The herald., 1894-11-12
The Three Great British Women;
Political Organizations.
To Women Is Assigned the Task OF
Keeping TrSck of Voters in on
Years-Thsy Are Organized
and Work by System.

| OF home rule. The Primrose DANES frat
entered the field. The Liberal Fedora
tion, the organization OF the Glsds,on.
iaDs, followed. This was counter
checked by the Liberal Unioniet iedera-
ton. The alliance of these leagues with
the parties which called them into ex-
istence is not one of sentiment. There
is inevitably much pretty talk about
altars and fires which is pertinent to
such a con troversy. But there ia no
echo of this in the more strenuous press
| of affsirs. The members of these
leagues are active political workers, an d
according to programme which, in
perfection Of detail, is not surpassed by
the machinery of Tammany hall.
The work OF the women on the plat.
form during the elections, the hustliDg
of Mrs. Stanley, and the achievement
of the wife OF the government whip
singing her husband into parliament,
are things which the telegraph made
known in this country. and they ap-
peared to be rather in the nature of rare
! and entertaining incidents, such as the
incursions OF j. Ellen Foster, the COM
bative Helen Cougar, and the impas-
stoned Mary Lease. On the contrary,
the political work in the hands of women
in England is of the quiet, unremittent
sort, and they pursue it as steadily and
| in a much more matter of fact manner
than women here do their charities.
| The Office OF political secretary ia as
well understood and as clearly defined
in England as that of district leader is in
this city, with the possible disadvantage
of having stated salary. This lady was
ht in hQ ba dol Tor
of rector. Familiar as people are in
this country with the spirit of adven-
ture that inspires women to throw
themselves and their fortunes into the
life of the town, there is nothing here
that parallels the advent of this demure
little woman into active political life in
London. This lady's political district
was in Chelsea, and one of the toughest
parts OF London. As she described her
work, she ia at the head of a committee
OF women OF her district which cooper
ates with the Liberal Unionist commit
tee of that district. The district is
divided up among the women of the
committee, who make house. to- house
canvass. Once a month, or sometimes
more frequently, they have public rail-
lies at different halls. At these there is
usually some well.known speaker from
outside the district, but the discussion
ia maintained by the voters themselves.
The rallies are unimportsnt compared
to the persistent work that the English
political system entails. American cleo
tions being held at stated times, the
political work is compressed into COM
paratively few weeks. In England, so
far as elections for members OF parlia-
ment are concerned, you know neither
the day nor the hour in which general
election may be precipitatad. 1t ia for
! this reason that the effort to educate
public opinion to get purchase on the
individul voter in view OF the questions
now pending is never relaxed. For such
work men have not the time, and they
have called in and eagerly accepted the
services of women.
The method employed is . clearly out
lined system, and entails a tremendous
amount of labor. In q series of large,
fat books, ruled with reference to this
particular work, every voter in the dis.
trict is enrolled. On one line are set
down his residence, his occupation,
whether married or single, and his
politics, and space is left for an account
of the condition of his political mind.
In such district as Chelsea the popu-
lstion is largely composed of dodgers,
who change frequently their abode. To
follow them up and keep them under
political watch and ward is what these
faithful and hard working women do,
and do in view of political situation
intended to come about every seven
year3, but which may take place at any
time. This of itself involves an enor-
nous amount of work. In looking over
the Chelsea book the address of one
lodger was discovered to have changed
Is timee.
When the voter is kept we'll under the
eye his case is like to require individual
treatment. Ii man is married several
visits may be paid to his wife before the
subject is broached. In this way the
political visitant studies her ground
and plans her campaign. which is duly
entered in her book. The women are
frequently desirable allies. 1t is an in
teresting corollary out of the expert.
ence of this lady that the tendency of
women TO gossip in her particular dis.
trict is one of the chief difficulties in her
way. At any hour OF the day the women
are found in the doorways having
chat. Their work is neglected, their
houses illskept and the worn out man
goes off to public house for bis meals,
when he becomes practically inaccessi.
BILE to the political visitor. Accordingly
with this political work there have gone
by necessity good deal OF judicious ad-
kvice, domestic stimulus and pertinent,
and such as one woman can give an
other, tending to foster kindly sympa-
thies and making for conditions OF
sweetness and light. This has been not
one OF the least valuable results of the
effort to choose and capture the elusive
voters, but it is one that was not in the
least anticipated in laying out the plan
OF work.
Each league has it's own literature,
tracts, leaflets and other publications.
With these the political visitor is we'll
supplied When the visitor is illterate
her tongue il ready to take the place of
literature. Unquestionabiy if brief
but careful investigation OF political life
among the women of London is an indi.
cation, English women are much better
acquainted with and much more alive
to the political uestions that concern
them than the American women are TO
the political questions that affect them ;
this knowledge and interest fall natural
ly into place, and are not worn either
like breaetplate or breast knot.
The last and most important duty of
the political secretary and the
women of her committee is to
see that their voters register.
This business of registering is not
l. = a l.