The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-27
Women and Agnosticism.

OF late tho wind OF opinion has been blow
ing hot and cold on the advocates OF what
Is termed woman's emancipation. On the
ono hand. some influential politicians have
evinced willingness to favor their aspira-
tions. while. on the other hand. representa-
tives OF advanced schools OF thought are
setting their faces like nints against them.
Sir GEORGE GREY. ex-Premier OF New Zea-
land. has gravely proposed the abolition OF
the Upper House in the Legislature Of that
colony and tho substitution of G chamber
composed exclusively Of women. What Is
much more to the purpose, Lord SALISBURY
has avowed publicly his conversion to the
belief that tho Parliamentary franchise
should no longer be denied to women In the
United Kingdom. where they already pos
scss tho right Of voting In certain local cleo
lions. Unfortunately. statesmen or men of
affairs are usually generation behind the
authoritative eXpounders OF social and eco
nomical philosophy. and 1t Is therefore the
thinkers Of to-day In whose convictions may
boSt BIO forecast tho legislation OF to-mor-
row. Now the trend OF philosophical opin-
Ion In England has undergone sharp d.
vcrgcncc since the theory Of womans rights
WINS supposed to have the sanction
not only OF JOHN STrAnT MILL. hut
also Of Mr.. HERBERT SPENCER. In his
lately published work on Justice"
the author OF Synthetic Philosophy" has
recantcd his former views upon the sub
joct OF woman's equality with man. and
still more recently Mr.. Frederic HARRI.
SON. tho chief English disciple OF CoMTs,
has abjured In the plainest terms tho notion
that womans sphere will be made Identical
with man 9 in an agnOstlc or scientific state.
Tho dospairlng cutlery Et tn. Brute" may
well rise to the lips OF the emancipated as
they see their cause thus treacheroualy
dealt with In tho house which they i'm
agined was q friends.
In respect even OF the equality of tho
sexes before the law. Mr.. SPENCER ia OF the
opinion that the concessions to women hayo
gone quito for enough. and that In England
and In tho United States there Ia moro noed
OF retrOgression than OF advance In pressing
tho claims OF women as regards their domes-
tic relations to mon. Passing to the qucs-
ton whether thcy should have equal polih-
cal rights. he signifies a willingness to let
them vote In municipal elections. On both
moral and intellectual grounds. however.
he Is opposed to tho bestowa of tho parlia-
mentary franchise upon women. He does
not. In other words. deem them qualified to
discharge tho functions OF legislators. In tho
first place. he pronounccs 1t obviously In
equitable tint thoy should have the right
OF making laws in a country which. even
corcciyably. might he subjected TO invasion
and has normally To maintliu mil
itary and naval force. For, unlike men,
they cannot In tho last resort be called
upon to take up arms. and thus discharge
tho suprame duty OF citizen by shedding
their life blood for the national defence.
Waving however. tho broad distinction
which on this ground ought to be drawn
between tho militant and the industrial So
c!cties. Mr.. SPENCER Insists that even
in tho la5t-named communities women
should not DO admitted to share
in legislation. Hs bascs this concl,l-
sion ON recognition Of what women are
and no, OF what they might 10 uader some