Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1892. Female Suffrage.

Manawatu Herald, 28 June 1892, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1892. Female Suffrage.

»■, -,-. ira . Parliament has been opened, Sir John Hall has arrived in Wellington and We bear that he will again introduce his Female Bufrrage Bill. The opponents I'd the measure urge that there has been no demand for this power by the women of the colony, and until there has been, they should be denied the privilege. There has been a demand made, which being by petition to the House to; which 9000 signatures were attached has not made that stir outside which some people think so; necessary before they can be persuaded to uiovei But granting for one moment, that women have not testified very great anxiety to obtain this power within the colony, it must be admitted that they have in the other more highly civilized portion of the world; At the beginning of the century women laboured under every disadvantage and it has been only by the persistency of their leaders that they have secured the opening of many previously shut doors. In the year 1791 Mary Wollstoneciaft first urged the Vindication of the Rights of Women, which led to great advances in their legal rights and position in 1887. Mr Mill proposed female suffrage for members of parliament in 1867 which was been defeated both then and at each other time it has been proposed, but the day will not be long before it is carried, even in England. What have women proved themselves capable of ? They have in spite of intense opposition opened the hospitals to their sex, and by dint of hard study have obtained the degrees under the Medical Acts ; they have assailed the Cambridge University so successfully that women now not only obtain the pass degrees, but are so capable that they pass as Wranglers, and one has been admitted to have been equal to the senior wrangler. Such actions prove beyond doubt that women when placed on the same footing as men are quite equal, even if not unperior, to them. Does it then seem wise or fair to ask them to be content, in this colony, to act aa the Gideonites in politics, doing the dirty work of the dominant male, but denied any opportunity of moulding a policy in support of which they are exhorted to speak, to canvas and to toil? In. the United States the prinoiple of women suffrage has been conceded in twenty-three States, by giving them the right to 1 vote in school eleotions. In Madras female suffrage in its entirety has been grantedi In this colony we have accepted the right of women to vote for and sit as, members of County Councils, and Municipal Councils, yet we haggle over giving them a vote for a member of parliament ! If they are justified in having the right in ona case they ava in the latter. Women uu'ght have a difficulty in deciding how the oountry was to be opened up, or sewers formed, but she would have no difficulty in deciding whether a onudlcUfca for the House was a man > whoso pf'ivate oharacter promised that good and wholesome legislation would be -proposed. It is too long an undertaking now to point out the very many instances where women's > rights are trampled upon f o this day to suit the convenience of selfish man. We have men urging for a , statutory eight hours bill, who are content to, watch their wivea working fourteen. Every day can w« witness the success with which women manage farms and retail businesses, often not ; onl^ supporting their families and themselves,' but also a great lazy husband. We bow to the power of %omen each day we despatch* our children to the State school, where female teachers preponderate. A high authority states they are~u'niformly more successful and less addicted to punishing to male teachers. The Salvation Army has more prominently illustrated"tße usefulness of women in church work, though the American churches' have also secured their help. Women there have the opportunity of speaking in the Methodist, the Congregational, the Presbyterian and the Baptist churches. In our oolonial churches it is to the women the clergy turn when any extra assistance in raising funds is required. Whether women's votes will affect the position held by political parties is not, as Sir John Hall says, a matter to inquire. We should be just and fear not, adopt a right principle, and trust to Providence for the consequencies. The Governor of the State of Wyoming, in which female franchise has been in operation many years, reports, " We have better officers in consequence of woman-suffrage. . . . Th-j men know that if they put up can-

didates who are unworthy, if they nominate dissolute men, irresponsible or incompetent men, woman will certainly be at the polls with her veto in the form of the ballot." At present all Sir John Hall is asking for is that women shall be allowed a vote, and that they shall not be entitled to a seat in the House, for our part we should preier to see them placed on the same position as the male voter. '' ' for so w-"- " -- Asmng —««, tnere should have been no difficulty in getting it granted, but the Legislative Council threw the bill out on its second reading* We wish Sir John Hall better fortune this session, and wtfl conclude .our article by iJUoting the remarks of three well known English public men :— Mr Balfour has said " In my opinion, women could not with advantage, either to themselves or to the community, take part in the labours of a great legislative assembly like the present. That is a reason for not giving them a seat in this House, but that is not a reason for preventing them giving an opinion and a vote every four or five veai'Si" Doubtless women can make their influence felt in other ways than by voting," has said Mr Courtnay, " but the possession of the vote will increase that influence and' render parliament more responsive to woman's demands." Professor Bryce says "It is assumed that women are a class. Now women are not a class. Who are the women of this country? They are our mothers, Bisters, wives. They are not a class ; they are members of a class in which they have brothers, husbands, sons, and their interests are those of their brothers, husbands, sons."