The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-07
Mr.. Gladstone's Pamphlet ON tho Wo-
man Question.


man Question.
Now that We know the exact purport OF
Mr.. GLADsToNE's pamphlet, we can see
that his opposition to female suffrage Is not
provisional. but final. He does. indeed.
point out some immediate obstacles. such
as the proposed bestowal of the franchise
only upon householders and the exclusion
OF hundreds Of thousands OF dodgers; such
again Us the discrimination between mar
ried and unmarried women, as II a mistress
Of q household had q smaller stake in the
community. He maintains. too. that the
great majority Of women have as yet given
no indication Of desire to vote. for the
reason. probably. that they obtain every
thing they want from Legislation conducted
under existing conditions. Mr.. GLAD
STONE, however. does not rest his case upon
these objections. He AYERS that there is an
Interchangeable difference OF social functions
between the sexes. that this difference Is
part Of the structure Of things. that it does
not rest upon custom or convention. or any
action of the stronger sex. but upon causes
not flexible and elastic. like most mental
qualities. but physical and In their nature
Interchangeable. OF course. II this argument
40 oOuuSAp AZ 40 oOSAoANOb uhS NAA pioNo 40
efTectual barrier against woman suffrage
q century hence as it does now.
1t is true that the RoLL1T bill discrim-
mated against women generally as COM
pared with men. and against married
women as compared with the unmarried.
Instead Of enforcing the political equality
of the sexes and consequently comforting
tho franchise upon those women as well as
those men who live In lodgings. 1t confined
tho privilege to women who are house,
holders. It also restricted the right Of
voting to spinsters and widows otherwise
qualified. But, from tho viewpoint of ex-
pediency. thcre was reason for these lin
itations; they are prescribed already for
the women permitted to vote In county and
town elections. The purpose Of the RoLLIT
bill was simply to avoid the imputation OF
taking a step in the dark by giving the
Parliamentary franchise to class OF
women who had already shown themselves
competent to exercise the municipal and
county franchise. Almost all the members
OF Parliament who voted for the bill. and
almost all OF Its supporters in the commu-
nifty at large. declared that they regarded
1t only as an installment Of O rightful re-
form. and expressed the conviction that It's
passage would be speedily followed by
more liberal concessions. So much for the
first Of Mr.. GLADsToNE's arguments.
1t Is true enough that a majority OF the
women Of Great Britain have not yet signi-
fled In clear and peremptory way wish
to enjoy the suffrage. The Women's Liberal
Association Is divided on the question. Tho
newspaper called Woman expresses the
hope that the privilege OF voting will not be
granted until those whom 1t Is intended to
benefit are ready for It, That journal holds
with Mr.. GLADSTONE that such Is not yet
the case. and AYERS that the average woman
cares as yet not one jot about the franchise
To this 1t may be answered thst every great
reform Is the work OF an Intelligent. for
sighted. and jealous minority The over
throw Of CHARLES l., tho English revolution
OF 1888. and even the French revolution were
tho triumphs Of minority. 1t is probable
that. had the wishes OF the Thirteen Colo
MES been tested by secret ballot In ITO. tho
Declaration OF Independence would not
have met with approval. 1t Is improbable
that majority Of any DISTINGUISHED class.
unless goaded to rebellion by intolerable
outrages. has ever made an earnest attempt
at emancipation. 1t would BIO absurd to
speak Of women suffering intolerable op-
preston under the existing political system
Of Great Britain. It Is not true. however.
that they do not undergo discrimination.
or that they have reason to be perfectly
satisfied with the outcome OF the legislation
In which they take no part. On tho very
day before that on which the RoLLIT bill
was beaten DR.. HUNTERS Divorce bill came