The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-28
TIRE CAUSE OF WOMAN.
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION nv
AUSTRALIA.
Setback for the Women In Victoria'- No
Police Matrons NJ MelbOnrnc-The
Coming Educational Convention 1t
B0ston--Objet TO Male Control
and Question NJ Fact Various Notes.

coming fuucAuOHH MOMENTUM -
Boston--Obj ettion TO Male Control
and Question NJ Fact Various Notes.
A very interesting letter has just been
received In regard to the recent defeat
OF the woman suffrage bill in the Parlia-
ment OF Victoria. Australia. 1t will be re-
membered that two of the six States which
form the Commonwealth Of Australia gave
the full franchise to women number OF
years ago. When the national federation
OF these States was effected, one Of the first
acts Of it's Parliament, in June, 1902, was TO
confer on women a vote for Its members and
the right to seat in this body. The fol-
lowing August the Parliament OF New South
Wales gave the full State suffrage to ito
women The anomalous condition then
existed Of the women in three Of the sub
divisions possessing the complete State
and Federal franchise. and in the other
three the Federal but not the State. 1t is
the bill for the State suffrage which has
Just been defeated in Victoria. OF this
Mrs. A. Watson Lister of Melbourne. Sec
rotary Of the Australian National Council
OF Women. and an active worker for the
suffrage writes
You will be sorry to hear that our Suffrage
bill has again been thrown out. 1t passed the
lowsr house bat was rejected by the upper
house. along with several other clauses in
the Reform bill conference OF the two
houses was called In hope OF Il settlement.
but the discussions were held in private. and
the result was that the lower house agreed
TO abandon the woman suffrage clause in
consideration for ain concessions from
the upper house We had heard rumors
that this was contemplated. and sent a re-
quest TO the Premier TO receive deputation
from tho Suffrage Association to present
their case. but he refused to do so. When
the conference subfnitted the amended bill
In the Parliament we hoped our friends would
insist OH having the suffrage clause reinserted.
Vat alas out OF the nfty-four members
rledged to its support only twenty-four voted
~ have this done 1t is but one more Illus
| ,tion OF what We all know so well. that
Nomen's interests will always go by the board
when the question OF expediency comes up.
IT has been great throw back to U.S. and
We feel intensely indignant that Victoria.
which was the home OF the woman suffrage
movement in Australia. should be so hope
'cssly behind the other States in this reform.
Some OF our opponents recognize the nb-
surdity of denying us the State suffrage
when we possess the Federal vote. but the
member. of the upper house are proof
against any appeal to reason. and entrench
themselves behind their privileges.
This same Government which rejected
woman suffrage after pledSinE itself at the
polls to support 1t introduced and carried
a bill practically disfranchsinc all civil SER
wants loff1ceholdersl by providing for them
separate representation in the lower house.
30 that CT the IS members of this body the civil
servants Of the whole State Of Victoria can
vote for only two Find the Woman SutTra &c
bill passed. the votes OF the women in the
families of these civil servants would have
largely nullifed their separate representation.
1t is thought by many that these two matte rs
are closely allied. and that the result will
I've that the civil servants will cast in their
.ot with the labor party and to great ex-
tent, with the suffragsts. as they are now
almost as politically nonexistent as the
women OF the states.
The women of Victoria are being sacri-
feed to political exieencies Just as those
Of the United States have been these many
years When a sacrifice is demanded.
naturaiiy'it viii be found In disfranchised
clasa which cannot retaiiate. The Assem-
bly,, or lower house. " hich u elected by
popular vote, has passed woman suffrage
bill half dozen times by increasing ma
jorities. but it is always defeated in the
Council. which is partly appointed by the
Crown and partly elected by few Of the
so-called upper classes, many OF its men,
bers holding their seats for life. As in all
sua'i ciss;. it stands as an unyfelding OBJ
strlction to progressive measures, and 1t
is especially opposed 10 placing any more
power in the hands Of the common people
which is the result OF every cntension OF
the suffrage. The Assembly. in its struggle
for the rights Of these people Ia so handi-
capped by the opposition Of this upper
house. that it is perhaps not surprising that
/ ia obliged to resort to unworthy COM
promises
Accompanying the letter quoted above
was the report Of the committee appointed
BY the National Council Of Women to in
vestigate the conditions surrounding women
prisoners in the police stations and locku
of Melbourne, in order to show the neceseit Y
for police matrons In its fifty-aigtt
police stations there is not one matron.
There are. however. a number o: search
ers," the head of whom rece YES 500 a
year. seven others $50 and the rest -two-
and-sir per search" They are appointed
by the chief Of police and responsible only
to the Police Department. They are not
on duty at night. have no key to the cells
and do not accompany the prisoners to
the court.
During the six months in which tine COM
mittee conducted it's Investigations, no
woman searcher OF attendant ever was seen
at some Of the station houses. although
%,l18 women were arrested last year, in
Guiding 800 prostitu tcs, some OF them hav
Ing a record of 100 arrests The young
women are bailed ont within half an hour 8
line by the keepers Of disorderly houses.
Women and men, young and old, are thrown
together ia the prison van and carried through
the streets. -Four or Ave- drunk and sober,
are put into one cell, The cells are OF wood.
with no outdoor ventilation or light, and
the sanitary arrangements are too awful
to put into print. Girls from years
old upward have no attention, except what
they receive from men. The cells for men
and women are on the same corridor. where
profane and obscene remarks are freely
exchanged.
So much for a masculine regime from
which women are vigorously excluded.
If men wart things more decent and hui
name, IN ether countries as we'll as Australia.
why do they not make them so? and if they
e unable TO do it, why do they not let
women help? Do not fathers feel any
obligation to protect unfortunate women
and children for the sake OF those in their
own household? Until recent years, women
everywhere have been absolutely barred
from investigationin into any Of the conditions