The Globe. TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1878.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1408, 20 August 1878, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY , AUGUST 20, 1878.

Will llto Government make a stand for the provision in their Electoral Bill by winch female ratepayers will bo enfranchised P It is quite possible that the clause will not ho seriously opposed, and that many members, wlto would oppose it if they thought that many women would be in a position to acquire a voting power under it, will let it pass, simply because they believe its effect will bo harmless. The number of female ratepayers iu any electoral district is very inconsiderable, and in no case would the supremacy of male humanity ho anywise endangered by the proposal of the Government, taken by itself. But although there is no immediate danger to man’s rule, the proposal must he regarded as the first step only in a course, upward or downward as people may think. It involves the abandonment of the only argument upon which women have hitherto been excluded from the franchise, namely that they are all physically unfitted to exercise it. If there is anything iu this argument, it is quite certain that |tho fact of a woman being a ratepayer cannot lessen its force ; ou the other hand, if the Ministry hold that the argument iu question is unsound, they have no logical defence for limiting the extent to which they will abandon it. From the fact that Ministers propose to give the franchise to any woman the conclusion is inevitable that it is not on account of any physical consideration that they refuse to extend the privilege to all women for female ratepayers do not present any peculiarities such as would cause the naturalist to classify them as a variety distinct from the rest of the sox, either in brain power or other superiority. On what ground then can the Government bo supposed to Justify the glaring illogicality of the position they have assumed ? Having conceded the main contention of women’s advocates, that woman as woman is not unfitted to bo an elector, where do the Ministers find their warrant for taking up the ground that only women who pay rates are fitted to ho electors ‘t It must be remembered that this is not a Ministry who set any store by a property qualification iu male or female. They regard such qualification as, in the abstract, a wrong ono, and. although iu their forbearance towards the prejudices of their fellows, they are good enough to suffer that qualification to continue for a while, this forbearance is merely the fruit of their high-souled compassion for benighted mankind, and not because they yield the point. But they say, “ Although there shall still bo votes in respect of property, there shall bo another qualification created side by side with it, which will enable many of those who have no property to obtain votes.” This much they hold it due to their conviction of right that they should exact in spite of prejudice. But if right demands so much of a noble-minded Liberal iu regard to improper!ied man. how much stronger is the claim which nnproportiod woman hae upon that same Liberal, after be bas admitted that there is no organic defect iu women which should exclude them from the franchise ? The wrongs which have been borne by the non-voter amongst men on account of liis being disqualified are absolutely as nothing compared, with those which have been borne by the whole of womankind who were without exception non-voters. The former had at least creatures of his kind, creatures whose sympathies approximated somewhat to his,

to represent him in tlio public palaver. Ho had, moreover, the strength to make himself feared, to create revolutions, burn an oppressor’s house, crunch the oppressor himself, and generally behave in a disagreeable manner, if his little wants were not attended to. But woman had not, and has not any representative in the national deliberations, nor has she the same strength or opportunity for directly avenging herself when the National Assembly wrongs or permits her to be wronged. Therefore the claim, in respect of the franchise, of unrepresented woman upon liberalism—if liberalism means the righting of wrong, and if it is granted that a woman can fitly use the franchise — is infinitely stronger than the claim in the same direction of unrepresented man. The conclusion then is that, in making the proposal they do, the Government have either gone too far, or not far enough, but in any case have proved themselves insincere politicians, acting in this instance on no principle whatever, unless it bo the principle of currying a little favour with a mere handful of the women of tho colony. Now have tho Ministers gone too far, or have they stopped short of tho length they ought to go in this matter ? Is it Dr. Wallis, or is it tho staunchest adherent of traditional policy in the House who is right ? Wo cannot see how in tho present political condition of Now Zealand tho question can admit of a doubt. Without denying that the proposal of tho Ministry may bo regarded as one for eking out a very minute dose of justice, where all abstract argument and morality require that that dose should bo full and abundant, it nevertheless appears to us that they have chosen a most inconvenient season for opening up this great question at all. There has been no clamour for reform in this direction, either from man or woman, and even Mr. Stout’s favorite philosophers admit that reform which is given gratuitously, and for which no effort has been put forth, is always a perilous gift to giver and recipient. Reform too cheaply obtained is certain to bo little valued, and may be treated as a toy, a good practical joke, but not as a serious matter involving new and great responsibilities. This then is one reason, sufficient in itself, for regarding the Ministerial proposal as an unwise one at tho present time. Another reason scarcely less strong is that, although the proposal of tho Ministry apparently goes only a little way, it opens in reality the whole question of the enfranchisement of women, and that that great question is one which it would bo excessively dangerous to the future of the State to deal with in a haphazard way, while it would be injurious to the pressing and ordinary business of the country, to say nothing of the reforms at present contemplated by tho Government, that it should bo dealt with this session in the only proper way, that is exhaustively and with the fullest deliberation. Wo hope then that when this clause comes on for discussion tho Government will have tho good sense to introduce the necessary modification for postponing tho enormous revolution which they seek to commence under tho artless guise of a ratepayers’ franchise, irrespective of sex.