The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-07

up. The chief aim OF this measure was 60
to amend the present unequal law OF d.
vorce as to mako 1t bear with equal press
ure upon both sexes. The present law
gives husband the privilege OF inhdelity
under, specified conditions. while still re-
tanning legal hold over his wife. II wo-
man. on the other hand. commit single
act Of infldelity. she may be divorced.
Here plainly Is law In which women have
an equal interest with men. yet which. be-
Ing the creation OF Parliaments In which
women have no representation. bears une-
Qually on the two sexes. II women had
the franchise they would revise this law.
We come now to the last and weightiest
OF Mr.. GLADsToNE's arguments. that. name
ly. which rests upon the physical and there
fore ineradlcable difference between men
and women. Women are by comparison
physically weak. and consequently they
must be DISTINGUISHED. because In the last
analysis government must rest on force.
Such is Mr.. GLADsToNE's position. and he
ianOt by any means the only man OF mark
who occupies 1t. Mr.. GOODWIN SMITH has
said: The law. after all. though the fact
may be rough and unwelcome. rests at bot
force Of the community is male. No woman
can imagine that her sex can execute. or. In
case Of rebellion. reHssert the law; for that
they must look entirely to mcn." Even
JOHN STUART MILL. tho great champion OF
womsn's suffrage. has pointed out that
1.-THE justification OF an instruction de-
ponds upon the prospects OF its success"
That Is to say. IN instruction OF major
ity OF males against Government con-
trolled by majority Of females would DO
justified by the promise Of victory. Con-
sidering this aspect OF the question. cor
respondent Of the Pail Mall Gazette inquiries
what would happen II In France men and
women were politically equal. and an ap-
peal were made to tho country upon the
question OF clerical monarchy vs.. IN nnti-
clerical republic2 He assumes that ct such
o crisis 1000. 900 females would combine with
100000 males to impose clerical Govern
mcnt against the wishes Of 100000 males
associated with 5000. 900 females. Is 1t to DO
supposed. he asks. that the 100000 males
would submit to tho dictation OF 40OO. 1000?
He replies In the negative. avcrring that a
revolt would be inevitable. and that tho
first net Of the restored male Government
cal privilege.
1t will not do to press this argument from
brute force too far. 1t may easily be made
to prove too much. Pushed to its logical
extremity. it would withhold the suffrage.
not only from women. but from oil males
who had passed the military age. 1t is quite
conceivable that. II the question were put
whether given country should so to war.
by far the largest fraction OF the affirmative
majority might be contributed by mon
whose age would relieve them from tho
burdens OF military service. Such would
probably have been the result could the vote
OF France have been fairly polled at any
period Of the Napoleonic wars. Does 1t fol-
low that the numerical minority would or
could rebel? Manifestly not. because the
numerical majority. although relatively
disabled In respect Of youth and strength.
would have In its hands all the machinery
OF government, the army and navy. the po-
lice and the courts OF justice. In the excep-
tional case. then-and all admit that 1t
would be an exception-where q considera-
BILE majority OF females should be upon one
side. and majority Of males upon the
other, there would BIO no moro danger Of
revolution than there Is now at the rare
junctures when o majority Of the young
and able-bodied men find themselves ar
rayed at the ballot box against a majority
Of those who have passed the military age
Men do not fight against their fathers and
elder brothers because the latter have out
voted them: and they would not fight. we
may be sure. on such provocation against
their elder sisters and their mothers.