Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-22
MRS. Gait QUESTIONS
GOVERNOR CLEMENT
Makes Some Pertinent Queries Relative
to Refusal to Call Special Session

to Refusal to Cnll Special Session
New York. July 16.-That Percival W.
Clement, Governor OF Vermont. has not
told the whole truth in stating his reasons
for refusing to summon special session
Of the Vermont Legislature, is charged by
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait. president of
the National American Woman's Suffrage
in a letter which she has
sent for the organization to Governor
Clement. Mrs. Gait asks that. in order
that his position be not misunderstood.
the Governor reply to the series Of ques-
tons che propounds.
First Mrs. Gait asks II Governor
Clement Acknowledges that the federal
constitution. which was ratified by Yer
mont in 1871, supersedes all State con-
stitutions. or il he challenges that fact.
which has gone unchalenged for 13l
years. She inquiries why he professed to
fear an invasion of States right. why he
vetoed the presidential suffrage bill, why
he disregards the request of his State
party convention, the party's State COM
mittee and the Legislature, as we'll as
hundreds Of Vermont women and others
to call special session, and charges that
his action impugns the good faith of his
party. its leaders and presidential nom-
inee. The letter says in part;
1.-The Constitution as interpreted by the
Supreme Court, you say, leaves the peo-
Pile at the mercy OF any group OF men who
may lobby a proposal for changes of fed
eral Constitution through Congress and
the Legislatures OF the States and in
face Of this situation I am asked to call
the Legislature of Vermont into extra
ordinary session. etc.
"Just who or what has been the OBJ
jectionable lobby Of this proposed
change?
Your national party convention in
1916 Endorsed the principle of suffrage
as just and in 1920 called for compile
ton Of ratification in time for women
to vote for the next President Your
pArtys national committee in the in
term Of convention took action three
times. once asking the Congress to
submit the suffrage amendment once
favoring ratification and once calling
upon republican governors to call spe-
ciAl sessions in order that ratification
might proceed.
your State party convention asked
you to call a special session. Your
party's State committee asked you to
do the same thing. Your Legislature
has asked you to call special session
in order that 1t might have the oppor-
tunity to take action upon the amend
ment. Hundreds of Vermont women
recently visited you in one deputation
for the purpose Of asking you to call
a special session. The chairman Of the
National Republican Committee and
the chairman of your State Republi-
can Committee have asked you to call
a "a
President Of your party has asked you
to call a special session. This is a
very distinguished and notable group
70 be dismissed with the implica ton
that your people are at their mercy.
"Wc on the outside cannot believe
yci so ignorant Of the federal Constitu-
tion and its history as your proclamation
implies. We caurot believe that you SO
readily Insult the Legislature OF your
State and set aside the wishes Of so dis
tineuished a list Of your fellow partisians
without a far more controlling motive
than APPEARS in your proclamation
DO you not know that by your ac-
ton in the eyes of the world you i'm
pugn the good faith OF your party, that
party's national committee. its accredited
leaders. and iss presidential nominee on
the subject or ratification?
NopOOy can accept IL as TACT tnat OH
20 uis TO rest the real responsibility for
your refusal to call Vermonts Legislature
in Cpecial session.
To accept that as a fact Is to accredit
you with authority superior to that Of
your party leaders You cannot seriously
expect to be so accredited,
"You owe it to the Republican party and
to the world to explain your assumption
Of an authority that belongs to your par
~ leaders. BY what right do you make
this assumption? Governor Clement. tell
1t all"