Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-04
STATUS OF A POPULAR DEBATE III
ENGLAND,

The agitation of the chief politico-
social question in England has assumed a
curious, not to say an amusing phase.
We have already noted the remarkable
vote in Parliament of ll6 ayes to l32 noes
on the proposition TO extend the Parlia-
mentary franchise to women, who would,
if they were men, under the qualifications
for it's exercise, be privileged to vote.
Thus, where a single woman was bur
rough rate payer, she would be qualified
as if she were of the male sex and a rate
paper. On its face the common justice of
this proposition would seem to be undeni-
able, as it is simply question of repre-
sentation. But we must remember that
prejudices in England are as strong as with
US, and that while woman in that country
has greater strength in Parliament on a
test vote by far than she has in the Amer
lean Congress, yet in fact woman suffrage
has really made greater advancement, and
womsn's admission to political and equal
rights with man has been more favorabiy
received, with us than in England. This
ia due, in part. to our system of inde-
pendent State Governments. Now the
proposition referred to, and which called
forth go close Parliamentary vote, has
caused division among the friends of
woman's cause. In that country this
cause has engaged some of the best intel
lects of the nation, and it has as fair rep.
resentation from all walks and classes in
reputable life as any other reform measure
before the country. tits reform there of
long growth and slow processes, but in all
its history there has been no step backward,
though it has suffered by the detection of
some prominent statesmen. The peculiar
division within its ranks referred to arises
out of the proposition voted on in July. 1t
was by one class held that the scheme
would give the privilege to only single
women, and to this the married women
demurred. The spinsters, who as such
would be favored by the measure, were
indignant that under the Act they would
be cut off on marrying, and now those who
hold that married woman is represented
sufficiently through her husbands vote are
not afraid to give voice to this prejudice,
and add to it the argument that to admit
married women to the privilege may seri-
ously divide households, and may tend to
disrupt domestic relations. In England
married women within year have, by Act
of Parliament, been secured in the right to
control, independent of coverture, their
own property, such as they acquire by
their own industry, or as comes to them
by gift or devise. Now, ask these women,
elf as spinsters we may be enfran-
chised because of property posses
sions, why should we be deprived
of direct representation because
of marriage?" And to this question there
cannot be made any fnll and complete an.
swer, for the logic of the argument bears
but the married woman's claim. But it is
as yet impossible to bring the Englishman
up to point when he can look beyond his
strong prejudices agsinst extending the
Parliamentary franchise to the wife, al
though he is perfectly willing to admit it
to the widow and the maiden. In this
condition of things, with the advocates of
the women themselves at cross purposes,
there is some probability of the cause tax
ing harm. Notwithstanding the Parlia-
mentary defeat OF the measure referred TO,
the debate daily grows warmer, and its
spirit loses nothing of vigar as it pro-
crosses. But still the student OF modern
history and political progress and the in
situations of Governments, will find in the
present situation OF the woman suffrage
question in England evidences pointing to
its ultimate triumph. And this must have
an important influence upon the broader
question of similar character in America.