ntensity that the Liberal party was cloven in twain. The Women's
Suffrage movement was affected by the keen party strife, in which
women were as deeply interested as men, and the question of their
enfranchisement was no longer the only rallying point for their
political activity. This period is marked by a rapid development of
organisations amongst women for party purposes. In the Primrose
League, which had been started in 1883, women had been assigned
unprecedented recognition as co-operating with men on equal footing
for political purposes. It does not promote special measures but lays
down for its principle the Maintenance of Religion, of the Estates of
the Realm and of the Imperial Ascendancy of the British Empire, thus
indicating its Conservative tendency. The Women's Liberal Federation,
founded in 1885 to promote liberal principles, endeavours to further
special measures. The Women's Liberal Unionist Association founded in
1888 had for its principal object the defence of the legislative union
between England and Ireland.

Thus women entered actively into the work of the three respective
parties, and this re-acted in various ways on the Women's Suffrage
propaganda. It might seem that this had a depressing effect, for the
rigid neutrality in regard to party which always had characterised the
National Societies for Women's Suffrage might easily seem dull and
tame to the ardent party enthusiasts, and many of the Liberal women
threw their energies by preference into the Women's Liberal
Associations, but the old charge that women had no interest in
politics, now received its complete quietus. It seems indeed a far cry
from the manners of sixty years ago, when to talk politics to a woman
was considered rude, to the manners of to-day when the Primrose League
balances its 75,000 Knights with 63,000 Dames, besides associates
innumerable, both men and women; and the Women's Liberal Federation
with its 448 Associations has actively worked for candidates in a
great number of counties in England.

_1886._--The number of members returned after the General Election of
1885 who were understood to be favorably inclined towards the
enfranchisement of women, exceeded any previous experience and on
February 18th the motion to adjourn discussion was rejected by 159
ayes, 102 noes, and the bill passed second reading without further
division; but before going into Committee another dissolution of
Parliament took place.

The General E