Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-25


larry New England, while cotton In
dustries must be alive. II they are to
avoid being supplanted by southern
mills near the source of cotton supply.
POLITICAL JUSTICE FOR WOMEN
| While the women Of Vermont arc not
likely to share with their sisters Of other
States the responsibilities VI president
making in 1920 and other material evi.
dences Of the progress Of the movement
for the extension Of political justice to
women. we are all interested in what 10
being done in this direction In other
States as we'll as throughout the nation
as a whole.
First in Importance. Of course. 10 the
amendment to the constitution Of tho
United States providing for the extern
sion Of the suffrage to women Within
few days this amendment was ratified
by our neighboring State Of New Hamp-
shire and Minnesota, making q total Of
16 States to ratify. while two. Georgia
and Alabama have failed to ratify.
The States that have ratified and the
dates upon which they took action fol-
low Wisconsin, June 10; Michigan, June
10; Kansas, June Is; Ohio June 1s; New
York. June IS; Illinois, June II; Pennsyi-
vania, June "a; Massachusetts, June q;
Texas, June %; Iowa. July 2: Missouri,
July 3; Arkansas. July q: Montana, July
80; Nebraska. August 2; Minnesota. Sep
TENDER, 8; New Hampshire, September,
10.
| The States that the managers Of the
women suffrage campaign EXPECT to
ratify the amendment include our own
State of Vermont as we'll as Arizona,
California, Colorado. Connecticut, Della
ware, Idaho, Indiana Maine. Maryland.
Nevada. New Jersey. New Mexico. North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island.
South Dakota. Utah. Washington. West
Virginia. Wyoming.
OF these % States expected to ratify,
only three are scheduled for regular SEES
sions before 1921: Rhode Island. Mary
land and New Jersey. That will mean
special sessions for nineteen. OF the SIX
teen that have already ratified, Il have
held special sessions. nine Of them called
specifically for women suffrage ratifi-
cation.
this month, and Washington is expected
to do so some time soon. Members Of
the Republican party are working for
special sessions so that all the women
of the country may vote by 1920. Ono
of the latest campaigns is that started
in Oklahoma.
The National American Woman SUI.
frage association has issued a statement
with regard to the woman voters of 1920
and sent 1t broadcast into those States
that have not yet ratified the federal
suffrage amendment Among other
things it says:
Since the war began in 1914, the fol-
lowing countries have enfranchised
women: Great Britain, Canada. Den.
mark. Iceland. Holland Sweden. Hungary.
Poland, Russia, Austria, Czecko Slova,xia.
the German republic. Both France and
Italy have passed a suffrage bill through
one house.
I'm the United States, the States of
Nevada. Montana. New York, Oklahoma,
Michigan and South Dakota have gained
full suffrage since 1914. The following
States have, since 1914. given women tho
right to vote in the presidential cleo
tons: North Dakota. Nebraska. Ten
nessee. Rhode Island, Indiana, Iowa.
Maine, Minnesota. Missouri and Wis
consin -'
THE fifty-year struggle for an amed-
ment to the United States constitution
giving all women the same rights in tho
electorate that men enjoy finally passed
both houses Of Congress this year In
1919. Sixteen States have already rati-
fled this amendment within the past four
months. Enough more States have signi-
fled their willingness to ratify in special
sessions to make up the IS States. It IL
expected that all the women Of the United
States, qualified to vote. under their
State laws will therefore be enabled to
take part In the primaries of March 1920.
Whether the Federal Suffrage amend
ment is ratified or not. there are in the
States already granting women full or
presidential suffrage 15.492.75i women OF
voting age. Nothing any State can do
will be able to prevent these women. duly
qualified and registered under their sew
cral State laws. from taking their
share In selecting the next presi-
dent of the United States. These women
live in States which will choose So6 OF
the 53l presidential electors. They are
already prime factor In the elections
of 1920"