Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/677

VERMONT 66 1 1904. The Municipal Suffrage bill was reported favorably to the House by C. C. Fitts, chairman of the committee, but was refused third reading by 99 to 97. On November 17 it was introduced in the Senate, reported favorably by committee chair- man J. Emery Buxton and passed without debate with three opposing votes. When on December 6 it came again before the House for reconsideration it was ordered to a third reading by 112 to 104 but the next day was defeated by 124 to 100. 1906. A bill to substitute the word "person" for "male" in the statutes came before the House October 24, was ordered to third reading by 149 to 24 and passed the following day by 130 to 25. This majority aroused the Massachusetts Society Opposed to the Further Extension of Suffrage to Women and an officer, Mrs. A. J. George of Brookline, was sent to try to de- feat the bill. She was coolly received and found it so impossible to convince the members that she was not an emissary of the liquor interests that she failed to obtain even a hearing before the committee. Her coming stirred the suffrage forces and a telegram was sent to the Woman's Journal of Boston asking for help and Miss Alice Stone Blackwell, the editor, and Mrs. Maud Wood Park responded. A public hearing was granted by the Senate committee and people from all over the State were pres- ent. Nine legislators and members of the association spoke for the bill. Not one opponent appeared. In the Senate it failed by three votes, many who were pledged to it deserting. 1908. Legislative committee chairman 1908-1910, Mrs. An- nette W. Parmelee, spoke at the hearing on the Municipal suf- I>i11, which was defeated in the Senate by 16 to 1 1. During the final debate Mrs. Parmelee wrote down the disgusting remarks made by some of the opponents and their consternation was great when these were published. This bill for years was termed the "football." 1909. The legislative chairman sent an official letter to Frank chairman of the Commission to Propose Amend- ments to the State Constitution, which can only be done once M^ that ^ulTrage for women be among the pro- posals considered 'I he letter was read May 28, 1910, before