The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-10-09

of 100000 women The reason New
| South Wales was behind her sister
provinces in this forward step is to be
explained by the statement that her
upper legislative house, like the British
house of lords, is not elective. Natural
ly, therefore, 1t is full Of old fogies.
Year after year the elective lower
year after year the reactiOnary body
voted it down, till the ruling of the
national parliament made their an
tiQue voice Of no avail. The ancients
of the legislative council rejected Wo-
man suffrage because, they said they
were afraid womans vote would turn
over New South Wales to the political
control of the Liberal party. No finer
compliment could have been paid the
intelligence of Australian ladies.
Sir Henry Parkes, the Gladstone Of
England's south Pacific possessions,
called the grand old man of Austria
lia,'' was the active and persistent
friend Of feminine balloting, but he
died before it was accomplished in
New South Wales. His woman suf-
frage mantle fell upon the shoulders
of Miss Rose Scott, who wrought shin
ingly for it till it came. SO that now
the only real republic, in which all
adult citizens have a voice in the gov
eminent, is not a republic at all, but
some colonies belonging to one of the
Oldest monarchies in the world.
This forward lead which Australia
has taken is largely owing to the agita
ton of one woman of royal heart and
brain, Miss Catherine Spence. Amer
lean men who deny suffrage to woman
do not know perhaps that the very
Australian ballot which they vote ev-
cry year was largely the work Of a
woman, Catherine Spence. She agi-
tated it and pressed it upon her coun-
trymen in Australia till they adopted
it. Then other nations followed. Miss
Spence was also sole author of the
plan by which a minority party Sc
cures representation in a legislature.
Besides showing men how they could
vote in an improved way, she at the
same time advocated constantly as she
went along suffrage for women too.
To her influence among intelligent
men is also probably to be attributed
the fact that Australian women have
been made full citizens without any
long and bitter fight for it, such as
they are having in the United States
The younger, up to date politicians and
statesmen of Australia are almost to
man in favor of woman suffrage
They helped to win it for their sisters
AS a body the Young Mems Christian
Temperance union worked for the wo
men. The political organization that
now holds the balance of power in
Australia is the Labor party, and that
very generally favored woman suf-
frage. Some there were, indeed, who
objected to enfranchising women Oh
this very account, because it would
give the Labor party more power than
ever. Among these, rather strangely,
were many college women in New
South Wales. They were SO afraid Of
the Labor party that they would rath-
u give up TIE TISuLr W NOIc Ludu SEC
this party come into power.
Victoria is for some reason consid-
cred the most American" OF the AUS
tralian provinces, and there, in con-
trast to New South Wales, it was the
educated women who were foremost
| In the effort to obtain the ballot. 10
Melbourne, Victoria, Miss Vera Gold
stein, now lecturing in the United
States, publishes her paper, called Wo-
mans Sphere. In West Australia tt
tied women took hold of the move
ment. Lady Forrest worked for it.
and Lady Onslow was president Of the
Woman's Franchise league. After ALL
however, this fact is significant and to
be remembered It was the women Of
the Australian laboring classes, those
who actually cook, wash and iron and
personally rear their families, that were
most eager to get suffrage, that worked
most faithfully for it. and that exer-
else their new right more generally
than any others of her sex.
MARY EDITH DAY.