cess. An effort to abolish it would be at once hooted down. Its
principal opposition comes from those who do not know anything about
it. I do not hesitate to say that Wyoming is justly proud because it
has thus early recognized woman and given her a chance to be heard.
While she does not seek to hold office or act as juror, she votes
quietly, intelligently and pretty independently. Moreover, she does
not recognize the machine at all, seldom goes to caucuses, votes for
men who are satisfactory, regardless of the ticket, and thus scares
the daylights out of rings and machines."

[481] See Appendix--Testimony from Woman Suffrage States.

[482] When the attention of a distinguished jurist of Wyoming was
called to these laws he said the question never had been raised, but
there would be no objection to changing them.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

GREAT BRITAIN.

EFFORTS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY FRANCHISE.[483]

BY MISS HELEN BLACKBURN, EDITOR OF THE ENGLISHWOMAN'S REVIEW, LONDON.

The chapter on Great Britain contributed by Miss Caroline Ashurst
Biggs to Vol. III of this History of Woman Suffrage brought the story
down to the passage of the Representation-of-the-People Act of 1884
which extended Household Suffrage to the Counties and created the
Service Franchise, thus giving the ballot to a large number of
agricultural labourers and men who had their residence on premises of
which their employers paid the rent and taxes, but which still left
all such women without any franchise whatsoever.

With the passing of that Act may be said to have begun a new phase in
the movement. During the '70's there had been a debate and division on
the Women's Suffrage Bill in the House of Commons nearly every year.
After the General Election of 1880 the question of Household Suffrage
in the Counties came to the front, and all the efforts of the Women's
Suffrage Societies were directed and inspired by the anticipation that
when the claims of the agricultural labourer were dealt with, those of
women would find their opportunity. But far from this, they were left
practically in a worse position than before, for now 2,000,000 new
voters were added to the number of those who could make prior claim to
the attention of their representatives.

_1885._--Immediately after the General Election which followed the
passing of the new Reform Bill, Mr. Gladstone gave notice of his Bill
for Home Rule for Ireland and the party feeling aroused was of such
i