The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, JULY 14 1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2964, 14 July 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, JULY 14 1891.

lv.ju.il ,uhl exact justice to all men, l>l whatsoever s-taLc or persuasion, religious or Loliiir.il.

A i.Ai:GKr.Y-.vxri:.vni:i) meeting was hold in Duncdin on 1,1I ,1 rid ay last of those favourable) to tho granting of franchise to wouioii. Thn telegram announcing tho fact adds that Sir li. J-'toiit, Mr J'ownio .Stewart and a luiuiljor of leading meu were present. A rosjlutiou was carried unanimously in favour of granting woinou equal rights with men in deciding social aud political questions. This was a very proper proceeding, and tin example has boon set which should be followed in other centres of population. Tho proposed departure from tho customs of our ancostors in treating women as inferior to mou, and as having no claim or ability to judge of political questions is momentous, and pregnant with many points which demand most sorious consideration. Tho lV;t is -'I'lf-appii-rent that, women ai-.i iMjii.-illy wit.li iiii'ii ini <>vcsl c! in 'ha pulicy pursu.'.l iiTid Ino l.i ■>'.■;< "-nai-fi'd. by Parliaiacil' : tlp'lr rail only I Ih-Wovc. !),• uiii , ti'iiab!-' iv:is !)i why • hi■ y -.imiiM mc! liavi' a v.iii'O in j I !i.i ;-I'':'Mmii ,if i-:.pr- ■;■ n'a: i

t J 1; 1 i :ln.'\ aiv, a-- a im.iy. either Idi) ilM;ip:;iil ■ ten i;;di ii'eivilt to In! likrlv to csi-KM.ii'. I in , |>'mV<t in a ?■ i-111!i<-j' c.i!i■;■!.!■ iml iii lii-n-'iil. I iio;n-.-•!ves and the S'a',.'. W-- h.-li-.'\n Ilia! 11-il.li"! , cil' !';i--i> ulij.-c! i'lti -■ c.iii !)'• ] lgically in lini.iiiii-d. It is 11 11.- ; li:i! :lt ill: , |.iv-<i*m! I iui- , rn--iu;u pii.-Uibi'.o lii'.-ii any

artivo p;trt in discussing public ([uostions, neither has t.lio sox, fis a b<xly, hitlu'ito devoted much uttoutiou to the consideration of political ([uo.stioii.-,. It is equally truo that MHiio of those who occupy tho front rank as rogards education and ability have from time to time written very forcibly and lo<_'ii:ally on social questions more immediately afflicting their sox, but tlio majority of wonicm have stood aloof and boon only too aptto siioer at. their more advuueed sisters for interfering in matters which, in their opinion, their innato delicacy should have prevented their .'lilucling to at all. This, to our mind, has boen an injustico, and evidences want of ability to approciato the position. We ma)' ask— If women are not to speak or writo of women's wrongs, what probability is there that they will bo remedied ns far as may bo by means of legislation ? That women «ro equally, if not more, capable of appreciating the merits of social questions than the malo voter can hardly bo disputed, there is no reason therefore why they should not be granted tho political power to deal with thorn according to their lights. It may bo perfectly true that they have not thought on public finance and other abstruso questions which have to bo decidod by a free people at the ballot-box. Admitting the fact, must not this deficiency be to a largo extent attributed to the fact of their not possessing any direct powor to iniluenco tho courso of events, aud as a result tho study of these questious looked upon as fruitloss aud consequently a wasto of time. Aftor all tho voters only givo effect to the opinions of their leaders and the Press, who ventilate the questions to bo dealt with and lay all tho arguments at their disposal to convinco them that their viow of the matter under consideration is the right one. Juries are not learned in tho law, to them is rightly left tho dncisious as to facts and probabilities. Council on each side comment on the evidonco and tho judgo calmly points out tho weakness or strougth of their propositions. Notwithstanding this tho twelve good and true subjects of Hor Majesty often arrive at absurd conclusions. Iα like manner do tho malo eloctors, mainly lor tho reason that they entoi upon the consideration of the questions of tho hour with prejudiced minds, refuse to listcu to tho arguments against their prc-conceived notions. We beliovo that tho granting of the franchise would load women to give more careful consideration to the facts and the reasoning thereon which should regulate their conduct on the day of election than do a very large proportion who vote at the present time. Voters very much resemble a flock of sheep when being drafted, if one jumps at a particular place, all which follow do the same. If a few voters cheer a speaker or applaud an article in the Press many others do the same, without clearly understanding the merits of either. Such being the characteriscics of the male voters, is it within the range of probability that women would exemse tho franchise with less intelligence and justice? Woman is equally conscientious as man, if granted tho right. It is therefore fair to presume that she would equally with him strive to master the questions involved in order to record an iutolligent vote, and that she would appreciate quite as keenly tho fact that her own welfare and that of tho country depends upon her doing so. Our public school systom guarantees that our women shall have the same educational advantages as the men, and results show that they are quite equal to them in the ability to digest the knowledge inculcatod. What nioro unanswerable argument than this for granting them equal power to guide the destinies of thoir country. Tho question will havo to be decided by this Parliament, probably not finally during this session, but most cortainly during tho next. Mon of all shades of political opinion are in favour of the measure. There is Sir John Hall at one end and Sir Eobert Stout at tho other, both probably favour it, to some extent from party political notions, believing that tho addition of the names of women to the electoral rolls would favour tho enforcement of their views, but both must feel that as a matter of abstract justice it ought to becomo law. Opinions may reasonably differ as to whether women should be elegible for election, this for physical rathor than mental or moral reasons. It would bo a feather in the cap of thu New Zealand legislature if it took the initiative by sweeping away one of the romuants of a state of barbarism, when women wore treated simply as toys to amuse their lords in their timca of leisure aud givo heirs to thoir estates, or, in u lower stratum of society, to bo treated as little better than'boasts of burden.