The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-28
VIOLENCE IS HELD DETRIMENTAL TO
 EQUAL SUFFRAGE
(Mrs. Edward Porritt.)

&11ES. EuWaTd EOrE1LL-1
 At Suffrage. headquarters in Hart ford an attempt has been made to ascertain the opinions of the Connecti- out leaders o< the movement of the ment ta England. The generaa Zeel- ing seemed to be that the outbreaks of the militants there are decidedly detrimental to the progress of the cause in this country, and that they arouse a good deal of antagonisxn on the part of men and women here who otherwise might favor the movement. On the other hand the opinion was ex- pressed that we have no right to ask of the English that they should mould their conduct to suit, the convenience of Americans, and that what they do is their own affair and really does not concern the American movement. eff woman suffrage is just and right, g said one of the aldies who took this view, the fact that some women in England are acting more violently than we think fit or necessary in their efforts to gain the vote ought not to prejudice anyone here against our own movement
 Some of the women attributed the difference between the American stf- frage movement and the English movement almost entirely to the men. The Englishwomen are just as gentle, just womanly and just as refined as any Of the leaders in the American movement the reporter was told who was trying to elicit the opinions of the Connecticut leaders 's but our men aress different. Amer ican men are splendid They have real chivalry and real consideration for their womenfolk It is common ly said here that the women of Con necttcut can have the vote whenever they really make up their minds. that they want it. It is quite true that the American men would not resist
 
 strength of the Englishwonnen's de- mand for the vote. If they did re- sist such a, demand people here would not be greatly surprised if the women did become militant There cannot be mfftancy unless there is resistance Just aS 1t takes two poole to make a. quarrel. so 1t takes resistance and re-. pressfon to make mflitancy and the militancy Of the Englishwomen is merely the measure of the opposition that the men are offering to the en- franchisement of the wonnen.''
 The strongest opinion in favor of the E1lElish women was voiced by Afrs Edward Porritt, who is herself an Rngli5hwon1an. eff were in Eng land,' she said. e'I should be a milf tant suffragette- Here I think it would be simply insanity for women to launch out into such conduct as that which startles and offends peo- pie when dndulged in by the English women. But there is method in their madness. and there would be none in ours if we did these things The newspapers opposed to woman suf- frage are now openly stating that pledges to women are mere expFes- stons of polfteness and should never be taken seriously. The Liberals de- clare that woman suffrage cannot be made party question because some Of their leaders are opposed to it, and the Conservatives are declaring equal ly plainly that woman suffrage can never be carried except as a govern ment measure. It is no matter how many voters are in favor of woman suffrage. In England the success of any measure deNends most of all on, the Cabinet, and the Cabinet has to be made to feel that woman suffrage Is a question of importance to the government Of the country The ordinary EingIishman is ike bus driver in London at the time of the great Women's parade. When he found that traffic was stopped for such a 1 reason he exclaimed -s~CSive them the vote, give them anything but for 'eVen's sake don't tie up the traffic g l The militants are tying up the traffic and trusting to the impatience of the 1 average man to force the government | to end the deadlock. Repression has been in vain. To end the disorder there is only one expedient and that IS to grant self government to the rebel women.