Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-03-11
SUFFRAG|STS MEET
GOVERNOR CLEMENT
Chief Executive of State Lis.
tens Attentively to Argu.
ments for Special Session of
Legislature and Says He is Not
Personally Opposed

A little group of Burlington women
assembled hastily Monday morning in
the lobby of the Hotel Vermont, where
the National Woman's Party has opened
headquarters. in order to seize the OPP
portunity to interview Governor Clement
with regard to the calling of a special
session of the Vermont Legislature to
ratify the federal suffrage amendment
Miss Elsie Hi and Miss Catherine
Flanagan, who are In charge of the YER
mont headquarters of the Woman's Party,
discovered the Governors presence in the
hotel and within twenty minutes a COM
mittee of Burlington suffragists had sent
a card to the Governor asking for an
interview, which took place Immediately
In the parlors, with reporters present.
Immediately after the interview Gov
ernor Clement told the press representa-
tives that the women had put up a strong
proposition.
Miss Mary Hagar spoke briefly, repre-
senting Burlington women, insisting that
Vermont women were eager to participate
in the decision of the coming presi-
dental election, and urging the Governor
to reconsider his stand in order that
New England women, as we'll as Western
and Middle Western women may vote in
this election.
Mrs. Lillian II. Olzendam of Woodstock
spoke for the mothers Of the State, max
ing the point that the State motto Free
dom and Unity would not be realized
until the women as we'll as the men of
the State were politically free and pro-
tected by the United States Constitution
In their citizenship.
Miss Elsie Hill took up the constitu-
tional point raised by the Governor in
his reply to the republican State com
mittee pointing out that his statement
applied only to changes in the Vermont
Constitution by the Vermont Legislature
vermont agreed when 1t became a
State" said Miss Hill, ito the method of
Constitutional amendment through which
American women are now seeking to Sc
cure national enfranchisement. The Yer
mont Legislature cannot alter its State
Constitution, but, acting comparatively
with the Legislatures of IS other States, it
can amend the Federal Constitution. and
in this case guarantee political freedom
to American women"
The Governor listened very attentively
to the case as presented by the suf.
fragists, and declared in reply that he
was not. as frequently reported, per-
sonally opposed to woman suffrage. He
recognized, he said, the great advances
legal and political, made in the position
Of women, but that he felt that the Con-
stitution should not be changed except
by a referendum to the voters.
There was instant protest from the
delegation at this point, but there is nc
machinery existing for that purpose ms
yet" answered Miss Hill. and it is
obviously unfair for men who made the
Constitution and have lived under it until
now without such referendum machinery
to ask American to walt for their
political freedom until Congress initiates
and the Legislatures of thirty-six States
ratify an amendment to article five
which prescribes the method Of amend.
Ing the Federal Constitution
The suffragists urged the Governor no,
to commit himself in any reply to them
at this time but to take the matter under
serious reconsideration. Members of the
delegation agreed that the Governor was
attentive and responsive to their appea'
that he should take the whole matte,
under reconsideration.
Mrs. William Z. Hagar, Mrs. William
j. Henderson. Mrs. David Manson, Miss
Mary Hagar Of Burlington. Mrs. Lillian
n. Olzendam of Woodstock and Miss
Catherine NJ. Flanagan and Miss Elsie
Hill of Connecticut made up the delega.
ton.