Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-01
1.-The Downtrodden
English Woman
In Great Britain, He Says, Women
Possess Political Power Far Greater
Than That Possessed In Any Part
OF nerica, Other Than the Nine
Woman Suffrage States and | lin Dis.
By REV. CHARLES F. AKED, D. D.
Written for The AtEdnto Georgian

COUNCILS, County Councils, Boards
Of Guardians, Town and City
Councils Unmarried women may
be elected to these bodies: they
may sit as City Councillors or
County Councillors; they may be
Aldermen: they may be Mayors
of cities.
In London marriage does not
dfsqualify. How is this, as COM
pared with the 80 States Of the
American Union which have not
snfranchised their womenr
One of the most efficient unen-
bers Of the City Council of Man
chester Is Miss Margaret Ashton.
Where is the woman member Of
the Atlanta Board of Aldermen?
Women vote II they possess the
qualification which entities men
to vote. There is no such thing
as manhood suffrage in England.
There are some millions of Brit
ish men who have no vote. There
are innumerable Qualifications"
but--again broadly-what Quail
hes man to vote is the fact that
he is householder-not the fact
that he is male person Of adult
age. And British Law does not all
low two votes for one "qualifca-
ton" that is to say, the same
tenancy can not entltIe two per-
sons to vote. So, If the house Is
In the name of the husband. he
has the vote. If it Is in the name
of the wife, she has It.
In Scotland ownership. as well
as occupation, qualities. So that
woman who owns a house
bringing in an annual rental OF
"a (s20) in counties and al0
(s5o) In cities is enfranc :. lsed for
ali the purposes have named,
Just as man Is, Where is the
State in ths Union not having
yet snfranchised its women.
which comedies so muchP
Who Will Say "Yes9"
Women can not vote for tn.
election Of members of Pariis~
snent. It IL for this, the Parlia-
mentary franchise, that they are
lighting. They might have been
voting to-day but for Mrs. Pank-
hurst and the militants. DR..
Anna Shaw regrets Mrs. Pank-
bursts visit to this country. be-
cause she believes that harm has
already been done by the violence
Of British militants to the cause
OF woman suffrage here. She be-
lieves that more and greater
harm may be done.
The militants began their worn
more than seven years ago. What
have they gained' And what are
they likely to gainT Mr.. z v.
Lucas, in his "Mr. Ingleside," reu-
resents a member of Parliament
as suggesting mildly that women
who "persecute and vilify and
assault statesmen are not pro
viding the best credentials as 70.
sponHble electors" DR.. Anna
Shaw is afraid that women hers
who applaud them and find
money for them may impress
american men In the same way.
And this NJ. p. or MIR. Lucas fcr
him, puts the objection clearly:
TN my opinion-and you can
disregard II, for II is only the
opinion of man---tfey had been
waiting splendidly. and were Just
beginning to reap the harvest Of
their quiet efficiency and good
sense when the fruit was dashed
from their hands by the impa-
t'ent high spirits OF the younger
faction--the Maenad Malcontents.
shall ! call them? know of
mothers who for years have
steadily been proving their right
TO vote, whose own daughters
fresh from school, have ruined
their chances for years to come"
And he wonders whether men,
after viewing the political aspi-
rations OF women with suspicion
for all these centuries, will sud
denly say;
We'll, they use dog whips
across the faces of our rulers
very handily; they worry and an
noy our Prime Minister with ex-
traordinary persistence and skill.
and do their best to ruin his
health and nerves: they throw
stones with unexpected accuracy
We are now Satisfied. They shah
have the vote tomorrow; these
are exactly the kind Of people te
elect Representatives wisely"
Do the American women who
are finding money for British
militants honestly believe this IS
what American men will say III
the nom suffrage states when
they are aSked TO vote Yes" Or
a constitutional amendment