The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-07
COMMONS REJECTS
SUFFRAGE MEASURE
PANKHURSTIsM BLAMED FoR DE-
FEAT ny LARGER VOTE THAN
AT LAST SESSION.
GREY. SUPPORTS 1T
FOREIGN SECRETARY AND LLOYD
GEORGE FAVOR PASSAGE. BUT
HOUSE ENDS PROSPECTS,
FOR THIS YEAR.
GREY. SUPPORTS 1T

LONDON. May 6.--The house OF
commons tonight on the second read
ing rejected the bill Of MP. Dickinson,
which would have enfranchised some
six million women, by vote or 200
to 219.
The bill proposed to grant the
franchise to every woman who, II she
were a man, would be entitled to be
registered in respect of = household
qualification within the meaning or
the act OF 1884: also every woman who
IL the wife OF a man entitled 10 pc
registered in respect OF q housenoio
qualification and who had resided in
the qualifying prescript during the
period required by law. No woman
could vote until she had reached tho
age of twenty five under the provisions
OF the bill and no woman could be
disqualified by reason OF marriage
from registering and voting.
Sir Edward Speaks.
Sir Edward Grey, the foreign secre-
tary, is supporting the measure. spoke
warmly Of the consideration he and
the other ministers who favored wo-
man suffrage had received from
Premier Asquith. and said their per-
sonal friendships and political CO.
operation were not in the least auected
by the divergence OF their opinions
on this subject.
Sir Edward referred to the actions
of the militants as the inconsiderate
criminal conduct of a small minority
which was not representative OF the
great masses Of woman who have
asked for the vote Sir Edward re-
called the fact that parliament had on
seven different occasions passed oilis
on second reading, giving the vote TO
women. The speech OF the foreign
minister throughout was a dignifed.
~, II xaIa
was a thread Of gentle sentiment
Praise For Asquith-
Walter Long, conservative, FORMER
cabinet minister. drew cheers from the
ministerialists by paying . tribute on
behalf OF the opposition to the course
and dignity which Premier Asquth
had shown In the face OF the dis
graceful attack OF the suffragettes.
There were several good speeches
for and against the measure. the Al
tendance at the session and the IN
trast to that OF last night when the
benches were almost empty and only
one woman sa, in the ladie1 gallery;
when a division was called for on the
motion Of Arnold Ward, q son OF Mrs
Humphrey Ward. the author e reject
Secretary Tor the Colonies Hareour'.
War ms seey
and Chancellor Of the Duchy Of Ian
ministers who voted against the bill.
Sir Edward Grey. the foreign minister.
Chancellor OF the Exchequer Lloyd
George, President OF the Board OF
Trade. Sidney Buxton. Augustine Biz
reli, the chief secretary for Ireland and
Walter Runciman. president OF the
board Of .srisultsT,s1 .uDDso s sorm sss
conservative leader and ponar Law,
his successor and many others did net
vote. A majority Of the Irish nation
alists opposed the bill. When the re-
suit was announced 1t was received
with an outburst OF cheers by the
opponents of the measure. but there
was no great excitement
Miiitaney II blamed.
This ends the prospect OF women
p parMaa ra The increased hostility
10 the measure now over last year
when the same proposition was de-
feated by the close vote OF z97 to 906
is ascribed to the militant madness
without which 1t In believed the bill
would have been paused by \ con-
siderable majority. The Woman SUI
fragists do not deny that the defeat
OF the bill and their loss Of the fran
The followers Of Mrs Pankhurst re-
gard the defeat of the bill with COM
plete Indifference. The success of the
measure would have enfranchised
8. 900, 600 women, but It would have
banished the Pankhurst people into
obscurity, deprived them OF an excit-
ing hobby and robbed many OF them
of snug incomes.