Mrs. Cheney, president, for the State School Suffrage
Association; by Dr. Salome Merritt and Miss Charlotte Lobdell for the
National W. S. A. of Massachusetts; by Willard Howland, Mrs. Gleason
and others for the W. C. T. U.; by Mrs. Trask Hill for the Independent
Women Voters; and by Mrs. Avery for the labor element; also by Miss
Catherine Spence of Australia, Mrs. Emily A. Fifield of the Boston
school board, and others. Henry H. Faxon added a few words.

A second hearing was given January 19, at which Mrs. Fessenden and
twelve other speakers represented the W. C. T. U. No remonstrants
appeared. At the request of a member of the Joint Special Committee a
third hearing was given on January 29. The Rev. Dr. Hamilton, Mrs. L.
A. Morrison, Mrs. Trask Hill and others spoke in favor of suffrage,
and Jeremiah J. Donovan against it. The committee made a majority
report against Municipal Suffrage and a minority report in favor.

On January 31 Arthur S. Kneil offered an amendment providing that the
question should be submitted to the men and women of the State, and
that the act should take effect only if a majority of the votes cast
on the proposition were in favor. Wm. H. Burges wanted it submitted to
the men only. A second amendment proposed to lay the whole matter on
the table till the opinion of the Supreme Court could be taken on the
constitutionality of Mr. Kneil's amendment. On February 1 there was a
spirited discussion but finally both amendments were defeated, and
the minority report in favor of the bill was substituted for the
adverse majority report by a vote of 104 yeas, 90 nays.

On February 2 Senator Arthur H. Wellman urged the adoption of his
order that the Justices of the Supreme Court should be required to
give their opinion to the House on three questions:

1. Is it constitutional, in an act granting to women the right to
vote in town and city elections, to provide that such act shall
take effect throughout the commonwealth upon its acceptance by a
majority of the voters of the commonwealth?

2. Is it constitutional to provide in such an act that it shall
take effect in a city or town upon its acceptance by a majority
of the voters of such city or town?

3. Is it constitutional to provide that such an act shall take
effect throughout the commonwealth upon its acceptance by a
majority of the voters of the commonwealth, including women
specially authoriz