The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-06
WOMAN'S RIGHTS IN GREAT |
BRITAIN


parted from their usual custom in showing
greater favor TO the womans rights idea than
il has received in the United States. Here
tofore they have been content to follow in
the wake Of America in reforms, but on this
question they seem inclined to assume the
leadership. On the 4th instant the House of
Commons passed to a second reading, by a
vote of 124 to 81, amid enthusiastic cheering,
a bill removing the disabilities of women
with regard to voting; and this action indi-
Gates that the right of suffrage will be ex-
tended to the gentler sex in Great Britain
long before the sixteenth amendment
is ratified in this country. Various circum-
stances have conspired to give
greater degree of strength to this
proposition on the other side of the water
than it has attained here. In England the
right to vote has always been associated with
property qualification. If a man was poor
he could not vote at all, and if he was a rich
landed proprietor he could control the suf-
frages of all his tenants. From this stand
point female suffrage can be strongly advo-
Gated, and the main arguments in its favor
adduced in the House of Commons were that
it was unjust to exclude rich women, like
Miss Coutts, from the polls, or to deny to
women with immense incomes q privilege
which was accorded to their servants. This
is an essentially aristocratio view of the
subject, and it differs radically from the
American idea which bases the right of suf
frage on manhood, and ignores all property
qualifications, so that the favorite British
womans right argument possesses no force
whatever in this country. Another cause of
the recent action of the House of Commons
will probably be found in the earnest and
serious manner in which an extension of the
right of suffrage to women has been advo-
Gated by such writer's as ]. Stuart Mill, and
in the eager desire to vote which appears to
animate many British women, if we may
Judge from the fact that 1OO,O 900 signatures
were appended to their petition. The
English mode of electioneering and the
social Importance attached to political posi-
tions in England, have always excited deep
interest in elections among large number of
British ladies' and have thus furnished a
motive for their petition which can scarcely be
said to exist here. Despite the late vote,
however, the success of the new movement
is not yet, by any means, secured. The
London Times has opened its batteries against
it, and motion for the rejection of the bill
has already been offered. Meanwhile, if the
British women need help to fight their battle,
we can very well afford to spare the woman's
rights agitators of this country, and if they
will 90 over to London to poster Parliament,
instead of continuing their oratorical demon
strations in this country, the American public
I-c- IL az ~ l.
their temporary absence.
A CORRESPONDENT OF lie Temps, writing from the
Hague, communicates very unpleasant news he an
nounces the resurrection Of the temporarily
Luxembourg question. He is very sorry for men,
toning such thing, he apologies beforehand; but
there be no doubt about it. Local manifestations
have taken place, some In favor OF annexation to
Belgium. others in favor OF annexation to France
none in favor OF annexation to Prussia; and these
manifestations, and the depressed condition of the
Grand Duchy to which they have called attention,
have been made the subject OF diplomatic notes,
though from whom and to whom the correspondent
sayeth not The result OF the London Conference
was to reduce Luxembourg to the position OF in
ternational buffer; and Luxembourg is, in fact,
crushed on all sides, The town OF Luxembourg,
moreover, has been ruined by the with
drawa OF three or four thousand men
who compose the Prussian garrison, whom, it will
bo remembered the honest Luxembourgers wished
to see replaced by the troops OF no matter what
nation provided emily that troops of some kind, with
pay to receive and provisions TO buy, were sent to
them. AT present, as during the crisis the Luxem-
bourgers wish to be annexed either to France or to
Belgium but France will not allow them to become
Belgian, while Prussia will not hear OF their be-
coming French. The King OF Holland, now here
tofore s quite willing to part with his duchy for
consideration; but to whichever Of the surrounding
powers he may offer 1t, there are other powers TO
say nothing Of the Treaty OF London) to forbid the
sale. In the meanwhile lie Temps assures that
we are about to hear further propositions and dis
cussons on this subject We hope not.
FEMALE PHYSICIANS IN RussIA.-It is stated tn at
the Russian Government has announced that women
will hereafter admitted to medical schools and to
medical practice The origin OF this concession is
remarkable. Formerly 1t was found that the Cos
sacks objected to being attended by ma physicians.
On investigation it discovered that they held
superstition concerning all diseases, and that their
only ideas OF remedial agents related to the incanta
tions charms, and holy herbs administered by
witches For ages the witch had been their physi-
clan, and the tradition was so strong that few
years ago, when some ladies applied to the Govern
ment for admission to the chief school OF St. Peters
burg, few OF them admitted on condition that
they would pursue their practice among the Cos
sacks. 1t was evidently intended to supersede the
"witches." AS the measure did not bring about any
seems to have been followed by larger and Llore
unconditional concession.