New-York tribune., 1899-05-28
THE "GRILLE" IN THE COMMONS
AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE LADIES' GALLERY
TO KEEP VISITORS FROM BEING SEEN.

To KEEP VISITORS FROM BEING SEEN.
From The London Mail.
Colonel Welby persists in his gallant attempt to
free women visitors to the House OF Commons from
PHs PH,s tactics are cautious He does ask out;
right for the removal OF the gridlron Tnat " woIe %
be o too dTdsd M does not even ask for an
pattern He merely asks that the r3r 3ree1om
for the women being that resulting from the dit-
ference in the width OF the bars ,s rordens his
heart. and the members make elaborate Jokes ana anu
the women come no nearer I 70 nnaS me st as they
try for womens suffrage. and the House Smiles
strong u glfminded women fume in whispers behind
the grille They dream Of the c, DAYS iba whfn ncdng
neshers ehe chair and in those blessed days.
should the grille still be in existence aH gnaS'S
uopn rom dTas Mouss OF Commons is the only legislative
chamber in the world where women are mp pr es
behind screens and bars The peers are less @ tSer
susceptibilties In the House Of Lords women si5 sly
IN m All hg oe 9es When they glitter with diamonds and
gorgeous raiment the scene IS ATTRACTIVE anu 'i'-
Nor we're the Commons always so modest , befH[e ore
the present tn mouse Mis- With their menfok
They went often, and In such numpets: eG"' III
Si2 the dord bad become the custom for members
70 hire or borrow their friends handsome sisters
to present petitions TO them and give 'heih inc
Then the women abused their advantase with
Interesting debate. Crowds of strangers attenaed ., %
both sexes The women swarmed dasnt Ana man de "a
termined that they should have all the a'aiaoie
He cleared the house OF all male strangers More ore
women came They filed both galleries anu an IIe @
seats below the bar Then uprose a member, whose
n,aie Triend had been elected and he made such
a grievance OF II that the Speaker ordered tue nouse
The women refused TO go. Ihey remInst[atea r'1 k,
and struggled and called the officials % norrd beasts
or & the hrs ePshf TO O clear them out and the
members hurt about II that 5ot tnf iu'ore IRE
masculine fats against female wits? The Duchess ss
and Mrs sheridan dressed m as men an9 o
detecting the fraud ard the bar was broken
ieS pISoaD ae so eecnay when the present house
was built 1t is more likely that me screen >, was as
| keening with the rest OF the chamber. The women
| say It is heart-breaking and eye-resraihhs COIL
"A visit to the gallery" writes woman con-
trbutor. rs an awesome business The attendant
iips' and realized that must not talk.
m1m6e reached nsba.G my ns mSa3 T5S% 5hs
listen The grille frowned and obstructed my view,
realized that must ,P not rS Ios ana al rs fe
| rose up and crushed me. and then my feeling was
'fsa @After % while it was not bad The attendant
crept softly behind and In @ stea1ny by WHISPER an
The Chancellor OF the Excheauer.. selected the
largest aperture I could ind and glued my left
saw the reporters in their boxes and the back OF
! tho Speakers head
| and nj last I heard his speech That better.
and began to enjoy myself But could not make
| up nv mind and I cannot yet. whether | was
| dangerous person TO be watched or thief who
| crept in by stealth
| OF course the against the removal OF
| the grille are absurd. and not meant to be taken
| seriously Members OF Parliament are human after
| all and would probably speak better rather than
| worse II they saw the eyes OF fair critics upon
| them.
for the gridIron is that Il is there. In matters
concerning Itself there IS not more conservative
body In the world than our democratic House OF
Commons.
The middle seat OF the front row OF tho gallery
Is sacred to Mrs. Gladstone. She sat there night
after night during the Home Rule debates