EVERY VOTE ON THURSDAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1309, 12 December 1911, Page 9

EVERY VOTE ON THURSDAY.

THE ISSUE AT STAKE. Some rather curious revelations have come to light concerning the attitude which women have taken up in regard to the elections. One. of them if that quite a number have not followed blindly the load given by the men of their families', for, over and ovor again, one has heard of tho wife or the daughters voting in complete opposition to the candidates supported by the husband or the father—each sido acknowledging the right to act each according to their own judgment. Yet another thing is that, in some ea.ses, it has been the ivoman who hns taken tho broader and more patriotic view, and has voted for the candidate who moots her convictions while the men folk have yielded to the promptings of friendship or in some cases of pity, and have voted for the man regardless of the party. This is turning th 6 tables with a ■ vengeance, and it shows that, when a woman becomes really interested in the political conditions of tho country, her perception of the issue at stake is 'broader and truer than is that of some men; Only the other day a man, in argument with, his family, who wore all trying to persuade him to vote as they were voting, asked why should he desert his candidate. .' , ' .

"He has represented this electorate for years, and now, when he is old, is in bad health, and in danger of losing his seat, you ask me to desert him. ' I know the: Government .is. all: you ■ say, but this man has. done his best for us, and I'm going to stick to him." "But think of ■ the party," eaid his sister. ' .

. No! I'm not thinking of the party. I m thinking of the man. It's now ho needs all his friends."

For those reasons aloiio he was going to do his best to keep the Government in power. And yet they have said that man has a breeder, saner, more unbiased view of politics than woman! Quite recently one read some very foolish, sentimental talk about "kicking old lions to death." If "old lions" block the path of Reform—reform which the country is crying out must necessarily be removed, particularly when they stand for a corrupt cause. No banal pentiment must be permitted to keepthese : aged leonine things alive. i■' There is one important thing that it would be well to bear in mind, and that is that every vote is.of immense value. It was so last week, and is even more so this time .when every' means for the defeat of the Reform party is being taken by tho other side. Nothing should prevent any woman from voting on Thursday next.

Bo you know,' said an enthusiast in tiie oauso of Reform, "my grandmother, who has not been outside the house for months, not smeo the beginning of the winter, insisted on being taken to the booth to record her vole, and. tho day before the election, she was most excited, and almost prayed for a fine day. But had it been pouring, I think that she would have gone all the same/' That is tho spirit that is wanted.