Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-03-08
SELECTMEN WILL
ENGAGE ROAD MAN
No Opposition to That Plan at
Annual Town Meeting
Largest No-License Majority Ever Re-
corded in Brattleboro-About 100
Women Cast Their Votes.

Expected contests failed to develop in
the annual town meeting Tuesday, the
reason in one instance being that the
man who was to make a nomination did
not arrive until the issue had been dis.
posed of. This was in relation to the
Office Of lister. There We're two ayowed
candidates, John l.. Howard and c. B.
Crowell. Mr.. Towards name was pre-
sented by L. f.. Holden, and no other
candidate was put forward, although the
chairman gave ample opportunity. The
other expected contest which went by
the boards was in relation to road com
missioner. The duty of filling the Office
was left to the selectmen, who will re-
engage Commissioner Arthur A. Wallace,
whose work has been so satisfactory the
past year, If they can make satisfactory
terms with him. No candidate for this
Office was presented. The selectmen also
were delegated to look after the towns
poor. Selectmen A. w. j. wilkins was
returned to office for three years.
For the first time, women voted in town
meeting this year. Some so women vot
ers were present during the business ses-
sion, while many women and girls who
were not voters had seats in the gallery
Mrs. Fremont Hamilton was the only
woman to participate in the discussion,
which was over the election of one of the
members of the board of trustees of the
Brattleboro Free library, and the side
which she championed won out in the test
of strength. Moderator A. +. Schwenk
found himself saying Gentlemen" in ad-
dressing the voters, and he once apollo
| gized to the ladies and said he meant to
include them as we'll as the men. One
effect of the presence of the ladies was the
absence of smoking during the business
meeting. The tax rate for the coming
year is 46 cents, which is one cent higher
than the rate for the past two years. A
patriotic feature occupied nearly three
quarters of an hour, and it was time
proftably spent. Except for this the
meeting would have been over in almost
record time.
Although the vote on the license cues.
ton was smaller than last year the no
license majority was largely increased.
The vote on the question of whether in
toxicating liquors should be sold was as
follows: Total number of votes, IA
no, 674; yes, 100; majority against IL
cense, 574. This is the largest no IL
cense majority ever east in Brattleboro.
The vote on the question of issuing
fifth class licenses was as follows: To
tai, 700; no, CPS; yes, 75 majority
against fifth class licenses, $50.
A year ago the total vote cast was
DAB, of which 675 voted against license
and 26S in favor, tho no license majority
being 407. The no vote this year was
but one less than last year, while the
yes vote dropped of 1863
The result of the vote Tuesday was
announced about $50 clock. Less than
20 persons were in Festival hall when
Moderator a. f. Schwenk read the fig.
ures as compiled by the board of civil
authority.
The check list has not been gone over
to determine just how many women
voted, but Town Clerk Carl S. Hopkins
estimates that of the 400 or more names
of women on the list approximately lOO
cast their ballots on the liquor question
Following the formalities of the call
ing of the meeting to order by Mod
: orator A. +, Sehwcnk and the reading
of the warrant by Town Clerk Carl =
Hopkins, the moderator announced that
Miss Ethel A. Millington and Mrs. c
l.. Stickhcy had been appointed as bal
! lot clerks to give out the printed ballots
on the license question lie announced
also that the ballot boxes for voting or
! articles | and ., to see whether licenses
should be granted for the sale OF liquol