Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/680

 664 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE sent by the National Association to assist the State Executive Board during the legislative session. A bill introduced by Sena- tor Carr of Caledonia to repeal the Municipal suffrage act was' promptly defeated. Effort was now concentrated on the Presi- dential 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 Com- mittee 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 oppo- sition, Senators Carr and Felton, Miss Margaret Emerson, Mrs. Wayne Read, Mrs. H. C. Humphrey, David Conant, Repre- sentatives 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 ques- tion 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 Chap- man Catt, the national president, and fifteen of the delegates went to Montpelier, where Mrs. Catt addressed the Legislature. The Senate ^considered the bill and passed it over the veto. On March 17 the Speaker laid before the House an extended com- munication from Governor Clements giving in detail his reasons for failing to approve the bill. It was then read and Repre- sentative 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 not- withstanding 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,