give
the opportunity for its full consideration by Parliament and the
country, so that in due time it takes its place as a Government
measure. It will be the aim of the Union to put Women's Suffrage
in this position, so that no Government, of whatever party, shall
be able to touch questions relating to representation without at
the same time removing the electoral disabilities of women.

The closer coalition that Autumn of all the Societies which make
Women's Suffrage their sole object into a National Union was in itself
a symptom of that new phase, and the combined Sub-Committee was now
further modified into the Executive Committee of the National Union of
Women's Suffrage Societies.

_1898-1899._--The value of this second reading has been permanent
notwithstanding that its progress through the next stage of going into
Committee was thwarted by what even the _Times_ described as an
"undignified shuffle." The rule that Bills which have reached
Committee stage before Whitsuntide should be taken on Wednesdays after
Whitsuntide in their turn, so that if any one Bill is not finished on
the day it is taken it is carried to the next, was so worked as to
shut out the Women's Franchise Bill in 1899, and the rule which was
meant to give equitable share to all was abused by purposely
protracted talk over Bills which had no claim to such profuse
attention.

This was the last opportunity that the pressure of the eventful years
with which the century closed afforded for Parliamentary debate. The
great meeting in Queen's Hall, London, June 29th, 1899, when the
National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies gave hearty welcome to
their fellow-workers from all parts of the globe during the
International Council of Women, remains the latest event of public
significance.

* * * * *

The new House of Commons, 1901, includes 267 members who have voted in
former Parliaments on the question of extending the Parliamentary
Franchise to Women; of these 96 are opponents, 171 are supporters. One
has continued to be a consistent opponent from the division on Mr.
John Stuart Mill's amendment to the Reform Bill of 1867. Two have
continued to be consistent supporters from the same division. Of
members whose first time of voting dates from one or other of the
numerous divisions which took place between the Reform Acts of 1867
and 1884, there still remain 20 opponents and 25 supporters.