The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-23

the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia,
is in receipt of a letter from Mary
I4owndes, of the National Union OF
Womens Suffrage Leagues of England.
telling of the prospects for the passage
of the various suffrage amendments to
the franchise reform bin which comes
before the house of commons Fri
day.
Opposes "Milltancy."
The letter gives an interesting &C
count of the suffrage movement in
England by one Of its leaders who
opposes the militant" method of at
tracing attention and throws a light
on the situation from the standpoint
of one Of those who IS taking an ac-
tive part in the efforts to secure the
enfranchisement of women In the
United Kingdom
This afternoon ct 4;s0 o'clock a
meeting Will be held In the local club
rooms in the Bryan building when the
letter win be read to the members of
the league. Rev. Frank Wells, pas
tor of Broad~Street NJ. E. church.
member Of the league. will address
the meeting on the subject of woman's
part In temperance reform. Mrs.
Tyler Johson, president of the local
branch OF the Women's Temperance
League OF America, will preside
The letter to Mrs, Valentine Is as
follows;
The situation in England at this
moment with regard to woman suf-
Irage is or interest to advocates Of
the womens movement in all parts
or the world. The Liberal party has
now bee in power IN England since
December, 1906. and ministers have
spoken continually year after year Of
the necessity Of bringing In a fran
chlse reform bill; populations Of WON
en- pressing for their cnfranChIsernen
having
the government shortly to introduce.
1he promised bilt Is now before the
house of commons, and VIII enter
what Is Known as the committee
stage after the goth Of January.
No Reference to Women
The bin as drafted contains no re
ference TO women, but is framed on
nnes calculated To enfranchise all men
over the age OF twenty-one, thus add
ing some three million male electors
TO the parliamentary register.
AS rs wen known, the prime minis
ter, Mr.. Asquith, is hostile to the ex-
tension Of the franchise to women
ana. though many members Of his
cabinet take different view. the bal
rs IT stands embodies tina antl~stlffraee
standpoint
Certain amendments, nevertheless.
relating 10 women's claims. vii bc
discussed in committed The f7rrt
amendment which stands in the name
or Sir Edward Grey. secretary for
foreign affairs provides that in the
mrs. clause OF the hill where the
words every male person occur the
word male shall be omitted.
should this sfnendmcut ba passed
by the house Of commons il viii then
no IN position to decide what wo-
men shall he eufTanchiscd For this
purpose three amendments are i'm the
field
The first proposal fl that every
person cf either sex shall be entitled
- be registered as a parliamentary
clector' and rs taatamount 80 the
Introduction OF adult suffrage. should
this amendment be lost the house
hold suffrage amendment will be
brought forward having as its oh
lect tho enfranchisement of women
householders and the wives Of men
householders This amendment is
backed by Mr.. Acland. "a member of
the cabinet. and will have tho sup
port, il is said, Of many members Of
the government.
\ Third Amendment.
a third amendment. which would
enfranchtse only women who have
the local government vote and which
would admit to the register about one
million female electors, IS likely 10
command very considerable support
should those previously mentioned
both fail 10 obtain a majority.
For the inclusion II womea in the
government rc-uru1 rtt' EftfTer VT
rectly or by one OF the proposed
amendments an immense, deal of work
has been done in the country by the
law abiding sUfGraEists under the
leadership of Mrs. Henry F'awrett. 1t
Is perhaps easier to write newspaper
paragraphs about violence and snili-
tancy, so-callad; but hy far the larger
number OF English suffracists dislike
and repudiate such methods and the
suffrage movement In England must
be understood TO be advancing more
rapidly as the ill-adviscd ana violent
methods or a few extremists attract
less public attention and interest
MARY LOWNDES