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

Montpelier Feb. 1.-TWO hearings which
occupied the big part of the Legislatures
/ time to-day took place this afternoon
| and evening One was before the Senate
committee suffrage and elections in the
! reception room and the other was before
the committee on public health in the
two houses. held in Representatives hall
at which the chiropractic bill was advo-
Gated by Dr. A. L. Henuer of Davenport.
Iowa, which is the fountain head of Chi
| ropractic The measure was opposed by
the committee and counsel of the State
Medical Board.
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION
There were plenty of champions on both
sides of the suffrage question brought
forth by S. 8. giving the right of vote for
presidential electors. Those who spoke in
favor of the bill were DIR. Grace Sherwood
of ST. Adams. Mrs. Fred Blanchard OF
Montpelier, Mrs. f.. II. Read of Burlng-
ton. Senator Steel of Hghgate. Senator
Villas of Burlington and Marshall j. Hap
good of Peru.
Those opposing the bill, We're Senator
Carr of St. Johnsbury. Walter S. Fenton
of Rutland. Mrs. Wayne Reed of Mont
pelier, Miss Margaret Emerson and Mrs.
H. c. Humphrey of Burlington, Mr.
ODowd of Brunswick and Mr.. Conant Of
Bradford.
SAFETY FIRST, SAYS SEN. CARR
Senator Carr who led off the, debate,
said that he did not think this safe
bill to be considered at this time, be-
cause the majority Of the women Of the
State are not ready for it. He main
| tanned that only a small number OF
women cared to vote, and those who do
care to. he declared, are of the class
who are looking for some sort of adven-
ture and excitement which the home cam
not give them. They want the vote for
political advantage, just as the men do"
said Senator Carr. land they would not
use it to any better purpose than the
men do
WOMEN VOTERS CROOKED @
The senator from Caledonia maintained
that the women already had shown that
they could be crooked in politics. He
said that many women had, when they
were given the right to vote in municipal
elections, declared grand list of merely
a dollar or two. on which the taxes would
not pay for the amount expended by the
State to collect them. merely for the sake
of voting The speaker characterized
this as crookedness on the part Of the
women.
Senator Carr also quoted at length from
the Constitution Of Vermont, with the
idea of showing that this bill was not in
accordance with the Constitution. and
|, therefore could not be passed.
: Mr.. Fenton, who followed, brought the
! idea that the consideration of this bill
cfa IF TINA
, the part of the legislators because its
} passage would make absolutely no diff
l ference in the number of presidential
electors which Vermont would be entitled
l to and it would not change the State
from its republican majority, so firmly
/ established these many years. Therefore
: the speaker maintained, there was abso.
lutely no call for the passage of this
I bill, except to satisfy few uneasy
feminine inhabitants of the State.
4; MIR. HAPGOOD REPLIES
a Mr. Hapgood of Peru championed the
bill in a speech marked with rhetorical
! emphasis and extreme gallantry TOWARD
, the members of the fair sex present
= DIR. SHERWOODS ARGUMENT
DR.. Grace Sherwood of ST. Adams car
ried away the honors in the argument
for the bill In introducing the subject
she said that she held in her hand Z
3 paper signed by 1900 women Of the Stat,
> of Vermont. who had thus expressed
Z their desire for the franchise, showing
that the women of Vermont really d.
. want to vote.
O In speaking of whether or not givinl
a to women this right Of voting for presi
q Dental electors would make any particu
lar difference in the vote from Vermont
2 Dr. Sherwood said that that was not tn,
: point which appealed to her. She salt
2 that II is simply case OF whether o.
v not Vermont wants to become a part o
: the great evolutionary movement through
d which the world is passing. or whethe
q the Green Mountain State wants to la,
n behind and fall into line when all tn
r other States have given women equa
l. suffrage with men.
g The speaker maintained that suffrag
It for women is simply another step in tn
evolution which has gradually brough
woman out of slavery to the presen
= nigh, position which she holds in tn
world
r BEGAN WITH THE MAYFLOWER
at began in this country with tn
% Mayfower," declared DR.. Sherwood, IAN
. has continued through CO. education, pro
70 fessional equality of women. etc.
=, 1T liz largely a question of education
u this giving the ballot to women" state
y the speaker, and the way to learn an
become efficient citizens is through re
sponsibiity,
.'Give the women civic responsible
~ and see II they do not become usefu
'r citizens" was the challenge offered b
IN Dr. Sherwood.
at In closing, she appealed to the legisla
Of tors to help Vermont women to keep u
It. with the world movement for equal SUI
D. frage. and not let it be said that onI
or the women of China and Japan wer
Of behind our own women in this grea
at movement. Because the women of a.
I'd other countries are receiving the ballo
IN these days,
We THE ANTS SIDE
% !. Mrs. Wayne Reed Of Montpelier an
: Miss Emerson brought up the matter O
The list OF 1900 names which. II ha
heen maintained. represented the wish O
=. the women Of Vermont TO obtain In
:" ballot. Both women declared that thes