The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-13
THE LORDS AND THE LADIES
THE BRITISH UPPER HOUSE CLOSES
MUNICIPAL COUNCILS TO WOMEN.

Tho women's International Congress Did
Not Approve the Action-why American
Women Should 10 Glad-Socinl Courto-
sios to the DsleEates-TeN on tho Ter
race of tho Houses of Parliament
Manipulating Ways OF tho Congress.
LONDON. July 2S. 1t was q remarkable CO.
Incidence that while the great Parliament OF
women for all civilized countries was holding
its opening session In Westminster Church
Hall. the House OF Lords in Westminster Par
Lament. scarcely a stoneh throw distant,
should be taking away from the women OF
London right which they vnlucd most highly.
The new London Government bill now being
framed by the House OF Commons PROPOSES to
change the form OF municipal government
from vestres to borough councils. Women
have been sitting rs members OF the former
for some time and tho House OF Commons in-
serted q clause in the new bill merely contlnu-
Ing this right. Hero was an opportunity for
tho Lords to perform their usual acrobatin
feat OF jumping on the tail OF progress. and
they were only too happy to do IL.
whip" was sent out consisting Of the great
Lords .Dunraven, Northumberland. Cowper.
IeneaRo. Buccleuch. Richmond and Westmins-
ter 10 summon all tho peers to prevent women
from having a seat In these councils. and $50
responded to- tho crack Of the whir. almost
as many as were present whom the vote was
taken on the Home Rule bill Lord Salisbury
cnme straight from an interview with the
Queen. and mado splendid plea that women
might be permitted 10 continue the valuable
assistance thev already had given.
The Lord Chancellor himself climbed down
from the woosack to lead the opposition. and
he struck at the root Of the whole situation
when he declared that II women we're al
lowed. to represent the peoDle in town coun-
ellis the claim would soon bs made that they
we're equally eligible to represent thom In
Parliament" This It was which scared the
noble Earls and Dukes and BISHOPS and caused
1s2 OF them to sauelch any such aspirations
on tho part OF women. amid loud cheers which
are very unusual in this lordly assemblags.
/. A few days later this same House OF Lords
vetoed bill sent from the House OF Commons
to require employers to provids soats for wo-
men employees. who are now compelled to
stand all day. Every year they veto a bill TO
permit marriage with q deceased wife's sister.
They resisted at every stage the removal OF
Roman Catholic. Jewisl and Noncomformist
disabilities. They opposed public provision
for elementary schools. At the time when tho
distinguished women Of the world are In Lon
don to confer together on the great works Of
education. philanthropy and: reform. which
little Lord Chancellor. IN his musty old wig.
declares taat he thinks women would be very
dangerous Ruidss In political matters. Tho
first elements OF citizenship are to have an In
dependent mind and to oct with patience. pru-
dence and courage. aud these are not the quail
tiles ono expects from women"
Tho London Observer was only one OF many
papers which declared that this action Of tho
House OF Lords will be responsible. not for the
first: time. for accelerating the very result
which they have blunderingly tried to avert"
had a talk with a.membsr OF this House OF
Lorda few DAYS after this occurred not an
old man. but one In the primo OF life. in which
he said that he was opposed to all modern in
yentions and time and labor saving appliances.
The telephone. he thought. was simply dread
full and the telegrn nh should not be at the SCR
vice OF all classes. He never wanted to live to
see the day when'electrio cars or vehicles pro-
PEELED by motors became com mon In England.
He said also that the reason there was so little
change here WINS because only the wealthy
| travelled and saw the new methods In other
countries. and that they had every comfort and
pleasure at homo and did not want any dis
turbance OF conditions. No disturbance that
Is the keynote.
1t seems incredible that any American. and
especially any American woman. can become
acquainted with other countries and not feel
profoundly thankful to live In the United State
At the recent congress 1t was most amazing
to hear the women OF Russia tell how they had
to ask permission OF the Government to form
clubs for literary or social IMPOSES. for charity
or mutual help and even for relieving the SUI
ferers from famine.
Others told how their ORGANIZATIONS wore
viewed with suspicion and dlstrust. and others
how IL was utterly impossible to form socls-
tiAa ~ fnF MI hAr In
England there 10 the greatest prejudice again st
women In the professions. They have OBJ
tanned a slight foothold In medci but they
are rigdy barred from the law, and there Is
not an ordained woman minister In Great'Brlt-
ain. 1t was with the utmost difficulty that. a
place was secured for the Rev. Anna Shaw on
the programme. At not one meeting whore
an English woman presided was she intro
duced by her title. She was looked upon as
tho most remarkable product Of advanced
ster Chapel. at the.invltation OF It's Congrega.
tional pastor. II was crowded to Its limit aud
all we're amazed at her slognense Sa
majority here. however. even OF the women.
are still In that stage Of conservatism where
they think the Gospel should be dispensed
We went, one, evening to the annual meeting
| OF the National Association for the Abolition
Of State Regulation Of Vice for the especial
purpose OF seeing Josephine Butler who
| Btnnds at the neau OF the movement SDe
| looks like an antique madonna, il one may
| use the expression. more like a spirit than a
mortal. 1t seems remarkable that SO frai n
| body can contain 70 indomitable soul. There
| never hos been a faint or quayering note In
tho voice which she has raised against this
gigantic, wrong With her high bred dir. her
| delicatsly chiseled features, her dress and
| bonnet Of pale gray. still further softened by
clouds OF illusion. she was a beautiful picture.
| but one cannot ba blind to the fact that she Is
rapdly fading away.
| / looked at the little handful OF earnest wo-
mi tina Dlutfprm "a the AT in M l.
| small audience. and then listened to the roar
| OF London outside ! thought of Whitechapel.
| OF Westminster slums. Of the Victoria docks
and OF tho palaces and country seats. as fay re-
moved from these as heaven from hell and yet
connected bv span. and tn, utter hopeless-
ness OF II all pressed down like q pail Then,
groping through the darkness and Discourage
| mon. tried TO lind hone In the remem-
| brance Of the vast evolution o; the last 1000
years. which had its beginning n tho birth Of
| humble carpenter In far of GalilSel
| 4 striking illustration OF the broad scope OF
| the International Council may be cited. When
tho present congress was being arranged u
session was set apart for tina Woman Suffrage
| Society. one OF the strongest organizations
| I'm Grant Britain The RAme priVilaua wnS