The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-29
THE @ NJ OF ENGLAND.
Condition and Relative Status of Women
in Public and Social Affairs.
The Cause of Woman Suffrage-Woman's
Work in Social Reforms-Woman's Invent
i've Genius-Women and immortality
Correspondence of The Indianapolis Journal.

LONDON. Nov. 20.-One of the question:
which will come prominently before the coun
try during the pending general election
Will De the claim of women to vote for mem
bers of Parliament. Nothing better illus
trates the social progress of women in these
days than the serious advancement of this
claim by prominent leaders of political thought
A few years ago the idea of the enfranchisemen
CT women was treated as a popular jest. Punch
made fun of it and old fashioned politicians
found it an easy subject of humor. In the mean
time the advocates of woman's suffrage procured
their admission into minor institutions. They
were permitted to vote at municipal elections and
to sit on school boards. This change in the body
polite not having brought the world to an end,
many distinguished statesmen have condecended
to admit the right of women to vote for members
of Parliament into the arena of controversy. The
late Lord Beaconsfeld was in favor of the extern
sion OF the franchise to women; but Mr. Glad
stone refused point-blank to acknowledge even
the principle of female suffrage in his last re-
form bill. He was invited to relent by a very
powerful deputation. Probably be was right to
confine his work on that occasion to the agricult-
ural laborer, but having now raised that hum
BILE citizen to the dignity of the franchise, wom-
en- OF property can hardly be much longer ex-
GUIDED. The advocates of woman's suffrage only
claim the right of ~spinsters and widows, with
household or property qualifications, to enjoy
the same electoral privileges as their servants,
the peasant and the workingman. They have a
a tremendous organization, which they mean to
bring to bear upon the candidates for the next
Parliament, and they look forward with every
reasonable hope of an early success.
II.
In the presence of many social questions in
which women are interested, it is worth while to
look around and take note Of the position, the
work, hopes and ambitions of those women who
are at the present moment prominent in public
papers, or who are exercising any special infu-
ence upon these interesting and changing times.
1t is a matter for deep regret among men that
the emotional business of the Pail Mall Gazette
and the Salvation Army has been so much taken
up by women. 1t is now demonstrated by the
investigation of a court of justice and the YER
dict of a jury that the So called revelation In
1.-THE Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon" were
more or less a tissue of lies poured into Mr..
Stead's unsophisticated and bigoted ear by the
wretched procuress, Mrs. Jarrett, and sundry
brothel keepers with whom Mr.. Stead had cham
pagned and smoked for the first time in his life.
The investigation, nevertheless, emphasized in
the public mind the fact that girls under a GER
tain age were not sufficiently protected by the
law. Mr.. Stead commenced his revelations"
on the eve of the criminal law amend
ment act passing to remedy this evil, and
thousands of good people learned for the
first time th AT the la w OraViouc1v endowed voI1pC
girls with the full authority of their persons at
an age when they could not possibly understand
that responsibility. The i~utrigues of the Saliva
ton Army and the wild emotional inventions
and declarations of the Pail Mall Gazette I'M
fortunately brought into the agitation many
good women WHO have formed themselves into
committees of purity" which are likely to do
serious social mischief. Christian young mems
societies, for example, throughout the length and
breadth of the land. are discussing the unsavory
question and kindred subjects in mixed audi
ences of young men and young women, ard lect-
ures are being delivered by young women them
selves to mixed audiences. All this is very sad
and cannot tail to lead to disastrous results; but
the rec IGNITION of womans rie hts to equality
with men on the platform, in the lecture-room
and at the polling booth. is really of such recent
date in this country that allowance must be
made for license of this kind. Women have for
so many years had their way in these matters in
the United States that they have had time to ac-
cept their natural position without what must
be put down in England to the first exuberance
of freedom.
Apart from the wretched business of the Pail
Mall Gazette, and the action of women in re-
spect of certain legislation for the publication Of
health as well as morals, English women are
creditably and honorably in the foremost ranks
OF progress and reform. Among the ~'institu-
tions" of England which always shocks American
visitors of anything like moral tone is the bar
maid. There Is no occupation more calculated
to degrade a young girl in her own estimation
than that of bar-tending. There are thousands
of men who waste the greater part OF their lives
in Longing about whisky bars. They indulge
in conversation which is often unfit for the ears
of men, much less of women, and the more they
drink the more attention they expect from the
lady of the bar. Lady Brabazon, Miss Cough
and several other ladies of position have recently
formed a society in the interest of London bar
maids. The chief complaint of the girls them
~selvesis in respect of their hours of labor. Many
| of them are employed from 8 In the morning to
II at midnight, with not more than an hour and
a half for meals and rest. Miss Cough is direct
ing her efforts to place the work and the hours of
labor on a practical footing, and to make ar
engagements for social, moral and religious help.
She has upon her books the names of five hun
dred young women, and she has thirty-six ladies
in association with her, who write letters to the
bar-maids and visit them. On Sunday after.
Moons meetings are held for such as are able to
attend. Lady Brabazon has a Sunday afternoon
Blble-class In her drawing room, where she regu
larly receives at tea fifty or sixty visitors from
the various London bars. The other evening
Lord and Lady Brabazon gave a concert, at their
beautiful residence at Lancaster Gate, to the
members of the restaurant branch of the bar
maid business. Girls engaged at restaurants
and cafes have much lighter hours than those
who are occupied at drinking bars and railway
depots, and they are enabled to indulge in some
kind of recreation at night. Should the suffrage
ever be obtained by women. an effort will be
made to regulate this branch of female EN-
ployment by act of Parliament; but the great
est blessing that could he conferred upon the
sex would be to exclude it from the demoraliz-
ing occupation of bar-tending.
Nv.
Throughout the provinces ladies of social dis
~tinction are engaging in movements for the
amelioration of the condition of working girls
in all kinds OF occupations, helping them in their
studies and amusements. and cooperating with
| them for the better recognition of their work and