Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-19
MANY HEAR MRS. PANKHURST
English Woman Describes Battles
Fought By suffragettes.
VIOLENCE CALLED NECESSARY
Done to Compel Attention of Cow
ernment 60 Demands-One Com
tinual Round of Rebuffs
from Those In Power.

from Those In Power.
Before an audience. thoroughly repro
sentative OF Omaha citizenship. Mrs.
Emeline Pankhurst. leader OF the militant
suffragettes, pleaded and argued for
woman suffrage and told the story Of the
struggles Of the suffragettes at the Boyd
theater Friday. She showed herself
a cultured, wen informed. and an able
and charming woman Tier address was
plain story told with great accuracy
and careful choice OF language, simple
argument in favor Of votes Tor women"
Mrs. Pankhurst preceded her story Of
the recent struggles OF the suffluaottcs
with a brief history OF the movement in
Great Britain
The movement is more than fifty years
old" she said. Early In the last century
the battle was begun. Before the reform
act Of 1892 there was 10 law to prevent
women's voting Other than that which de-
MED suffrage TO most men. IL was "a
high property qualification. Men found
difficulty In meeting It ard the difficulty
was so great that comparatively few en-
joyed the right OF suffrage. Women VINO
could meet this property qualification
were privileged 90 vote.
The first suffrage society was orsa-
pized by John Stuart Mil in my own
homo. Manchester. IN the COS, though
there had been agitation for a number Of
years prior to that time.
WIN start Movement.
y In 1861 there was another reform BIZ
and Mr.. Mil moved an amendment that
would have extended the suffrage 10
women. Those who opposed the amend
nent DECLARED that the bill In It's original
form would extend suffrage TO the sex.
The word male did not occur In II. The
words man and person were used
1t was contended that tho word man
Vas used In It's broadcast sense and that
there could be no question but that per-
son included both sexes. After passage
81 this bill 1900 women in Lancastershire
Esgistered but the revision courts struck
their names from the books. holding that
shey were persons In paying taxes, suffer.
ING penalties and pains for violating
lAws. but were not persons when it came
" exercising tho rights and privileges OF
citizenship Under the university suffrage
women graduates OF our universities
eought TO vote, but the house OF lords
g recently as a year ago held as did
abe revision courts IN 4o9o'
ts Commanding attention.
Mrs. Pankhurst followed with an argu-
ment for woman suffrage and continued
With the story Of the more recent strug-
gles OF the suffi agettes.
I'VE found we had not gained ground
ahe said we studied the situation and
found that the movements that had pro-
arrested mad been those that forced their
way to public consideration. Before the
aet OF 1852 there ives tioting and tine city
Of Bristol was almost burned Gown. The
bill was passed. There was rioting az
other times and other reform acts were
passed. All the parties had Favored
woman suffrage for years, but they had
not put IL among their working prin-
viples.
I'VE started out TO win the liberal party
because II WAS apparent II was TO so into
power. AZ thor meetings we simply asked
mem when they were going to be true to
their principles and give votes TO women.
meetings. I3ut we were rcsourccfuL When
they thought they had ke3t us out the
question would come, sometimes from
among the organ pipes, sometimes from
n. remote corner OF the building. some
times from a window. have known
women TO stay IN hiding thlrty-slX hours
before meeting 60 ask that question and
have known them 10 search building
as often as six times a cay TO make sure
We were not there"
ExnEgernted Reports.
Mrs. PRnkhurst declared reports OF the
stone-throwlng have been exaggerated
not more than 100 stones having been
thrown since the struggle was, started
The women simply wrapped around stones
slips of paper on which the question wa,
written and threw them into the build.
ings where The liberals We're meeting. TAX,
ing care to send the stones where they
would strike no persons.
Finally tho suffragct;es resorted TO theli
right TO petition tho premier for votes
lie refused 20 sec them and u was he
cause OF their Insstence that they wer,
arrested and Imprisoned.
He received deputation OF workin,
men" said Mrs. Pankhurst "rhey hat
votes and he didn't want TO offend them
but when we went TO see him he oallct
out e.0oo policement 60 keep thirteen wo
men front getting through the door"
A year ago, Mrs. pankhurst said, Tn,
premier and Parliament no longer coul,
feIuse 70 eohs4ucl tle hutitabs move
ment and the Cancellation bin was de
cided upon. The premier assured IN
women this bill, extending the suffrag
TO all women who are heads Of house
holds, would be freely discussed an
passed II there was majority, and 10
years there has been a majority for SUI
frage in the House OF Commons.
Not I'm Manhood NH.
To-day l have a cable from my daugh
ter" said Mrs. Pankhurst. telling m
that they have refused to include wome
IA the manhood suffrage bill, which wi
extend the suffrage to all men who ar
"A years OF age. They have played
contemplate trick on us. but We yet sha
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