amendment.
Senator Dillingham; declares first. that
It Is the right of each individual State to
determine its electoral qualifications for
itself
This Is. however not the case. The
state has not the right to limit the ma
tional electorate to members Of the state
Legislature, or to those voting for the less
numerous branch Of the state Legislature:
and It has not the right to disfrnnchise
its citizens because of race. color, or
previous condition of servitude. 1t has
the right to deny the vote to citizens be-
cause of their sex; or the great majority
OF American women would not now form
disfranchised class.
Women do not deny that tho States
have this right: they are asking for an
ton. to put an END to 1t.
What Senator Dillingham; Is contending
for Is that the States should continue to
be permitted TO disfranchise women be-
cause they are women.
There is. however, no justification for
Acknowledgement based on sex. And no
State should have the right to commit
injustice.
TAT to-dn Ia hy n
tional government to deny It's citizens
civil liberty. No State is permitted under
the constitution to prohibit the free ex-
ercise of religion. or abridge freedom Of
speech or Of the press. or refuse the
right of habeas corpus or impair tho
obligation OF contract. or deny trial by
jury in criminal prosecutions; or deprive
any person Of life, liberty, or property
without due process of law; or refuse to
any citizen the equal protection of the
law. These arc local rights. They are
guaranteed by the federal government be-
cause they are just; and 1t is the wish Of
the national government to safeguard
citizens from manifest injustice
Senator Dillingham;. declares that the
right OF State to disfranchise women
should not be tempered with by n federal
would need the ratification Of only three-
fourths of the States
Defenders of the Constitution have some
easy arguments against Senator Dilling-
ham. Three-fourths Of the States cannot
ratify federal amendment until it has
been passed by n two-thirds majority
in the Senate and House. II the thickly
populated States were opposed to woman
/ Oil fry,cv m mt nff hnir To-
population. the amendment would not pass
the House.
1t would be easy. too, for suffrag1sts
TO DEFEND the justice OF the constitutional
provision that the smaller States be
given equal weight with the larger in
rat1fy1ng to keep the small States. like
vermont from peing dominated by States
with greater population.
But 1t Is not necessary for women to
make these points Ihey did not draw
up the constitution. and are not respon-
sible Tor It's wisdom or unwisdom. They
are living under the constitution, and
are carrying on their campaign FOR free
dom under the terms 1t lays down.
Inc strange thihs IS that women are
eNPecteu 10 look win pious awe on inc
clause giving the state tho right to dis
i'"'N''''o "o''io"' anu W iePuoid'c ~
tosether the amendment clause pointing
out the way 'he constitution may be al
tered
senator D'ilineham next quotes stats
ucs showing the heavy foreign population
III certain Eastern states, TO prove that
localities with special problems should
hanoie the question or electorate locally.
| lhis IS remarkable way or persuading
american women 10 prefer state method
"hich cofhPeis personal canvass OF these
'hsiiohs OF male voters or foreign birth
anu descent
II inc foreigner constructs special
propiein' why eniranchlse foreign men.
oehy the Vote 10 all women and then
ASK women 10 give up their right or fed
erai procedure, IN order to put their case
AT the direct disposal of these same
foreigners? The Special beauty CT this
state mthod. according TO Senator billing
ham. is that II the foreigner decides
against equal suffrage. women can ac-
cept the verdict as being the judgment
of an enlightened people-and 50 rest con.
| AS masters are II is to be feared saws