The Interviewer

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 25, 16 September 1893, Page 7

The Interviewer

WOMEN AND THE VOTE. WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH IT ? The right o£ women to a political existence having been affirmed by the Legislature, we thought it would be worth white to obtain ior our readers the views of one of those most interested. A reporter accordingly waited a few 'days ago on a lady who has taken a pi’ominent part in the work of the local branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, an organisation with a world-wide membership, and asked the favour of an interview. This was readily granted by the lady, who was found—immersed in Lie perusal of Hansard debates and other equally cheerful literature ? Oh, dear no! On the contrary, she was engaged in one of those many varieties of needlework which do not interfere with the flow of conversation. But to my task. I suppose that the leaders of the women’s rights movement are elated at their success F Scarcely. Until the measure has actually received the Governor s assent we cf:nmt allow ourselves, after the way the Government have acted, to feel that we have won a victory. Do you anticip ite that the exercise of the privilege will interfere with domestic duties ? No. I believe it will lead to their being better carried out than at present, and will give my reasons for that conclusion. The constant anxiety for those they love caused by our present licensing laws muct hinder women from giving l full attention to domestic duties A wife can work far better for her home if she knows that her husband finds his greatest happiness at his own fireside. But when home is the place that sees the least of him she necessarily becomes more careless as to how it is looked after. In our own town, as elsewhere, thex-e are mothers in all classes of society fearing and trembling for the safety of their sons, and who long to be able to have a voice in bringing about reforms that will lessen the temptations to indulgence in drink. As to the loss of time, surely there would be less of that involved in quietly recording a vote at the ballot box once in three years than is now caused through wives having to wait —as ixx many cases they have —foxhours to get their husbands out of publie-houses to obtain the money required for household needs. There ax'e also many women Avho have to do work outside their homes owing to the drinking habits of the men. Of course I am assuming that the legislation resulting from the advent of women voters would lessen the temptations to drink. Do you object to the light being withheld till after the next elections Y Most certainly. If it would be right to give the vote then, it is right now. The matter has been discussed for years, and if people say they know nothing about it, then it is simply because they do not want to know. Then you think that women are prepared for the franchise P Well, I do not say that the great majority will vote, but at the same time I think that the greater proportion of those who do exereise the right will be thinkingwomen —those who thoroughly understand the responsibility and importance of what they are doing. It is asserted that the votes of the fair sex will go almost en bloc to the Conservative party. I consider those who hold that idea are utterly mistaken. The vote of the woman, as has been proved elsewhere, will go —without any consideration whatever of pax-ty —to the man that she believes will make the best laws in the interests of home and family. That is at the bottom of our desire to obtain the privilege. It is worthy of note that the very countries in which the demand for the franchise is strongest are those in which women are most devoted to their homes. In

