THE SUFFRAGIST CAMPAIGN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 130, 25 February 1908, Page 3

THE SUFFRAGIST CAMPAIGN.

'That the womeu aro thoroughly in earnest ,'in asserting their claims,'las; well as tho'roiig--I}' capable of organising their forces to meet' .their-opponents, cannot'be gainsaid (says the' Melbourne' "Ago" in an article on'the English 'sulfragistsj. Tho-.-agitation ; is nono oftheir provoking. -'They have been challenged over and over ■ again by thp Bumbles ,of Parliamentary life to furnish" someprbof that they .'really . want tho 'suffrage, ;'and -.the new campaign', is l their, answer to -it. .'"Wo women mean- serious business" .is ! the ultimatum that' has been announced !from ; hundreds of platforms," •for since, the -first demonstration at tho lionso of Commons over; 3000 meetings havo : been held over/England : aiid-Scot-' land:- , v '■

land: ■ , -v ■ ... V Vory' few: people at a distance from the scene of- operations' have •any.'conception' of their propagandist • work,-'. including, ras •' it does, an'-'output of 70,000.- pamphlets,lso,ooo- - 'alffl kiOOO'vVdlumes,' while an. outdoor ■ campaign is; carried on■■■by' scouts who bicycle from • town' to'. town'\to nrrango for' open-air 'meetings, 2S of- which havo'been;lield,' draw-/ ing l an 'aggregate' 0f4<10,000 people;' one of tile; most,,successful methods ' a'dopfed' being* to' writo- tho place chosen oh' itbo•' pavement' • ill white clialk—tactics . which -.are^strilring; for their ' simplicity'- when, compared with tho' ; riotous assemblies and bloody encounters with |:'tho. military that characterised tho agitation for the Reform Bills of earlier days. 1 'There aro four, hundred members of Parliament :pledged, to it,and: tho Priino Minister is -a genuine sympathiser with tho movement, as Mr. Lloyd George openly told a deputation of : suffragists at.Glasgow.as ; recently as November, 21- last.. .Before victory could bo consummated, ;there .;jras- a , necessary -.jpreliminary,liowever',- namely, an, appeal. to . tho nation on the subject, followed 'with; a 'preliminary struggle with the,Ho'uso of Lords., :. ■~ The 'announcement. that, the., Government will-at any rato do- nothing to-ob'struct,their, path-will necessarily encourage the friends, of : . the'movement, but wo' suspect they would ;bo mor.o satisfied with their, prospects if they knew'what the '.disposition' .towards it was ) ill still Higher Quarters.lt. lias ■been made known through moro ; than ono authentic source, that tho. late Queen was a-vehement-opponent of Women's' Rights, kiblimely indifferent to the consideration that'..her own position -.gave:,this- other.sido.their strongest argument. Tho hostilo : opinion of tho-late Queen ; has .not prevented ' tho : cause from finding wi-rmiriends-aiid.' abottors ill. aristorcratie circles, and the' suffragists may bo .(juito. siire that it will. not have any influence iii, tho dobates ,chat-, tho Government measure will-.be certain, to" arouse ill both Houses' of. Parliament when, it'is brought'forward.