Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-03-17
The Woman Suffrage Movement in the
Vermont Legislature of 1915.


The following letter was published
in the Burlington Free Press of March
18th and was written by Mrs. H. T.
Seaver, wife of County Senator H. T.
Seaver Of Barton.
| So general has been the interest in
the woman suffrage bill of 1915 that a
few facts and figures containing it,
with deductions therefrom. may suit
ably be considered at this time. First
it should be said that the campaign
was conducted on the part of both
suffragists and ants. with dignity.
free from animosity. or bitterness,
and without personalities.
The bill originated in the senate,
and passed that body 20 to 9. AS it
stood at this time it granted municipal
suffrage and right to hold municipal
Offices of women citizens of Vermont
on the same terms with men. 1t also
gave presidential suffrage.
| 1t was amended by the house so
that the woman voter should pay poll
tax which must be set in the list at
$500. The payment of this poll tax
was entirely optional, the women who
did not wish to vote not being required
to be thus taxed Amended as above
the vote on third reading of the bill
stood 100 for, 129 against.
A motion to reconsider was voted
down, thus closing the campaign
Although meeting with apparent
defeat, the suffragists feel that during
this campaign of 1915 there has been
much to encourage. Their measure
passed the senate by large majority,
and while the house vote was an
adverse one. when compared with the
vote on a smaller measure in 1912,
it shows gratifying progress.
The house of representatives in 1912
defeated the suffrage measure by a
vote of 148 to 81. while in 1915 the
vote stood l29 to 100. A change of
only Is votes would have given the
women Of Vermont the ballot. Anoth
er most significant fact is this: of the
ten or more men who spoke on the
measure not one raised his voice
; against the principle of woman suf-
frage, the discussion being confined
WHOLLY to explaining and amending the
bill, amending not to weaken, but to
strengthen its provisions.
Most encouraging also was the re-
spect accorded the cause of equal
suffrage. by Legislators. by the press
and the people generally. The legisla-
ture of 1915 is body of intelligent.
serious-mnded men, and those who
would cheaper the subject by sneers
and jokes are so few as to be negli-
gible
The real causes of the adverse vote
are these: the activity of the liquor
interests, and the Indifference or
, opposition of some of the women back
= home. Obviously and quite naturally
, the men whose financial interests are
involved in the sale of liquor fear the
, women's vote. for it is we'll under
: stood fact that the women of Vermont
+ strongly favor prohibition. Even the
women who are not interested in
suffrage for other reasons are almost &
unit in saying. 81 do wish 1 could vote
\ on the referendum"
, Woman suffrage grows rapidly anc
!, surely as evidenced by the demand
t lately made for it by the political
parties of the state, the Grange, W. O.
e T. u. the Vermont Women Teacher:
b club. the Federation of Labor anc
t many smaller clubs and organizations
. Notwithstanding all this, there is still
e a considerable number of our womer
q who are Indifferent or even opposed
e 1t was the influence Of this class which
e caused number Of Legislators to say
81 believe in woman suffrage myself
but cannot vote for it for the womel
of my town do not want it.:
e 1t has been stated that the amend
J. ment to the suffrage bill giving womel
II their option on the payment of a pol
n tax. strengthened the measure witt
It the voters This thoroughly believe
t 1t may not be amss, however, at thi
e time to speak of the way other. states
n dispose Of the poll tax question.
Of the 48 states in the union, onl
e two impose a poll upon women. No
e knowing fully why this is so, tw
r possible and plausible reasons for
IS woman who works in her own hom
If she pays a poll tax the money for
lie must come from her husband unless
): indeed, she has an estate inherite
?, from her father or other relatives
e Second, the woman, married or un
a. married who works for a salary
Re almost never has the same pay s
t. man. even though doing the sam
,e work. One very common instance o
j. this is the case of high school assist
m ants. | have in my mind one hig
lc school where two assistants, one
man, the other woman, are employed
'e Last year these two came to the schoe
al fresh from college, both inexperience
and star ting on equal footing, but tn
lc udu is pdlO 9Stu per annum WnlIe Cn
Re woman has exactly half that sun
IS $500! If you think this is an excer
tional case look up the matter. TIL
men of Vermont want to be perfect
fair to their women and with bette
I understanding Of the case they WI
dispose of the poll tax question in
re way which will be the fairest to a
~ concerned.
The suffragists of Vermont are
'n no means discouraged, neither hav
t. thav anv ,,co for tha word .dofoat
Their cause may be delayed or hindere
DC but never can it be defeated, for,
re Truth, crushed to earth, shall ris
u again,
IS The eternal years Of God are hers;
d While error wounded, ,writhes in pain,
rs And dies among her worshippers