Bx-itaiii and Amex-ica,. and in all English-speaking countries, this feature is more noticeable than in Continental lands. I notice that Miliussel). i-eferx-ing in a letter to the Times io what has taken place in America, says that- if the pra-yox-s of women have nob been able to close the public houses, their votes will never do it. He appears to approve of the praying but not of the voting, and ■"seems t-- b • ignorant o' : Lie fact that it is the same women who began the crusade with prayer- who ax-e now seeking t > obbain the Franchise. They are our leaders—-we follow in their steps, and work on the lines which they, after so many years experience, have found to be the best. The voting of women will simply be the crystallisation of their efFox-ts -—they xxxust have votes in order to hold the ground they have gained. It is ux-gud that women will be carried away by their emotions, and vote accordingly. There is nothing in the objection. They will not go stx-aight from a meeting to the ballot-box. They will have time to reflect. Our position is this —that the drink traffic blocks the way to many reforms, and until it is swept away these will be unattainable. Apart from this, however, the right to vote is asked fox- the sake of its educational effect. We hold that the privilege, with its consequent responsibilities, will tend to elevate woman, and raise her to a higher sphex-e than she now occupies. Take an ilhistx-atiou. If a man were told that he could never have a voice in public affairs, would that knowledge tend to make him better or wox-se —to elevate or loaa er him ? Will the right to vote not lead to a demand for further concessions ? As to that, I do not think a demand will be made for the right, say, to seats in the Legislature ; but that might be admitted before women asked fdr it, after the world has seen hoAV Ave exei'cise the franchise. The leaders of the movement —strange as some people may affect to consider this —feel that home duties come fix-st, and should not be subordinated to anything else. Our motto is—“ FoxGod, Home, and Humanity.” In this matter they simply follow God’s leading. Then there is no force in such designations as “ the shx-ieking sisterhood,” “political women,” etc? No. We resent such - texms most strongly. To whom do they apply ? If they are meant for oux- leadex-s we consider them, for the x-easons just stated, most unjust and misleading. You are doubtless aware that the Hon. Mr Feldwick is ex-edited Avitb saying that the idea of the extension of the franchise is abhorrent to many of the men of Tnvercai-gill, and I may say that he ‘has been asked by the local officers of olxr Union to give his reasons for making such a statement. We feel that we have been, and are being, utterly misx-epresented in certain qnartex-s. The movement in faA'our of the extension of the franchise is not confined to Noav Zealand ? Oh, no. It is being Avoi*ked for in Britain, America-, and Australia. In some of these countries tlxex-e are franchise leagues, and they tell us that they find, in Avhatever work they engage, that they have not much influence Avith public men owing to their being non-voters. We cannot understand Avhy men, and especially Christian men, should show any antagonism to the movement. It is perfectly Avell-known that Avhere the women possess the right to vote the best men are put into the public offices—in fact, it is useless for men of any other class to come forward. The Legislature of Wyoming, where women have been enfranchised, have, by resolution, recognised the benefits resulting- fx-om the female franchise. It is said that the Queen is against yon in this matter. Well, she should not be. After hex’ own experience, she is x-ather inconsistent, is she not P Nevertheless we are making headway. Women who, two or three years ago, would have scorned the idea, have joined

our ranks. Mr Gladstone is also reported to be one of your most determined opponents. Well (laughingly) I am not a great admirer of his, and his opinion would not carry much weight with me. But I do not wonder at elderly people taking alarm at the movement. It is difficult in old age to divest one’s self of the ideas and prejudices of a life-time. Then what is your opinion as to the general effect of the extension of the franchise ? I believe it will result in making women better companions for men than they are at present. They will work together better ; instead of each having separate interests, they will have more in common. It will tend to settle the marriage question, because women will bo less likely to marry merely to secure homes when they occupy their rightful position in the world. With regard to the industrial aspect of the question, do you not fear that the new order of things will lead to “ sweating.” No; on the contrary, we hope to see things put on a better footing in that respect. Matters will be better equalised. Those occupations most fitted for women will be occupied by them. The strain of supporting *a family of grown-up daughters should not bear so heavily on the head of a household as it does now. At present there are few occupations open to educated girls, and the father too often has to remain at work long after he should have retired and left the field open to younger men. With more avenues of employmeut for young women the heads of families would he relieved, and with a wider range of choice girls would be able to avoid coming into competition with men and be in a position to refuse underpaid work. The wages of men would not be lowered, and the labour would be more equally divided than is now the case. The recognition of women’s rights in these matters would eventually be to the advantage of the men. You have incidentally referred to the marriage question. If marriage is, as alleged, less popular than formerly, to what do you attribute it P It is partly due, as has been frequently pointed out, to the habit we have of striving to “ keep up appearances.” Young people too often wish to begin where their parents left off—to set up house on the scale that they have been accustomed to in their own homes. They are unwilling to undergo the self-denial aud practise the thrift that have enabled the old people to reach a good position. After some further conversation as to the objects of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which is now so well organised that its members in widely separated countries are in thorough sympathy on every question affecting their work, which deals with a wide range of sub j ects, its local representative said—We want to disabuse the public mind of the idea that the movement is promoted by women who are anxious for excitement and popularity. Its advocates are the women who have thought most deeply on the problems of the day, and who look to the franchise as a means of helping them to secure much-needed reforms. If we did not believe that there is a God who hears and answers prayer we should have given up long ago. We have had opposition from quarters where we never dreamed of it. It is not a pleasant thing to have to beg for what we regard as our right; still less so to have the reasonableness of our request denied. At present we are seeking the franchise, but when that is conceded our work will not be ended, for “Dreams that were sweet at eve, at noon were sin, With foes to conquer and a goal to win.”