The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-01
Woman Suffrage in Great Britain.

One OF tho most important incidents con-
nected with the movement for the emanci-
patton Of women was the vote last week in
the House OF Commons on the Woman's Suf-
frage bill moved by Sir ALBERT RoLLrrr.
The tact that this measure was defeated by
only 20 votes is surprising when we consider
that it was unsatisfactory to many female
advocates Of the principle. and was opposed
by Mr.. GLADSTONE, not only In Parliament.
but in n lately published pamphlet.
The bill in question proposed to confer
tho Parliamentary franchise only on IN
married women. AS there are no obvious
reasons for supposing the intended bene-
flciaries OF the measure to be better quail
fled to vote than their married sisters while
there arc some reasons for assuming the
contrary. tho bill naturally provoked q
great deal OF criticism among the members
OF the sex interested. In several meetings
held in London Sir ALBERT RoLLTrr was
denounced In terms which showed that fe-
male politicians would be adopts in the use
OF vituperative rhetoric. Tho Primrose
League. most Of whose principal promoters
are married ladies, was shocked at the no.
ton that women who had never proved
their capacity to control a household should
be deemed particularly competent to deal
with public affairs. Nevertheless, there
was prevailing willingness to accept the
RoLLIrT bill as an installment OF the reform
demanded, and 1t does not appear that
single vote was lost on the division-unless
it was that OF Lord RANDOLPH CHURCHILL
by reason OF the purposed exclusion Of
married women. The defeat OF the woman
sufrragists is no doubt directly traceabe to
Mr.. GLADSTONE. who must therefore expect
to have tho female reformers against him
In the coming general election.
An analysis OF the vote shows that the
controversy did not turn On party lines
Such leading Tories as Sir MICHAEL HICKS
BEACH and Mr.. CHAPLIN opposed the bill.
but Mr.. BALFoUR favored it and appar-
emily carried with him q majority of the
Conservatives. Sir WILLIAM HARcoURr.
Mr.. LABoUCHERE. and Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
were arrayed with Mr.. GLADSTONE against
the measure, and SO it seems were most OF
the Irish Nationulists. On tho other hand,
a strong Liberal minority supported the
RoLLrrr proposal. 50 strong that the re-
formers look forward with confidence to
attaining their object In the next House of
Commons. Their belief is that Mr. BAL
FOUR will then carry with him larger pro-
portion OF the Conservatives than he did
last week. and that the number of their
allies among the Liberals will be materially
increased. The bill. however, which will
then be brought forward. will be of wider
scope. making no discrimination between
the married and the unmarried and bestow-
ing tho suffrage upon adult women on
terms identical with those imposed In the
case of adult males.
1t is an interesting coincidence that the
English female suifragists should have re-
Gently lost the support Of two influential
men. Mr.. GLADSTONE aud Mr. HERBERT
SPENCER. both OF whom were formerly re-
Earded US friendly TO their cause. Mr..
SPENCER. indeed. nj one time expressed in
print opinions favorable to the political
equality of women. Those opinions. how
ever, he recanted in lately published work,
aud set forth at length his reasons for be-
licvinE that women should not he intrusted
with the ballot in the existing conditions OF
society. Ne does not conflne himself to tho
familiar argument that they who vote must
In the last resort DO prepared to fight. He
contends that. even II female voters are
placed In tho same category as adult male
voters who have passed tho military age.
there are special grounds on which their
influence in Legislation is to be deprecated.
One OF their most amlable weaknesses.
their propensity to compassion. might. he
thinks. have grievous conseQuences In Par
Lament and In the court room. that Ia to
say, both in the framing and In the enforce