The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-06-13
SUFFRAGE CLUB TEA
Was Given on Lawn of Woman's
Club House Yesterday With Ad-
dresses by Noted Speakers


A very pretty and successful tea
was given yesterday by the st. Johns
bury Equal Suffrage Club on the
lawn of the Woman's Club House.
Mrs. Lillian Olzendam and Miss
Ann Batchelder of Woodstock were
guests and spoke to the members of
the club and guests. Mrs. Olzendam
gave a short history of suffrage in
this state, spoke on the work accom-
plished at the National Convention in
st. Louis to which she was dele
gate.
| She spoke of the situation in Yer
mont in regard to the Presidential
bill that was passed by the last Leg
islature and that was later vetoed by
the governor on the grounds that the
bill was unconstitutional. The facts
of the case are these: that the Gov
ernor in vetoing that measure over
stepped his right to exercise the pow
! Ell of veto, in that the Presidential bill
is amateur strictly and exclusively be-
tween the Federal Constitution and
f. the Legislatures of the several states,
the Federal Constitution empowering
the Legislatures to determine in what
manner and by whom the residential
electors shall be elected, and the
speaker quoted the United States con-
stitution to say This Constitution
shall be the supreme law of the land:
and judges in every state shall be
bound thereby, anything in the Con-
stitution or laws of that state to the
contrary Notwithstanding"
! She assured the audience that the
bill stood, just as it was passed, the
fact that the legislature failed to pass
! the bill over the Governors veto not
affecting the status of the measure,
and that in the courts of the United
States the contention of the Yer
mont Suhfragists would be tried ou'
and that we should show that Gov
ernor Clement had no right to veto
this bill, the power of veto possessed
by him applying only to ordinary bills
/ in the legislature and not to bill
that concerned the Federal Constitu-
ton. Much misunderstanding among
Suffragists and others came up in re-
gard to this bill, but when Mrs. Gait
was in Vermont in March, she went
before the Legislature and explained
the case as it stands, telling them of
the illegality of the veto and giving
due notice of the fact that the case
would be taken into the courts and
contested until a favorable decision
was reached. The National American
Suffrage Association has consulted
the most eminent Constitution law
yers and the records of court deci-
sions where such a matter has come
up, and even the records of the YER
mont Supreme Court show a deci-
sion BEARING on this case in a matter
of the soldier vote for President in
1864, and there has never been an adj
verse decision on this premise, that
the right to vote for Presidential cleo
tors may be conferred by the Legis
lature of any state, and that in this
matter the governor of the state has
no power of veto, neither is it nee
'essary for him TO affiX his signature
to the bill in order for it to become
law.
Miss Batchelder spoke in a humor-
Gus manner, as always, but gave a
pithy suffrage talk.
Tea was served and a social hour
was enjoyed at the conclusion of the
talks. About sixty members and
friends were present.