Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-09
TALK BILL TO DEATH
woman's Suffrage Measure is Killed BY
British House Of Commons
DEBATE PROLONGED UNTIL ADJOURNMENT
) This Makes it Impossible to Pass It This
sessiou.
MANY WOMEN EXCLUDED FROM GALLERIES
Only Those Whose Behavior Was Gusran-
teed BY Members Admitted.
MASS MEETING Held IN EVENING
suMrRgists Pass Resolutions Con-
demninE House of Commons for.
Refusing to Take Definite
Favorable Action.
MASS MEETING Held IN tVsNIN

LONDON. March s-The bill to extend
the right OF suffrage to women was de-
feated in the House Of Commons today,
where Il was talked to death without COM
ing TO a vote Supporters of the bill made
a determined attempt to secure vote,
but the speaker declined to accept q mo-
tion Of cloture and the sitting Of the House
was closed automatically at O'Clock. The
bill is thus killed for the present session.
The result was not surprising, even to
the snffragists, as some of the strongest
sympathizers of the womens cause real
ized that the question was not ripe for Leg
islation and that Parliament will not be
in a position to act until the question has
become issue at a general election.
The suffragists, however. were not
daunted and tonight held an enthusiastic
meeting at Exeter hail. Resolutions con-
demning the attitude Of the government
and of Parliament and expressing the de-
termination to carry on the agitation were
adopted. The speakers included James
Keir Hardie, socialist member of the House
of Commons; Philip Snowdon. M. p, a new
recruit to the women's cause: Rev. Charles
Aked OF Liverpool, who has accepted
call to the Fifth Avenue Baptist church.
New York; Israel Zangwill and many
prominent suffragists. Rev. DR.. Aked had
attended the House of Commons during
the afternoon in behalf Of the suffragists in
order that he might be able to communicate
an account Of the debate
House of Commons Crowded.
The House of Commons was crowded
when the debate on the proposed measure
began, but only women whose good be-
havior was guaranteed by members of Par
lament were permitted TO enter the gal
lery. All those who we're connected with
the recent disorders within the precincts
OF the houses of Parliament were excluded,
and in view of possible disorderly demon
Btrations on the part of the so-caled
Suffrage" a connection with the bill
extraort .,fecautions were taken by
the polit. to bar the approaches to the
House of Commons.
The forces inside and outside the build
/. ing were doubled and q special detach-
Z, ,fnent Of police was held In reserve in
the neighborhood, In spite OF the fact that
the militant women had announced that
they would quietly await the result Of the
vote In the house, after which they would
meet and decide upon their future action.
The suffragist societies were very active
throughout the morning trying to insure
the attendance of all true supporters OF tho
bill, and they claimed to have 40 mem
bers pledged to vote for It. All members
WHO were considered 20 be in the least
by telephone or telegraph this morning
their seats would be endangered II they
failed to fulhll their pledges. It is ad-
mitted that many promises TO support the
bill were given by liberals on the suppo-
sltlon that the women, II enfranchised.
would vote for liberal candidates. but the
return of the large conservative majority
at the municipal elections In London Sat
urday last, in which the women voted,
tended to dispe this Illusion. and since
then many members of Parliament who
nominaIly sympathize with Mrs. Dickin-
sons bill have been stricken with mys-
terious illnesses which will not permit
them TO attend today's session OF the
House OF Commons. There were no fewer
than sixteen motions hostile to the bill
placed on the table. while just prior to
the opening of the debate a petition signed
by n.OOO women was presented protesting
against granting parliamentary suffrage to
women on the ground that II would de-
stroy their influence In their own sphere
of work.
Attitude OF Premier.
After Mr. Dickinson's opening speech In
support OF the bill the premier, Sir Henry
Campbell -Bannermann, announced that II
was the intention OF the government "a
leave the decision OF the question to the
house. Personally he favored the general
principle of the inclusion OF women in ths
suffrage. The matter had assumed more
Importance of late years, owing to the
larger Part which women had taken N
wage earning and In the professions. ''or
many questions" continued the premier
''the opinion OF women was Of equal II
not greater, value than that OF men" HG
frankly stated that he was not enamoreC
with the present bill. because 1t does moi
enfranchise TO the necessary degree tn,
mass OF the working class of women anC
workmen's wives He would vote for th'
bill however, as a declaration OF his opin
ion that the exclusion Of women from tn,
franchise was not expedient tustifabl'
or politically right.
The debate was a repetition Of the familiar
arguments for and against female suffraS'
and there was a complete divergence from
the usual party lines, the rejection OF th'
bill being moved by Mr.. White, liberal
another opponent being Mr.. Cremer, also
liberal while both conservatives and mem
bers OF the labor party were found amonl
its supporters. An attempt was made I,
closure the discussion, but the speaker de
cIined 10 accept the motion and the op
Moments of the bill held the floor until
. &clock. when the sitting was closed au
tomatioally.