1919. Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, its recording secretary, was sent by the National Association to assist the State Executive Board during the legislative session. A bill introduced by Senator Carr of Caledonia to repeal the Municipal suffrage act was promptly defeated. Effort was now concentrated on the Presidential suffrage bill, which was introduced January 14. The Senate passed it by a vote of 20 to 10 and sent it to the House, where it was first read on January 28 and referred to the Committee on Suffrage and Elections, which reported in favor. The bill was read the second time and several motions to defeat it were made by Representative Hopkins of Burlington but all were lost and the third reading was ordered by a vote of 129 ayes, 83 noes. At a hearing February 4 the following spoke in favor: Dr. Sherwood, Mrs. Fred Blanchard, Mrs. Joanna Croft Read, Senators Steele, Vilas and M. J. Hapgood; in opposition, Senators Carr and Felton, Miss Margaret Emerson, Mrs. Wayne Read, Mrs. H. C. Humphrey, David Conant, Representatives O'Dowd, Cudworth and Hopkins. On February 5 the bill passed by 120 ayes, 90 noes. Governor Percival W. Clement vetoed it in March on the ground of unconstitutionality, though eight Legislatures had passed a similar bill without question and Illinois women had voted under one in 1916.
The State suffrage convention was in session at Burlington and immediately on its adjournment March 12 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, the national president, and fifteen of the delegates went to Montpelier, where Mrs. Catt addressed the Legislature. The Senate reconsidered the bill and passed it over the veto. On March 17 the Speaker laid before the House an extended communication from Governor Clements giving in detail his reasons for failing to approve the bill. It was then read and Representative Tracy moved that it be made a special order for the following Thursday, which was agreed to by 104 ayes, 70 noes. At that time the question, "Will the House pass the bill notwithstanding the objections of the Governor?" was decided in the negative by 168 noes, 48 ayes. The next year the women were fully enfranchised by the Federal Amendment.
FOOTNOTES:
[185] The History is indebted for this chapter to Mrs. Annette W. Parmelee, State Superintendent of Press, State Secretary and State Historian for the Vermont Woman Suffrage Association.
[186] Among those who addressed the annual conventions during the years were the Reverends A. M. Smith, J. A. Dixon, F. E. Adams, Verdi Mack, J. Borden Estee, George B. Lamson, T. L. Massock, E. T. Matthison, E. M. H. Abbott, C. J. Staples, O. M. Owen, Eugene Haines, M. T. Merrill, Charles A. Pennoyer; Hon. James F. Hooker, Dr. M. V. B. Knox, Attorney E. B. Flynn, Colonel G. C. Childs, Professor Cox, Martin Vilas, Mr. Woolson and F. G. Fleetwood; Mesdames Canfield, Kidder, Flanders, Julia A. Pierce, C. J. Clark, M. V. B. Knox, Louisa M. Slocum, Inez Campbell, Mary E. Tucker, Laura Kezer, G. E. Davidson, M. S. Margum, E. B. Lund, Juliette Rublee, Amanda Seaver, Frances Rastall Wyman, Frances Hand, Elizabeth Van Patten, L. M. Benedict, O. C. Ashton, Edgar Moore, H. B. Shaw, Dr. Sue H. Howard; Misses Mary E. Purple, Grace Robinson, Margaret Allen, Fanny Fletcher, Emilia Houghton, Eliza Eaton, Carolyn Scott.
[187] This year Miss Lou J. C. Daniels, a liberal contributor to the suffrage association, her family the largest taxpayers in Grafton, where they had a summer home, was indignant to learn that the Representative of her district had voted against the suffrage bill in the Legislature. She sent a written protest and refusal to pay her taxes, whereupon an official served papers on her and several shares of stock in the Bellows Falls National Bank were attached and sold at auction. The bank declared it illegal and declined to honor the sale. The matter aroused discussion throughout the State and surrounding country. When the town elected a Representative who supported woman suffrage she considered the lesson sufficient and paid her taxes.
[188] Governor Clement retired from office Dec. 31, 1920, and was succeeded by Governor James Hartness. The Legislature met in regular session in January, 1921. The resolution to ratify the Federal Suffrage Amendment was read in the House for the third time on January 28 and passed by 202 ayes, 3 noes, French, Stowell and Peake of Bristol. On February 8 it passed the Senate unanimously.
[189] Presidents of the State association from 1900 to 1920 not already mentioned were Elizabeth Colley; C. D. Spencer; the Rev. A. M. Smith; Mrs. A. D. Chandler; the Hon. James Hutchinson; Mrs. Frances Rastall Wyman; Dr. Grace Sherwood. Secretaries: Miss Laura Moore (1883-1905); Mrs. Fatima Davidson; the Rev. Verdi Mack; the Rev. Mary T. Whitney; Mrs. Annette W. Parmelee; Mrs. Jeannette Pease; Mrs. Annie C. Taylor; Miss Emilia Houghton; Mrs. Amanda Seaver; Miss Marguerite Allen; Miss Ann Batchelder; Mrs. James A. Merrill.