The Portland daily press., 1888-12-06
A Home Question Ab,oad,

| Woman suffrage has become even greater
| question abroad than In america. This is
especially true in Frame and may not be
surprising, however, s1the French code is
so unjust to women nat reaction Is almost
inevitable. According to this code no French
woman can be : witness in a civil matter
other than birth registration. The law
presumes them to be generally unreliable.
A presumption so unjust operates of course
In fay3r of its victims, and it is not surpris-
ing 20 find hundred and sixty members of
the Chamber OF Deputies supporting bill to
give certain women limited suffrage. "If
women are competent to set up in trade on
their own account" subscribe these Deputies
In the preamble to their bill, why should
they not share all the prerogatives which rem
der the pursuit of business more easy to
tradesmen? Bearing the heavy charges and
responsibilities of shopkeepers, heads of
banks and directrices Of wholesale houses,
why should they not enjoy every privilege
arising from the competent discharge of their
rights? Is it fair, women being liable TO all the
penalties that attend bankruptcy, not to be
able to elect judges, whose function it would
be, If they failed In business, to declare them
bankrupt and order the liquidation of their
stock in trade? 1t would be easy to show
that women have discharged not only great
but the greatest part in the commercial bust
ness in France. This fact is one of the
reasons why French trade and commerce.
especially Partisan trade and commerce,
have wen so high name. The field of COM
mercial business is one peculiarly adapted to
the activity and habits Of economy of French
middle-class women. The recent creation of
technical schools for young girls promises to
enlarge greatly that field. French laws in
regard to women have been behind most
French institutions. The only law for femi-
nine emancipation which has passed in re-
cent years was that of 1881 to enable women
to invest In savings banks without the
authorization OF their husbands This. law
had the happiest effects, as all who have
taken the trouble of inquiring into its work
ings must know. 1t should also be remem-
bered that wherever women can earn fair
wages and invest them. there the family
principle is upheld and the family is kept
together. There is no stronger factor of
social conservation than the active money
earning woman To her honor be it said
that the proportion of trades women on the
rolls Of the Bankruptcy Court is the lowest.
Their exactness In meeting bills is proven
bal" The bill which the Deputies support
is very moderate one, merely allowing
women who are engaged in trade to vote at
the elections of judges of the Tribunal of
Commerce. This attitude of the Deputies of
France is not, however, one which the oppo-
nents OF women suffrage could condemn as
unreasonable. With an opinion expressed
recently by Lord Salisbury, the Prime Min
lister of England, they may on the other
RaAG hna ri %AH conservative leader Of the
Conservative party of conservative nation
Lord Salisbury took remarkably advanced
ground In recent speech at Edinburgh: 81
earnestly hope" said he. 1.-THE day is not far
distant when women also will bear their
share in voting for members in the political
world, and in determining the policy of the
country. 1 can conceive of no argument by
by which they are excluded. 1t is obvious
that they are abundantly as fit as many
who now possess suffrage, by knowledge. by
training and by character; and their influ-
ence is likely to weigh in direction which.
In an age so material as ours, is exceedingly
valuable, namely, in the direction of NOR
atty and religion" This utterance, far
more radical than the position of the Depu-
ties of France. does not however represent
public sentiment correspondingly advanced,
and Lord Salisbury would not probably wish
to go before the country with woman suf-
frage as part of his election programme.