The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-21
IMETzGER BILL
FAILS TO PASS
House Debates Measure Civ
! ing Women Right to Vote
for President
MAJORITY AGAINST
FAVORABLE ACTION
Minority Report Ably Defended by
Frazer Metzge ger-.5enate Passes Ami
don Agricultural Bill In Spite of
Strong Opposition.
Especial to The Reformer.)
MONTPELIER, Feb. 81

Especial to The Ref0rmer.1
MONTPELIER, Feb. 81.
Practically the entire forenoon in
the house was given over to the dis
cussion of the Metzger bill allowing
women the right to vote in presi,
Dental elections. The committee on
suffrage and election presented a di-
vided report. The majority reported
that the bill ought to be rejected and
the minority asked that the bin be
passed.
This was signal for debate and
Rev. Frazer Metzger in his usual able
and eloquent style rushed to the de-
fense of his measure, stating that he
was pre- JUDGED against women voting
and sentiment also lead him to oppose
! the vote for women. but he had come
to place where he could put prejudice
and sentiment aside and give women
the responsibility of suffrage in order
that they might contribute to the state
their best which he believed it was
their duty to do.
John B. Candon was the first man to
oppose the measure. Joseph Stearns of
Burlington said it reminded him of
the story of the dog in the manger;
that those women who were opposed to
suffrage were determined that Others
could not have it merely because they
did not want it. Mr. LaFleur of Mid
dlebury asked the committee to pre-
sent their reasons for the majority re
port recommending the rejection of tht
bill and B. NJ. Phelps of Fairhaven
chairman of the committee, stated tha
il had had careful consideration on th'
part of the committee.
George Bond of Searsburg urged tn
passage of the bill. Fred Rowland o
Barre City spoke in favor of the bill
Walter Fenton of Rutland strongly op
posed accepting the minority repor
and Ernest Moore, the acknowledge
floor leader of the house in supportin
the Metzger bill, ably refuted man
/. of the arguments presented by the OF
| position and produced resolution sen
/ to Vermont by the legislature of Idah
!, asking that women be granted tn
right to vote. At this time the hous
I adjourned for the noon recess.
The house this afternoon rejected b
G three votes the Metzger bill grantin
L women the right to vote in the pres
Dental election. The vote was la {
e Ill. Representatives from Windham vo
y ing for the bill were Dunham of Bra
tleboro, Tenney of Dummerston, Merr
n field of Grafton, Aiken of Putney, O
\ good of Rockingham, Pike of Strattol
% Allbee of Townshend, Allen of Vernon
. johnson of Wardsboro and Chapman {
~ Windham; Legate of Guilford was a
= sent. All other Windham county repr
"a sentatives voted against the bill.
The house this morning passed Il
Waite bill, imposing on, the state col
,, missioner of taxes the duties now b
longing to license commissioners
?. posting those persons to whom into1
- eating liquors cannot be sold. 1t
maintained that this step will save t
81. state several thousands of dollars.
m. In the senate, the Amidon agricl
90 tural bill which was debated vest,
as. day afternoon passed. The senate al
voted to elect chaplin to succeed t
,;s late Rev NJ. W. Farman on Frid
ro morning of this week.
i, The venerable senate yesterday a
"a ernoon attracted generous attention
~ cause of its discussion of the Amid
80 agricultural bill consolidating the ag
cultural interests under a single he:
oe the commissioner of agriculture.
a was anticipated that this administ
au tion measure which has already pass
the house would be the cause of wa
debate in the senate.
The opposition s first move was
amend the bill by comforting upon
commissioner of agriculture all
'hs rights, powers and duties belonging
the state fish and game commission
~ thus abolishing the latter office. Ri
5 er of st. Johnsbury had no sooner
,nu = fered the above amendment than p
i-u of Burlington determined to get i
10 Ian the amending game and SO, despite
nc fact that all understood that the q
ieu missioner under the new arrangem
We would devote all his time and attent
Tor to the agricultural department, mo
lan that a clause be inserted to that eff
<. Senator Fairehild of Franklin cou
rose to the occasion, rejecting the c
Der of the amendment by proposing
NJ. amend the amendment by adding: 81
the governor shall be the time kee
to for the commissioner. This was s
cient to let the senator from Chit
den county or anyone understand
Ohm the new commissioner of agricult
day will have a real man s job in the o.
OF ion of some senator's.
an The vote was only reached a
eral bursts of impassioned eloquence
nth been hurled in vain by the oppon'
ade of the measure against the bulwark'
uH- - -, :,