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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 216, 31 January 1913, Page 4

Wigs are literally on the green at Home in consequence of the withdrawal of the Franchise Bill, if we may judge from the. somewhat desultory cablegrams that we are receiving upon the subject. The militant suffragists, who stayed their hand during the discussion of the Bill, are evidently, like the Red Federationists, out for blood. The withdrawal of the Bill may have been forced upon Mr. Asquith by the unexpected ruling of the Speaker regarding the effect of an amendment extending the suffrage to women, but the suffragettes really have some ground for believing that theyhave been treated badly in the matter. They wore assured more than a year a-go by the Prime Minister himself that the House of Commons would be given an opportunity to vote upon their claim, and now they find themselves disappointed through a technicality, which •probably would have been foreseen by the ■iiutlibrities- in Parliamentary procedure if any preliminary enquiries had been made. They are told now that they must wait until next year, and then be content with a Bill introduced by a private member, who may fare as badly as private members usually do when Government business is waiting to be transacted. Inevitably the result of what has occurred will be another outbreak of militancy, and already, according to a cablegram, Mrs. Pankhurst has "called for volunteers for a secret and gallant onslaught." Miss Annie Kelly, another prominent figure among the "rebels," has said that the lives of the public will be "made impossible." While nervous people are watching for the new development of the militant campaign, the Liberal and Labor electors will be asking anxiously if the next general election is to be fought under the old conditions. Mr. Asquith says that he will proceed with electoral reform, doubtless by means of a new Bill, during the present Parliament, but in order to get his measure on the Statute Book under the provisions of the Parliament Act he must pass it this year, since the Peers are practically certain to oppose it obstinately. If they rejected it for the first time next year, the dissolution, which must take place later than ! he end'of 1915, would occur before the bill could become law by direct reference to the Crown.. The suffragettes will have their revenge on an apathetic democracy if the withdrawal of Mr. Asquith's Bill in connection with a woman's suffrage amendment has the effect of postponing electoral reform for four or five years. In the meantime the suffragettes would be well advised if they adopted a somewhat less aggressive policy. The destruction of public property is more likely to alienate sympathy than to secure it. and a system of moral suasion would be infinitely fairer and more likely to win success. The women deserve a vote, and ought to have a vote; and they would probably got one if it were made a condition that a conviction for militant; suffragency should disfranchise the individual convicted.

THE FRANCHISE BILL.