Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-02-06
yERmoN1,s POLITICAL JUSTICE

When fellow senator taxed the late
United States Senator Redfeld Proctor
with the fact that Vermonters were given
to trading horses with the people Of
neighboring States, the latter with a char
acteristic twinkle of the eye rejoned.
And they usually get their end of the
bargain too" Let it not be said the Green
Mountain boys of this generation are
not able to get bargain" with our
neighbors
Some of our good friends. who have just
been talking about holding on to YER
monts share in government through State
prerogatives, to prevent other States from
ruling over us, are in imminent danger
of overlooking entirely the danger of our
losing out in the struggle with other
States over comparative influence in the
councils of the nation in other ways.
We talked loud about southern slave
talked loud about southern slave
representation. We must not ignore the
largely increased representation based on
presidential vote gained by western States
and others as a result of their giving all
their women the right to vote for presi-
dental electors as we'll as enlarged suf-
frage in other ways. If the present Yer
mont Legislature let's other States get
in this direction. we shall be tremend-
ously surprised.
That is really the narrowest way to
look at the situation. however. II west
ern cowboy. or a Mexican greaser. or
metropolitan "highbrow" were to tell you
that your mother. your wife, your sister,
and your friends sister were all "derec-
tives," the spirit of Ethan Allen in you
would nerve you to desperate deeds.
Yet IL you say the women of Vermont
are not capable Of exercising the God
given right of self-rule. but are to re-
main in a class with detectives" then
do you not say in effect and in deed
what you want to strike a stranger for
saying merely by word Of mouth, even
though he might be ready to give them
political justice more promptly than are
you yourself?
There Is broader consideration still.
The constitution of the United States
says: "The right of citizens of the Uni
ted States to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States or any
State on account Of race. color or pre-
vious condition of servitude." That or
ganic law gives even negroes the right
We to continue to deprive one-half of the
white adult people of this country Of
the rights of citizenship. as below the
southern blacks? Why exclude sex"
from this section Of the constitution?
The constitution of the United States
goes even farther than we have indi-
Gated. 1t also says: IAN persons born
in the United States and subject to the
Jurisdiction thereof. are citizens of the
United States and Of the State wherein
they reside. No State shall make or en-
force any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of
the United States nor shall any State
deprive any person of life, liberty. or
property, without due process of law;
nor deny to any person within its jur-
isdiction the equal protection OF the law"
| Vermont to-day is violating the spirit
Of that national organic law. We are
denying to the daughters Of Vermont
'the equal protection Of the law" within
our own State. Your fathers and ours,
of the Revolutionary period. fought
against taxation without representation.
You are taxing women in Vermont to-
day. Have they representation? Have
they equal protection Of the law" Of
Vermont? Have their rights equal pro-
lection" with those of men, many of
whom are infinitely inferior in every way
and all of whom are inferior in some one
or more ways? You we'll know you can
never be as good as mother" is. or
was.
The fact that you did not see things in
this light before the Civil war or before
the war with Germany is no reason why
you should shut your eyes to the truth
I now. We now punish men and women
for things we formerly allowed them to
do without question and with impunity-
giving railway rebates to trusts in dis
elimination against you as a small ship
per; trying to sell you gold bricks" de-
frauding you through the malls; practis-
ing extortion through the sale OF coal
and other necessities; putting impurities
in your food, and, now In your drink,
individually or as a community; trying
to buy your vote and buying your neigh
boris vote. and so on without limit
The Vermont Senate has already shown
its loyalty to our own States interests
as we'll as to up-to date republicanisn
and to republican national declarations
by voting to let the women Of Vermont
vote for presidential electors. We do moi
believe any republican in the House viii
attempt In connection with action on THU
national question to-day to justify {
vote against this measure of politica
justice by appealing to national authori
ties. Even the republican national con
vent!on of 1916. while recognizing tn
/, | right Of the State To decide this matte