Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-22
SUFFRAG|STS AND
ANTS IN DEBATE
Bill to Give Vt. Women Presi-
Dental ElectOr Franchise
Granted Hearing.
LARGE AUDIENCE PRESENT
Entire Field Of Female Suffrage II
Covered by the Speakers-Ued
and Yellow Roses.

Montpelier Feb. ia large num-
Der of Vermont's bright women
aided to some small degree by three
legislators, all suffragists. argued the
woman suffrage question for nearly
four hours this evening, before one OF
the largest and most closely interested
audiences which has ever filled the
representatives hall at the State
House
The ants wearing red roses flocked
from all parts of Vermont to fill one
side of the representatives chamber
while the suffragists wearing either
yellow badges or roses filled the op-
posite side. Tho speakers rostrum
was decorated with bouquet of red
roses but this feature was offset by
Mrs. Annette Parme,ee of Enosburg
Falls. tho only debater to occupy the
platform. The audience at the close
of the hearing seemed to be about
evenly divided on the question.
The bill under consideration was the
one introduced by the Rev. Fraser
Metzger of Randolph granting women
the right to vote for presidential cleo
tors but the entire question of woman
suffrage was covered in the arguments
on both sides. Those opposing TIL bill
were Mrs David s. Conant of Brad
ford, president of the Vermont asso-
citation opposed to suffrage. Mrs. II. II.
Watkins of Burlington, Mrs. b. II. De-
merritt of Duxbury. Miss Jenny VAL
entne of Bennington. Mrs. Frank
Lowe of Montpelier. Mrs. Robert Law
renee of Rutland, Mrs A. b Buell. of
Burlington, and Mrs. =. J.. Robinson
of Cambridge. ,e
The sufiragst speakers were led by DR..
Grace w. Sherwood OF st. Adams, presi-
Il, H.;
Lcagu and included Mrs. Fred B. Blan.
chard ri Montpelier, Miss Grac" Clark
Of Montpelier. Miss Helen Hoar of Barre
and Mrs. A. A. Parmelec of Enosburg
Falls. Representatives Fraser Metzger of
Randolph. Ernest Moore of Ludlow and
l. S. LaF'lcur Of Middlebury pledged their
support to the measure.
ANTS COVER ENTIRE FIELD.
The speakers who opposed woman suf-
frage covered the entire field very thor
oughly. They contonded that men and
women were created fundamentally differ
Ont, and that their sphere was not that
of government which must be backed up
by force. The majority of Vermont
women did not want the ballot. they de-
clared and expressed their willingness to
cease their opposition whenever a refer
endum showed a majority of the women
OF the State in favor OF such a measure.
Women did not want the responsibility
of the franchise, 1t was stated, and the
individuality of the governments adding
a large number of unframed voters at
the present time was emphasized
The extra expense of the enfranchis-
ing of women was also dwelt upon and
It was demonstrated that only a very
small percentage of women having the
right to vote upon school questions Gid
so. One of the speakers stated that the
enfranchisng of women meant the down
fall of democracy and the imperiling of
the best of our American womanhood.
THE SUFFRAGISTS' SIDE.
Dr. Sherwood confined hei remarks
strictly to the question at issue and
briefly traced it's history. She said that
women wanted the ballot not to get
something but to give their best to the
State and nation. She urged the egisla-
tors not to Use their grandfather's
spectacles in looking at the question, but
to view it from modern standpoint
Mrs A a. Parmelee. who conducted the
suffragist rebuttal, made lengthy speech
which was replete with witty remarks
and telling arguments covering the en-
tire suffrage question.