Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-06-24
ENACTMENT Of
MEASURES THAT
BENEFIT WOMEN
Discussion of Equal Suffrage
Has Figured Prominently in
Proceedings of p State
Legislatures.


Of a large majority of the State Legis-
latures. The sessions of most of them
have now come to a close and summary
Of their activities collated by the Associ-
ated Press discloses that the question of
woman suffrage came UP for deliberaton
In % states and that divorce laws, moth
ers' pensions, women police, minimum
wage, eugenic marriage or other sub
jects relating to women We're considered
In 2s States.
The Legislatures of seven States adopt
ed resolutions whereby a constitutional
amendment giving women equal suffrage
rights with men will be submitted to the
people at the fall elections either this
or next year. They are Massachusetts.
New Jersey, New York and PENNSYLVANIA
in 1915; Iowa. South Dakota and West
Virginia in 1916 Tennessee adopted a sim
liar resolution, but 1t must also be pass
ed by the next succeeding Legislature
befors it can be submitted to the voters.
So did Arkansas, but the resolution was
ineffective because of a provision of the
State constitution which forbids more
than three constitutional amendments to
be submitted at one election and three
had already been filed with the secretary
Of state.
California adopted a resolution declaring
that woman suffrage in that state had
been an unqualified success. Alabama
will consider the question at an adjourned
session to begin July 7.
In II States woman suffrage measures
met defeat-Connectlcut, Delaware. Flor
ida. Indiana. Michigan, New Mexico
North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma
Texas and Vermont. Three votes defeat
ed the measure in Indiana. 1t was pass
ed by the Senate with only three votes
registered against it, but motion in the
House to call the bill out of committee
failed to carry, &c to 40.
| Three votes also killed the measure in
the Texas Legislature, where it was in
troduced in the House. a two-thirds'
ma jority, however. was required to pass
it and the suffragist supporters claimed
a great gain. The resolution did not
oh the Senate.
| There was bitter contest on the ques-
ton in North Dakota where, undaunted
by the defeat of their cause at the gem
eral election last year. the suffrage ad-
herents renewed the fight. In Delaware a
proposed constitutional amendment was
defeated decisively in both houses; in
Florida in the lower house: in New Mex
leo and North Carolina it died in com
mittee. In Michigan a proposed amend
ment to the constitution giving women
the right to vote for presidential electors
and all officers of educational nature was
never reported out of the Senate com
| mittee. The General Assembly of Con-
necticut declined to send the measure tC
the next Assembly for ratification.
STILL CHANCE IN WISCONSIN.
The Assembly Of Wisconsin by a ma
iority Of eieht votes killed on April 20 A
bill for statewide referendum. but on
Wednesday last the Senate revived the
question by ordering a similar measure
engrossed by vote of IL to 10, The bill
was not expected to come up for actor
in the Assembly until mex. week or later
New Mexico. however. passed law
providing for the appointment Of womer
on the governing boards of State insti'
tltons in tho discretion of the governor
North Carolina enacted a bill making
women eligible to become notaries In the
State and giving them the right Of peti
ton IN certain instances. Women may be
come notaries by law passed also II
Tennessee and serve in that State or
school boards.
Pensions for ,ro,bars c,r,o nm for co,,
sidor.,ior l., ,s c,o,os T., o,,h, 1-,sos
Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
York. Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wyom
Observation-Disclosures, for ,bis ,,,rroso was on
acted for tho rrs, time tn tuo roxo,
and West Nirginia-mothers' pension
measures We're killed In the rest tn,
nres.rt l,ws u,ora amended a ,n,,t,ad
Tho new Kansas statute fixes the ma Vi
,n,,, ,rant 10 road,. ,,,o,ha. =, ,r
month to be paid at the discretion o
county COMMISSIONS Inc Ne" Hampshir
Id" "l'i's payment 10 slo month LOT
dependent ho'her having one child uhde
I years anu % ior each aooitiohal chllo
5 ne Legislature appropriated Ho'o" 10
TIE ihs' t"o years vi 'he Ia" operation
Inc New iork statute applies To WldoW
, win chiio or chiidren uhoer 10 Wn
I VIII DE aho"eo the same amount as !
, would cost tne STATE TO support them
, me -"oh'aha Ia" aPpHes 10 Ihothers VIII
I eohi''eu u STATE institution or ar
r phssioaHS incompetent the Nevada Law
10 WIDOWS only In oKlahoma' both wild
o"s ana mothers whose husbands ar
insane or prisoners are eligible to tn
O oeheiits OF the law, the compensation he
= 'hs 80 month Tor one child under
e ana " month FOR each additional. Tn
q wyoming law Is similar The law Il
. tennessee applies In counties OF 5000
| population or more ana having 1uNenil