Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1899-11-17
LORD MAYOR TALON
OF Dublin Upon Woman Suffrage
in Ireland.


Ireland:
"rhe Irish Local Government
Act Uf 1897, which came into opera
tion on Jan. 10, 1890, gave the suf-
frage to women equally with men
on all questions Of local government
in Ireland; that is, on every ques-
ton on-whch the IriSespeople vote,
except that of sending parlamen-
tary Representatives to The British
House of Commons in London.
In Dublin, previous To the Local
Government Act, we had only about
5000 voters, none of whom were
women. Now our voters list num-
bers about $4,000 of whom about
$4,000 are women.
Women in very large numbers
availed themselves of their new
privileges or rights, in January,
and l have every reason to believe
that their votes helped to secure the
election of candidates pledged to
important social reforms.
AS regards the manner and con-
duct of the elections, not alone in
Dublin, but also in Ireland, they
were most orderly and well-con-
ducted no disorder of any kind took
place at any of them. This was
certainly unique, as it was the first
occasion on which the masses of the
people exercised the franchise, and
the sudden enfranchsement of an
entire people might not have been
expected to work smoothly on the
first occasion it was exercised.
l also desire to point out that the
new privileges of women are not
confined to the franchise. The Lo-
cal Government act of 1898 created
the following bodies:
l. County Councils for the 32 ad-
ministrative counties of Ireland.
?. Borough Councils for the six
cities of Dublin, Belfast, Cork,
Limerick, Londonderry and Water
ford.
5. Urban Councils for all other
towns.
4. Rural District Councils for the
country districts.
5. Boards of Guardians for the
care and control of the poor.
Women can be elected members
of the Urban Councils, Rural Coun-
ellis, and Boards of Poor Law Guar
dians; and the enactment did not
remain a dead letter even on the
first occasion of its application.
The talented wife of n foremost
merchant of Dublin, Mr.. Maurice
Dockrell, was elected a Councillor
of the Urban District Of Blackrock,
and on the first meeting of the Coun-
Gil she was unanimously elected
Deputy Chairman-if such a name
is permissable-but | do not know
that any other name is used. |
have every reason to think that
the presence of Mrs. Dockrell in
the Blackrock Urban Council is for
the good of the Council, and that |
the womanly dignity of Mrs Dock
rell has in no way suffered, but on
the contrary has been enhanced.
In Templemore, Mrs. Bracken, a
graduate of the Royal University |
of Ireland, was elected chairman.
l think the lady was the only men,
Der of the Council possessed of
University education,
But the bodies to which the
largest number of women were
elected were the Boards of Guar
dians. my self, nominated a lady
long distinguished for her chart-
able and philanthroplc work in
Dublin for the position of poor law
guardian. She was elected, In
all, as well as | remember, about
fifty women were neutrality-suspicious..
As the guardians contrpI thD poor
houses, the poor happits i and the
administration of nnaicn selief to
the poor, am satisfied that the
election of women on these boards
is for the advantage of the commu-
nifty.
In conclusion, have no reason to
think that the women who were