g 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 E.
Partridge, chairman of the Commission to Propose Amendments to the
State Constitution, which can only be done once in ten years, asking
that suffrage for women be among the proposals considered. The letter
was read May 28, 1910, before the commission--Frank L. Greene, A. M.
Fletcher, W. N. Cady and M. G. Leary, but received no attention.

1910. The legislative chairman was assisted by Chaplain A. W. Ford. In
the official record suffrage was spelled "sufferage." The Municipal
suffrage bill was introduced in the House and the suffragists asked
for a hearing but the date was changed three times and the final one
left no time for summoning speakers. At the request of Judge H. S.
Peck the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole and the
Senate came in. The Northfield Cadets, the Burlington High School and
several hundred visitors attended the hearing and gave close attention
to Mrs. Parmelee for an hour. A large number of members spoke for and
against the bill. An anti-suffrage newspaper in referring to it said:
"Its killing will make a Roman holiday for ladies' week." It was
refused a third reading by 113 to 111. A bill permitting women to vote
on the liquor question aroused the stormiest debate of the session and
the Speaker split his desk trying to preserve order. It was definitely
settled that the Legislature would pass no woman suffrage bills.

1912. The legislative committee was Mrs. Frances Rastall, Miss Fanny
B. Fletcher, Mrs. J. B. Estee and Mrs. Parmelee and the bill was to
add the words "and female" in the statutes. On October 24 at a hearing
held in Representatives Hall, which was filled to overflowing, the
following made addresses in favor: Miss Anne Rhodes of New York; Mrs.
Agnes M. Jenks of New Hampshire; Miss Mabel Foster of Washington, D.
C.; Mrs. Rastall, Mrs. Charles Van Patten, Mrs. Parmelee, Senators
Darling, Jose, and the Rev. Clifford Smith, superintendent of the
State Anti-Saloon League. Those speaking in opposition were: Mrs. E.
D. Brooks Brown, who presented an "anti" petition; Miss Minnie
Bronson, secretary of the National Anti-Suffrage Association; Mrs. M.
H. Buckham, Mrs. George W. Wales, Miss Lillian Peck, Mrs. T.