The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-09
LONG DEBATE ON
BROKERAGE BILL.
But No Vote Was Taken on
1t or on Moore Bill for
Limited Suffrage
LATTER MEASURE
TO THIRD READING
Action to That Effect Took Place Res
terday After Tilt Between Spell
binders-Windham County Members
Mostly Favorable.
Especial to The Reformer.)


MONTPELIER, Vt, March Q.
This forenoon the house crowded WON |
an suffrage off the map, so to speak, by |
devoting its whole time to a discussion of
the customs brokerage bill. SO the vote
on the passage of the Moore bill was not
reached and the house adjourned at noon
without having reached vote on Gus
toms brokerage bill.
When the house opened this morning
Representative Stearns of Burlington de
Tended and explained the action of hi
committee on corporations in reporting
/ adversely Dan Steele's bill prohibiting
railroads to transact customs brokerage
business. Mr.. Steele, following, ably de
Tended his measure saying that the rail
roads under their charters had no righ-
to transact the business; that it wa
monopoly OF the purest type and ren
dered competition impossible
Representative Puffer of Richford, il
clear, effective speech recommends,
that the adverse report be accepted La
tleur OF Middlebury spoke for the bill
his speech being the last before adjourn
ment. The debate continued the greatel
part of the afternoon.
Senator Martin Villas introduced a bill
in the senate this morning giving womer
the right to vote in presidential eec
tlons. This IL sfnff+ar-so-the MetzgpT
bill which was defeated in the house a
few days ago by majority of three
votes. Its passage by the senate is as
sured and when it reaches the house vii
undoubtedly have more than an ever
chance Of passing
The Dunham marriage bill has beer
reported from the senate committee
which has it in charge with an amend
ment providing that If q marriage is to
be solemnized in a town in which neither
bridegroom nor bride resides no person
shall be authorized to perform it unit
five days after the certificate requiret
, has been presented to him. The repor
, was ordered to lie and made specia
) order for tomorrow forenoon.
The supporters of railroads and Dai
. Steele of Highgatc were not allowed
: yesterday to stage their fight on Steele ,.
: bill prohibiting the railroads from tran
sacting brokerage business The won
an suffrage issue absorbed the after
noon crowding all other Legislative
business - of the map.
Last week the Moore bill granting
women taxpayers the right to vote il
town meeting was made a special orde
for yesterday afternoon at 2.15 'clocl
, and the Steele bill was made specia
order for go. II was anticipated
that the suffrage bill would be disposed
! of without any show of oratory as tn
discussion of the Mctzger bill last
month ranged from \ to on the why
and wherefores of woman suffrage
But instead OF the action being more o
less perfunetorv, almost unheralded tn
e antis hurled bomb into the suffrag
camp and the most exciting scenes o
the session followed
The bomb was nothing else tha,
q the prompt suggestion of Walter Fen
ton. Rutland s representative, that tn
bill be amended by striking out al
: after the title and inserting new matte
giving the woman suffrage so far a
4 possible without constitutional amend
i ment, il a majority Of the women o
i voting age in the state voted for SUI
frage at a special election which tn
amendment called for. Mr. Fento
| pleaded for a prompt settlement of tn
suffrage issue without using up NOR
of the state s money in long debate
on the various bills. He declared tha
his amendment would make it possibl
to 'sugar off the whole matter wit
no further bother this session. 81
one woman has a right to vote a
\ women have that right and wealth is Il
l basis upon which to grant suffrage,
/ emphasized Mr.. Fenton and in clo
1 ing demanded that it was time to TAX
/ the bull by the horns and wal
! squared-toed up to the dish
/ The antis applauded time and agai
] during Mr. Fenton S speech but the
/ joy was short lived for the Rev. Erase
l Metzger, alluding to the mixed met
/ phor of the preceding speaker, opene
rapid fire return that brought rount
of applause from the suffrage people c
the floor and in the galleries. Wit
force and eloguence Mr.. Metzgcr r
! sented a statement by Mr.. Fenton th;
] the granting OF the ballot to woma
was dragging her down from a no
superior plane. ~ object to this ia
4 about degrading woman by allowir
her to cast ballot. If our politi
4 are so unwholesome, so debasin9, the
it is time to inject the influence
woman. No, Mr.. Speaker" continue
Mr.. Metzger, q will not allow SUI
a statement to pass unchallenged. -
Ernest Moore, father of the bill,
clared that the supporters of the mea