New-York tribune., 1890-06-01
SHOULD WOMEN RULEi
NJ. DE CASTE EXPLAINS HIS SCHEME OF
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION.

rRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE,
Paris, May ls.
The woman question is being brought before
the Chamber by NJ de Caste, Deputy for Finis-
terre NJ de Caste is a hale old Breton of eighty.
two wears He nailed his colors to the Republican
mast under Charles when he was youth,
never hinchcd in defending them, and is univer.
sally respected He has been in Parliament since
1871. and is one of the most obstinate of men,
Fortunately his obstinacy is well directed. IL he
believes himself in the right he does not mind
being alone or not having the ear Of the Chamber
So much the worse-not for him, but for those
who do not listen to him. NJ de Caste has taken
up many causes forlorn hopes. Most Of them
succeeded He is persuaded that the woman ques
ton will be victorious in France, though not so
soon as in the United States and Great Britain.
" de Caste proposes to change the political status
of the fair sex through revision OF the existing
Constitution, TO which he was never favorable.
For some years he has been studying the English
and American constitutions, and thinks mat much
could be- advantageously for France, taken from
both But what he likes best in the British sys-
TEN is that it sanctions government under the
sceptrc of a woman. NJ de Caste has searched
diligently 10 ascertain how British queens gov.
erned, and has arrived at the conclusion that they
were preferable to Kings, with the exception Of
Mary l. who Inherited the neuross OF the family
of her grandmother, Isabella OF CastlIe and
showed it in religious fanaticism. But let ~ lie
Caste speak for himself.
This champion of equal rights is the head Of
an old and wealthy family. lie is short, broad
shouldercd. and has snowy head Of hair and
beard but the freshness OF his spirit shows itself
in the brightness of his eyes, the fire Of which,
were he 10 live to hundred, death only could
quench He was seated before a desktable, on
which were piled books, blue-bools, manuscripts
and letters ! spoke of the quantity Of pubica-
tions he had aboht him. Yes, he said: my
favorite question has been for forty years that
of equal rights. During that time have been
searching in all countries where women were IN
public spheres Of activity. have learned TO read
Spanish, English and German with the aid now
and then Of dictionaries. and am more satisfied
than ever that the worth is in the bad state in
which it is because in most Of its countries
women still are not emancipated. America and
England are the most progressive states, and |
think England may run past, for bit, the
United States the British have Queen, and
the Americans do not seem likely 10 have
woman President The British have women
County Councillors. and. 10 judge from the III
visions in the House Of Commons, are likely soon
10 have women Members OF Parliament.
But interrupted, It's long time since
Great Britain first had Queen
Certainly. it's a long way back. But was il;
not creditable 70 the English people in centuries
Of violence 10 have stuck to the order Of Royal
succession through which Elizabeth, Mary II,
Anne and Victoria have ruled over them? The
French have had Queen-mothers as Regents
They were better than Kings. lsabcau Of
Bavaria is treated an enemy Of France for en-
deavorinc 10 secure the French throne for her
daughter katherine and Henry V. That was
splendid move Of hers for France II would have
brought the British Court to Paris and Tie British
Isles within the sphere of French influence.
What could not the United Kingdom Of France
and Great Britain have done? They would have
civilized long ago all the rest Of the world.
NJ de Caste then instanced the vast strides
made by Russia under four successive Clarlnas
from barbarism TO relative civilization. " But
/ observed. the levity of women is objected 70
10y those who contend that they are not fit to
lcgislate | have heard it said that on the sell
ing-oG days at the Louvre and Bon Marche EN-
porums all the ladies' benches in the Senate and
Chamber would be empty If your scheme OF con-
stltutlonal revision were accepted.
90 My answer. said VI. de taste IS mat women
II tie rich and idle class are not such fools as
men who live 10 be- amused. Are not tencheS
deserted when the Autcuil races are going on?
The Chantilly Derby and the PriN de Paris are
run for on sunday. II they were run for on
weekdays the Chamber would ~ nearly empted
20 see them But | should guard against the
lcvity OF Youth by allowing no lady or gentle
man into Parliament under the age of forty Nature
gives an education of suffering - women that
She does not give 10 men. The ordinary woman
of forty il higher IN morality, feeling ana good
sense than the average man OF forty. She IS
alive 10 the higher laws of the universe ana re'er-
cucrS them. Hence her pleiv.
Another consideration. The world IS SICK OF
war \ Parliament made mp equally OF men ana
wo\eu would be better guarantee against
military policy th0n purely masculine one.
What is. prcc'seiy, your scheme ior cohSu'u'
tional revision - a.,
That the senate be reduced from 800 to goo.
and the Chamber 80 400; thar the seats IN potn
h, paunllv given to men and women over forty;
thaf a> I'm the United States. no member OF the
senate can fill any salaried public office that she
President Of the Republic ~ elected Tor hNe
wears hy DELEGATES OF all electors. and he replaced
II lie die retire or mad within ms term Oh
office by a Vice President and that. hnally, women
De eligible for the Presidency or Nlre-Pre>ldency
" Do Won expect your bill will pass D"
Not i'm my time. Bat ! believe IN a very
fcw ycar, Won will see the Equal Rights platform
,riu,nnbout in France | have been studying me
t.tistic. Of crime for lSSS. There were then
,cven times more male than female criminal : taken
os n whole and thc thefts by male domestic
servants rs COMPARED with those by female were m
,hc nroportion of l27 20 10. YET women servants
are infinitely more numerous than men servants
''' &c.