The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-07-16

Miss Marvin B. Fenwick, ardent
suffragist of San Antonio, writes to
Progress Of the following account Of
her visit to Australia:
The women of Australia have had
the franchise for so many years it is.
no longer an experiment and the re-
suits of their political efforts are at
tracing the attention Of the civilized
world. The American visitors notes
at once the desire on the part of the
women to inform themselves on
Shakespeare and history clubs that
flourish in every town in the United
States, clubs are organized by wo-
men for the study Of political ques-
tons. Here the pros and cons of tho
measures before the leading political
parties are discussed, and here speak
ers are trained to present intelligently
the subject to the women voters.
The political work Of the women is
largely with women, and there is lit
tie of the mixing with men that Is
one of the lions which has stood In
the way of the very conservative.
Indeed, the women Of Australia cam
not understand the American woman,
who mingles with the law makers to
lobby and win political favor: they
claim that 1t is much more wOmanly
to gain their point at the polls.
The late Mrs. Molyneaux Parkes,
when president of the Woman's
Liberal league of New South Wales,
said, when speaking of their political
methods, 1.-The men of the Liberal
party call convention and the wo-
men hold one at the same time in the
same place. When the men have
adopted a platform and chosen their
ticket they send these to the women
for their endorsement If any of the
measures or the candidates are un-
acceptable they are scratched and
sent back with the word that they
will not receive the support of the
women. This results in meetings and
compromises, for without the wo-
man s vote the party would lose. Mrs.
Parkes also said that social measures
that were simply laughed at before
women had the vote were now taken
up and passed without a dissenting
voice.
1t has been a significant fact that,
although women are all affiliated
with one or another of the leading
parties, yet when matters affecting
the home, the school or public morals
are in question, they stand together.
A visit to parliament house in Sid
ney with Miss Rose Scott, one of the
political leaders, furnished ample evil
! dence that women who have the vote
receive the most courteous treatment
from the men. One member would
come up and say Miss Scott, I want
to explain why I voted as I did on
that BILL" and another would be eager
to tell why he acted as he did about a
certain compromise, etc.
We had only been In the upper
house few moments when Sir
Francis Suffer, the presiding officer.
sent Miss Scott note inviting her
self and friends to dine with him
at the close of the session. Sir
Francis Is a cultured English gentle
man, and he discussed politics and
old lace with his women guests in
the most charming manner, and in
cidentally declared himself strongly
in favor of votes for women.
During our stay in Sidney we had
the privilege of attending a. conven-
ton composed of the presidents Of
the various Liberal leagues in New
South Wales, a. most representative
and intelligent body of women. The
question then agitating the political
was, Shall colored labor be intro
duced from the islands to cultivate
the Australian sugarlands We
were asked to express our opinion
on the subject and one of the party
thinking that it was an occasion Of
| no more Importance than a woman's
| club at home, said, I'VE introduced
colored labor to cultivate our cotton
| fields and now we have race
problem. You may not have this
problem but your children will You