The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-04-12
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Editor Of The Journal
Letters of distress have reached the
writer regarding the provisions OF the
new law, granting town and municipal
suffrage TO women.
Women over 70 years Of age, who
are taxpayers fear they are shut out
from voting. Such is not the case.
Had there been a poll tax provision,
as is the case with men, all tax-paying
women over 70 years of age would
have been exempt from paying such,
the same as are men, but would have
voting privileges without any age
limit.
The wife of the foreigner who has
not received his naturalization papers
cannot vote, as the law does not yet
recognize married woman in this
country as being separate individual
Women desiring TO vote who have
no grand list or property upon which
they now pay taxes, such as working
women, public school teachers, or
married women and mothers, may be-
come voters if they are citizens by
complying with the following condi-
tons: They must have resided in the
State one year, and in their town
three months, or in the city or corpor-
alton such time as required by the
charter.
They must procure an inventory
from the listers and if possessed Of
no other taxable property, list under
question %, section c, whatever
amount Of cash they may have had on
hand April first, 81, SIS, or more, as
the case may be. This gives the list
ers a basis for computing the tax
They must then swear or affirm that
they have no other taxable property.
There is no fee or payment of tax
required at the time Of filling out the
inventory. At later period a tax
will be assessed depending upon the
amount listed and the tax rate voted
They must return the inventory to the
listers before April goth, or they have
disfranchised themselves for one year,
and have no vote in town meetings be-
fore the legislature again convencs in
1919.
All duly qualified voters take the
freeman's oath, whihc may be taken
singly or in groups, they arc then
eligible to vote in town, village,
school corporation, and city meetings,
if their names are on the voting check
list, which should be carefully looked
after by the women.
Women may vote for all officers, in
GLIDING road commissioners, except in
towns, where there is an incorporated
district. The legal voters in such cor
poration cannot vote for road commits
sioncrs in the district outside the cor
poration; they can, however, vote for
city and village road commissioners,
inside Of such city or village limits.
Women residing in town district
have absolutely the same voting priv
ileges on town road commissioners as
men. Any further information may
be secured from the listers and board
of civil authority.
A woman who has received free ed
ucation in the public schools and who
enjoys the benefits Of civilization, such
as good roads, sidewalks, sewers,
health and fire protection, and who de-
sires to see competent local officers
elected and laws enforced, should well
come this opportunity for preparing
to cast her ballot in the interests of
the public good, and it is earnestly
urged that the women act at once, be-
fore April goth, as after that date it
will be too late.
ANNETTE w. PARMELEE,
April 9, 1917. Enosburg Falls, Vt.