The Vermont Tribune, Ludlow, Friday, November 23, 1888 Woman Suffrage 11/23/1888 The Vermont legislature had a great debate on municipal suffrage for women, last week. Some of the members rose and informed the house that they had promised their wives to vote against the bill, and thus, added to the strong arguments of Messrs. ELDREDGE, FIRMAN and BOYDEN greatly thinned the ranks of its supporters. Henry BALLARD of Burlington endeavored to push the bill through, but he was powerless against the farmers' vote. Mr. PROUTY of Newport, one of the keenest speakers in the house, kept his seat during the discussion, but at its close rose, and in a half dozen sentences did more to kill the bill than any one else. Mr. ELDREDGE had, in the course of his speech, inquired how the members would like to have their wives elected listers and travel about among the barn-yards taking account of the live stock, while they remained at home to feed soothing syrup to the baby and tend a slow fire to keep the bread from burning. Mr. PROUTY stated that he had given this weighty question his most careful and candid consideration, and would endeavor to answer it. "As for myself," he said, "it would make all the difference in the world who the hired girl was." This totally upset the gravity of the assembly, and the speaker was obliged to rap a lively tat-too with his gavel to restore the legislative body to its equilibrium. After this sally the bill received only 37 votes. Transcribed by Ruth Barton -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT