Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-01-30

WlVSC SnO" 0nOny AnOo01ys 0OvCA -
had the usual effect or creating sym
patty for the person punished and less
opposition to the cause. Recently the
severity has been lessened and the
punishment has been made more near
ly to fit the offense. Narrating what
was done only few months ago. an ar
dent suffragist said that minor breach
es of law, such as waving flags and
making speeches In the Hobbies Of the
houses of parliament, were treated
more severely than serious crime on
the part of men had often been. A SEN
tence Of three mopths' imprisonment
as an ordinary offender was passed in
one case against young girl who had
done nothing except to decline to be
bound over to keep the peace. which
she was prepared to swear she had
not broken. The turning Of the hose
upon q suffrage prisoner in her cell on
q midwinter night ID another example.
This has been, fortunately for all con-
cerned. changed for the better by the
more recent administration of the
much-reviled Cat-and-Mouse Act
Militants Small In Number.
The militant suffragists, first organ
lied into a society ten years ago, are
NOW divided into two or more inharmo-
NOUS groups. Their work Is largely
associated in the public mind with the
names of the Pankhursts. mother and
daughter. The militant suffragists
constitute but q handful of the advo-
Gates Of the franchise for women.
They get 80 per cent Of the public at
tention but they are In number and
importance scarcely one per cent. The
National union. which advocates con-
stitutional methods, includes or rep
resents the greater part of the suf-
fragists. There are scores Of other
women's organizations formed with
the same general purpose. The Ma
tional British Woman's Temperance
union, the National Union Of Women
Workers (the largest women's union),
the Association of University Women
Teachers. the Society Of Registered
Nurses. the Women's Cooperative
guild 1.-THE only organized body repre-
senting the married working women)
are some Of the numerous societies
that favor woman's suffrage. The
town councils of Liverpool. Manches-
ter, Shenheld, Birmingham, Leeds.
Bradford. Edinburgh, Glasgow. Dublin.
and Cork are among the 200 town
councils which have petitioned parlia-
ment to pass woman's suffrage bill.
The Dublin council authorized the lord
mayor and other officers to attend in
their robes of ONCE and present the
Dublin petition in person at the bar Of
the house Of commons.
ireland for Woman's Suffrage.
Ireland. with characteristic tempera-
ment, next to home rule, has given
largest time to discussion of woman's
suffrage. The Irish Nationalist gen.
orally favor 1t and the Ulster Orange
men have included In their so-called
provisional government scheme the
franchise for women on the basis Of
register for local government pur-
poses. On the contrary. 1t was an Irish
preacher who. having described Jeze-
bel a. q type Of the modern woman
suffragist, said that she painted hes
face. tied her head and looked out Of
the window at Jehu. "and. would you
believe 1t, the hussy was nigh on six
ty years old"
The Fight In Parliament
The opposition Of Mr.. AsQuith, the
Liberal prime minister. despite q ten
tative promise given before he went
into once, has prevented practical con-
sideration of any woman's suffrage
bill In the house Of comons which In
cludes probably q majority supporting
the measure. Among those who favor
woman's suffrage are Sir Edward
Grey. David Lloyd George. Ramsay
Mcdonald. the Labor leader. Lord Hal
dane, Arthur Balfour. Philip Snowden
and William Redmond The opposition
numbers such distinguished statesmen
AZ Mr.. Asquith. Austen Chamberlain.
Winston Churchill and r. e. Smith.
The result of the next general election
in 1914 will, in part. turn upon the
question, because woman's suffrage
societies are entering the campaign
pledging. a. far a. possible. every can
didate for parliament to favor IN ade-
quate suffrage bill.
suffraeIsts SURE to Win.
Women have had municipal suffrage
in Great Britain since 1870 and they
have voted for moor Law Ruardiana and
school boards (where they still exist
since the same year. They were made
eligible for town and county council
memhership by an act Of parliament
passed In 1907. Other civic liberty
has been granted to women in the Uni
ted Kingdom. The parliamentary fran
chise IL now the object Of the woman
suffragists' endeavor. How soon this
will be attained cannot be said. That
It cannot long be delayed II obvious.
unless British public opinion. because
Of foolish or fanatic acts Of the sup
porters of the movement, or for other
reason. radically changes.
In Great Britain. AZ in the United
States, though In diflerent,way. the
highest court IL the court Of public
opinion. and just now the apparent
early decision Of this court ID for the
trial Of the experiment Of universal
suffrage in Great Britain-for women
a. well a. for mentor each. one vote,
In the making Of tomorrow's world.
(Copyright. w11. by Joseph B. Bowloo.)