Connecticut western news., 1912-01-04
EQUAL FRANCHISE LEAGUE
Meeting at Miss Adams Discussed
 English Situation

English Situation
 The Canaan Equal Franchise League held its fourth monthly meeting on Sat- urday, December 30, at the home of Miss Sarah Adam.
 The program was of unusual interest, the greater part of the afternoon being devoted to the attitude of the English women of today towards the suffrage question. This included their need for the vote, their exasperation over the re- cent treacherous treatment received at the hands of Lord Asquith and an ex- plation of the window smashing which has caused such universal disapproval and consternation amongst American Su6ragists.. We will endeavor to give 8 brief summary of the English question, as taken up in the feeling that it will be of general interest.
 | More than year ago, sixty members of the House of Commons, who were favorable to woman suffrage, realizing to secure the same franchise for women, as for men. framed the Cancellation Bill" This provided for the enfranchise- ment of women householders, that is all who pay any rates, even as little as the rent of one room. This would have in included 100000 women, over eighty per cent. being salary or wage earners, the class which most needed the vote i; and it would prove the qualification of sex.
 At the interoession of his own party, Lord Asquith gave his pledge that the bill should be read and voted upon at the next session. The women felt sure of carrying it.
 Parliament assembled in August, but nothing was said about the Consolidation Bill. The women waited patiently, be- ing promised that it would come up in March.
 Suddenly and without warning, the announcement was made that Prime Minister Asquith had proposed the Man. hood Suffrage Bill which would give vote to every man in Great Britain, but to no woman. There had been no de- mands for votes from the disfranchised men. many of whom were undesirable citizens; and there had been petitions from millions of women. After fifty years of hardship and labor, English women found themselves absolutely shut out. Is there any wonder that a rebellious spirit was born of broken promises and hope long deferred? Then few windows were smashed, the news paper accounts being grossly exagger- ated.
 It seems that it is an old English polit- ical custom that the vauquished< party should throw stones and break glass. The men have always done it. Charles Dickens describes such performance in his Pickwick Papers. The Duke of Wellington in his less popular days, was compelled to put iron shutters on his windows to protect them from persistent smashing by the mob. An enthusiastic election never occurs without the break ing of windows. often for the merest trifes.
 American Anti.suffragists declare that men would never do such things; but iU is an unfair advantage to take, for the statement has made enemies for the suf- frage cause and it is noC the truth. Where one pane has been broken by women, one thousand have been smashed by men.
 We do not try to excuse English women for following a stupid old custom but we do sympathize with anyone, man or woman, who confdingly hangs upon a promise, only to be finally and hope lessly cut down.
 And here let us beg of you to name rightly the American woman who de- sires to vote. A suffragette is one who throws stones. A suffragist is one who Lhas principles. The members of the O. E. F. L. are suffragists. SECRETARY.