Milford chronicle., 1920-07-09
VERMONT TO JOIN
IN SUFFRAGE RACE
Governor to PaI Extra Session
10 Beat Out Tennessee.
HARDING URGES ACTION
New England State win Act at an
Early oate-Tennessee Legislature
to Meet August 9.

WashingtOn.-A race between tba
Democratic and Republican mr.
ties for the honor of anfran
chising the women of the nation in
time for their participation I'm the
November elections appeared nrob-
able. P'OO-
The two parties, the Indications
were, would work through leglsIotnres
in which each has majority Tho
Democrats through the Tennessee
legislature and the Republicans
through the Vermont lawmakinp hodv
Governor Roberts. of Tennessee In
response to an appeal from President
Wilson, announced several days ago
that he would call the legislature Of
ms state In special session to act on
the federal suffrage amendment.
Governor Clement, of Vermont
after a conference here with Senator
Harding, intimated he would call the
Vermont legislature, known to be IA
vorable toward the suffrage amend
ment in session to act on a ratifica.
tion resolution.
The Tennessee legislature will be
called to meet August 9. Governor
Roberts Informed the National Wo-
mans party.
Governor Clement did not state
definitely when the Vermont legisla-
ture would be called, but the impres-
sion prevailed among those Informed
as to his conference with Senator
Harding that the session would he
convened at an early date The Yer
mont governor, in a formal statement
issued after his conference with Mr.
Harding, in fact did not openly state
that he contemplated calling an extra
session, but declared that despite his
reluctance to permit a change in the
fundamental laws without delibera-
tion there was a preponderance of
Republican advice in favor of a spe-
cial session."
Senator Harding, in a statement is
sued simultaneously with that of Gov
erhor Clement, said the Vermont gov
.ernOr understands I was not tres
passing on his authority"
II have been calling on Senator
Harding" said Governor Clement at
the conclusion of the conference "and
we discussed the state of the Union
agreeably, you can be sure, and we
discussed the suffrage ratification Of
Vermont. Our state Republican COM
mittee convention asked me to call
the extra session. Chairman Hays
has urged it on behalf of the national
committee, and many requests have
come to me from delegations of the
national convention.
Naturally, l wanted Senator Hard |
ing's views and he suggested an early |
call My reluctance is due to a feel
ing that Vermont prefers to change
the fundamental laws very deliberate
ly. We can only change our state
constitution by direct appeal to the
people and favorable action by the
Legislature. We are reluctant, there
fore, to ratify by a legislature which
was elected at a time when suffrage
was not an ISSUE"
Senator Harding's statement re-
garding the conference was noncom.
initial as TO Governor Clements fu
ture action. Senator Harding said:
at gave me an opportunity to say
to Governor Clement that I was deep
~ interested in the final disposition
of the question of ratification said
Senator Harding. "and 1 told the gov
ernor frankly that If my advice were
wanted, would be glad to see Yer
mont Republicans close up the great
franchise reform. The women
throughout the nation are deeply in
terested In the national campaign and
the ratification must be closed soon II
they are universally to participate in
the federal election. I would be graf
fled. of course, to have Republican
Vermont close the gap, but Governor
Clements understands / was not tres
on his authority in giving him
Snch an nninion in the course OF our