suffrage association and other societies had a hearing in behalf
of bills to raise the "age of protection" and to provide adequate
penalties for seduction, but no action was taken.

_1887_--On January 6 Governor Oliver Ames, in his inaugural address to
the Legislature, said, "I earnestly recommend, as a measure of simple
justice, the enactment of a law securing Municipal Suffrage to women."
The suffrage petitions this year had 5,741 signatures, the remonstrant
petitions 81. On February 2 it was ordered in the House, on motion of
Josiah Quincy, that the Committee on Woman Suffrage consider the
expediency of submitting the question of Municipal Suffrage to the
women of the different cities and towns, the right to be given to them
in any city or town where the majority of those who voted on the
question should vote in favor; or where a number of women should
petition for it equal to a majority of the number of men who voted at
the last annual municipal or town election; or where a majority vote
of the men should be given for it at the annual election.

On motion of Mr. Quincy an order for legislation to equalize the
interest of husbands and wives in each other's property had been
previously introduced but was lost.

On February 9 a hearing was given to the petitioners. The speakers
were the same as the previous year with the addition of Col. T. W.
Higginson. Mr. Blackwell presented two letters in favor of the bill,
one addressed to Republicans, one to Democrats.[316] Clement K. Fay
spoke for the remonstrants.

The committee reported in favor of Municipal Suffrage, two dissenting.
It was discussed in the House March 3 and 10. Mr. Bailey of Everett
offered an amendment that the provisions of the bill be tried for ten
years, but it was not put to a vote. The bill was lost by 86 yeas, 122
nays, including pairs.

A bill to let women vote on the license question passed the House by
116 yeas to 88 nays, including pairs, but was defeated in the Senate,
24 yeas, 13 nays.

The bill was passed providing for police matrons in all cities of
30,000 or more inhabitants.

_1888_--The Legislature was asked for Municipal and Presidential
Suffrage and for the submission of a constitutional amendment; also
for various improvements in the laws relating to women. The Woman's
Christian Temperance Union petitioned for License Suffrage. Several
thousand women signed the petition and one hundred the remonstrance.
On January 25 a hearing w