The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-03-01
The Suffrage Resolve.
Passed by the Maine House, 1l3 to IS.

Passed by the Maine House, 113 to IS.
AUGUSTA, Me, Feb. 81, 1917. Suffrage
for the women of Maine on equal terms
with men won the greatest victory in the
history of the movement today, when
the House of Representatives of the 18th
Maine Legislature voted lib to IS, with
only three members absent, to submit
the question to the people.
The vote IN the House followed lively
debate which involved an exchange of
personalities between Representative
Bussabarger of Lubec, a Democrat and
leader of the Democratic faction in favor
of the resolve, and Representative Muir
ray of Bangor, Democratic floor leader
and leader of the faction of the Demo
cratic party opposed to the passage of
Ahe resolve. Others who took part in the
debate were Representative Percival P.
Baxter of Portland, Republican, Free
man D. Dearth of Dexter, Republican;
Charles E. Quincy of Portland. Repub-
lican; Seth L. Snow of Mars Hill, Re-
publican Theodore w. Longley of Sidney
Republican, and Ralph 0. Brewster OF
Portland, Republican, in favor of the
resolve and Representative Sherman l..
Berry of Waterville, Democrat; Edward
w. Larrabee of Bath, Democrat; John l..
Meserve of Naples, Democrat, and Edgar
E. Rounds of Portland, Republican,
against the passage of the resolve.
The hall of the House was profusely
decorated with the colors of the friends
and opponents of the measure when the
hour of meeting arrived and every nook
and corner of the great hall and the gal
lery was crowded to the limit with inter-
ested spectators. The House business
was transacted with dispatch, amid the
buzzing and chatter of the unaccustomed
audience, and it was relief to most OF
those present when Speaker Bonney an
nounced that the hour for the considera-
ton of the "Resolve proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution granting sui
frage to women upon equal terms with
men,.
Scattered among their bands of fol-
lowers and CO. workers were many of the
leaders. The group on tine right of the
Speaker included the opponents of the
resolve and that on the left the propon-
ents, the colors of each being prominent
ly displayed with flowers, ribbons, drtl-
cles of apparel and even canes decorated
with the properly colored ribbo.i.
The Suffrage.
The equal suffrage party included Mrs.
Deborah Knox Livingston of Bangor, the
campaign manager;Mrs. Florence Brooks
Whitehouse of Portland, president of the
Suffrage Referendum League; Mrs. Ed
ward Antboine of Portland, secretary of
the State Equal Suffrage League; Mrs.
William R Pattangall and Mrs. Guy z.
Gannett of the Augusta Equal Suffrage
League; and many others.
The Ants.
The wearers of the red, the opponents
of the bill, included Mrs. John F. A.
Merrill of Portland, president of the State
Mrs. Clarence Hale, Mrs. George H.
Hobbs, Mrs. H. R. Virgin, Mrs. Fritz
Jordan, all of the Portland organization;
Mrs. C. S. Hchboril, Mrs. Norman l..
Bassett, Mrs Elmer E. Newbert, Mrs.
VIM. H. Gannett, Mrs F. w. Plaisted
and Mrs. Frank Smith of the Augusta
organization.
1t was not very demonstrative
gathering, although the applause when
given was generous and at times even
liberal. The attention, however, given
each speaker was intent, except on one
or two occasions, when the crowd became
uneasy on account of the long contlne-
ment to the room and the Speaker was
obliged to remind them that the sitting
was not yet over.
1t was just IL ST o'clock when Repres-
entative Allan of Portland called for 'the
previous question, Immediately followed
by Representative Baxter of Portland,
who moved-that Wnen the vote was taken
1t be taken by the yeas and nays.
Speaker Bonney announced that the
question would require two thirds vote
for a passage and that any member who
so desired, could change his vote, before
the result was announced, by notifying
the Speaker of this intention and how he
wished to change, He then read the
title of the resolve and directed the clerk
to call the roll. The first name on the
lIst-Albert of Madawaska-was called
at just IL So clock and the most intense
silence continued throughout the rollcall,
which took an even ten minutes, being
completed at 1.09 The counting was
quickly done and at Ito the vote was an
nounced-1 3 10 So, in favor of the pas
sage of the resolve. The announcement
was greeted with the greatest outburst
of applause of the day
The absent members were Drisko of
Addison: Mutty Of Brewer; Redman of
Ellsworth.
Morrison of Corinth stated when his
name was called that he was opposed to
suffrage for women, but having been
elected OH platform pledged to suffrage
and knowing the wishes and feelings of
his constituents and that they expected
him to vote for the resolve, he didn't pro-
pose TO betray their trust-cnly betray
nis own convictions.
AD Analysis OF the Vote.
An analysis of the vote in the House
on the equal suffrage resolve shows that
81 Republicans and 16 Democrats voted
yes and eight Republicans and 81
Democrats voted ''no, )" as follows:
Republicans-Albert, Alden, Allan of
Portland, Allen of Sanford, Ames, An
derson, Andrews of Norway, Averill,
Babb, Barnes, Baxter. Bonney, Bow
man of Detroit. Bracket, Bragdon,
Brewster, Brown, Burbank, Buzzell,
Gates, Chaplin of Bridgton, Chaplin of
South Portland. Charles, Clark of Har-
rison, Clarke of Randolph, Cason, Glenn
ent, Clifford, Coffin, Cole of Eliot, Cole
Of Etna, Conary, Corliss, Crediford,
Cummings, Cushman, Daigle of New
Canada, Daig!e of Wailagrass, Day,
Dearth. Dutton, Eaton, Ellis of Gardi-
ner, Ellis of York, harrington, Fletcher,