In most of the other colonies the victory has come with even less
struggle. South Australia debated and carried a resolution in favour
as early as 1885, though there was practically no demand on the part
of the women. As a two-thirds majority was needed, the women began
to educate and agitate, and the franchise was secured in 1894. In
New South Wales the question was brought forward by Sir H. Parkes in
his Electoral Bill of 1890, and a powerful organisation of women
took up the demand in the colony. By 1901 the measure passed the
House of Assembly by a large majority (fifty-one to seven), but was
rejected by a small majority (twenty-six to twenty-one) in the
Legislative Council. In the following year it passed into law. West
Australia passed the reform almost without a struggle. The Women's
Franchise League of that colony was formed in the spring of 1899,
and the suffrage was obtained the same year. In Victoria, during a
ten years' brisk agitation, a measure has passed the lower House
six times with increased majorities, but is blocked by the
Legislative Council. Tasmania granted the franchise to women in
1903, and Queensland in 1905. Finally, the franchise for the Federal
Parliament of Australia was granted to women, after a very brief
struggle, in 1902.[14]
To these victories won by the principle in the English-speaking
world must be added the granting of the municipal franchise in
Denmark, the enfranchisement of tax-paying women in Norway, and the
concession of the right, not only to vote, but to sit in the Diet,
in Finland. At the first election under the new Finnish constitution
nineteen women were returned to the Diet, and the number increased
to twenty-five in the following year (1908). Their colleagues
willingly testify to the advantage of their presence in passing the
beneficent series of Bills that the Tsar prevents them from carrying
into law.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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