Women -- Suffrage -- History; Women -- Suffrage -- United States -- History; Women's rights -- History; Women's rights -- United States -- History
The "militant" suffrage movement in Great Britain, at this time in its
early stage, was attracting world-wide attention and Mrs. Snowden
devoted much of her address to explaining it, saying in part: "Our
methods may seem strange to you, for perhaps you do not fully
understand. We have the Municipal vote and have used it for many
years. Today an Englishwoman may vote for every official except a
member of Parliament; she may sit in every political body except the
Parliament and we are after that last right. We have 420 members out
of 670 of its members pledged to this reform. When the full suffrage
bill went to its second reading the votes stood three to one in favor.
We want that vote put through but it is the British Cabinet we must
get at to approve finally the act when it has passed the two Houses.
It is the Government we are trying to annoy. Our Government never
moves in any radical way until it is kicked. Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman, when prime minister, advised the women to harass the
Government until they got what they wanted and that is just what we
are doing today. The Liberal Government, helped into power by at least
80,000 tax-paying women, promised to grant their rights. How have they
kept that promise?"
Speaking of the two "militant" societies Mrs. Snowden said: "Our
policy of aggressiveness has been justified by its results. When we
began almost every newspaper in England was against us. Now, with one
exception, the _Times_, the London papers are all for us. The
'militancy' thus far has consisted chiefly in 'heckling' speakers;
assembling before the House of Commons in large numbers; getting into
the gallery and into public meetings and calling out 'Votes for Women'
and breaking windows in government buildings, a time-honored English
custom of showing disapproval. Many suffragists in the United States,
knowing the contemptuous manner in which those of Great Britain and
Ireland have been treated by the Government, have felt a good deal of
sympathy with these measures." At this convention and the one
preceding sympathy was expressed by Dr. Shaw and others and
resolutions to this effect were adopted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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