New-York tribune., 1910-05-09
in the family circle, and has noted that

in the family circle, and has noted that
In the working classes the theory that
women should vote equally with men is
generally popular. According to Marcel
| Provost, the newly elected Academician,
who is supposed TO have fathomed the
feminine mind more profoundly than any
other modern writer oe fiction. thinks
women should be eligible to parliament
| but should not be allowed to vote at
parliamentary elections. There is quite
g number Of French women, he thinks,
whose intellectual attainments fit them
| in the highest degree to be associated In
the legislative work of statesmen, but,
on the other hand. the mass of women
have not yet achieved sufficient political
education to justify their receiving the
franchise.
That other eminent novelist and dra-
matte author, NJ Hervieu, who is also
known as a keen explorer of the femin
/ inc heart, maintains exactly the oppo-
site view-namely, that women should
not be permitted to exercise legislative
selves generally fitted to vote. Nine
Daniel Lesueur. who is a well known
writer, keenly points out that the idea
OF according votes to women is essen
TALLY a mans idea, but that il tends
ultimately and inevitably to race sui
eide
The women candidates in Paris for
! >r1iS arr election of classes
and parties Foremost among them is
Nine Marguerite Durand, who for
| twenty years at least has been identified
with the feminist mevement in France.
Once a brilliant actress at the Coincide
| Francaise, she founded the feminist
| daily paper La Fronde." which had d
successful career for few years, and IS
associated as a leader IN all the move
ments which have for their object the
women She is brilliant public
speaker, and both in public and private
/ life exercises magnetic charm upon all
who come in contact with her.
The greatest sensation which Nine
Durand achieved in her present electoral
campaign was by producing on the plat
| form at one of her public meetings an
sr1iable male idiot, who. according to
recent decision of the Court OF Casa
ton, has, in spite Of his mental DELI
| cheney, a right TO vote, simply by virtue
| of his sex This living argument against
the exclusion of intelligent women from
the franchise raised some noisy pro-
tests on the ground Of cruelty. but the
Young man showed by his smiles that he
was perfectly happy to be where he was,
and Nine. Durand, who had looked after
him from his early youth, convinced her
audience that he was quite incapable OF
| knowing what was going on
! Another interesting woman candidate
/ Is Nine. Pelletier who is a doctoress
| and a Socialist. She is seeking election
in the sth ACCOMPLISHMENT OF Parls'
which is chiefly populated by work peo-
ME. She is an enormously poWer1ui
woman. with the muscular development
of professional athlete, and produces
real impression by her rough and
ready eloquence.
Nine Mortier, who IS employed at the
General Postoffice. also bases her poPu-
fsritv on her own known passion 19r
athletic exercises and sports Of all KINDS
and her main contention in her speeches
il that unless twenty years hence women
have won the right TO be represented In
narlisment the majorit7 Of them Will
discover that most Of their present
means Of livelihood, including that OF
marriage. will have been closed TO them
Mime. Protte, Who is a. candidate N the
18th Arrondissement, wears the UNIFORM
of 2 zouave, and Nine. Pelletier also
dresses as q man.
The male part of the audiences ad-
dressed by these women listens with po-
likeness. If not with sympathy. and SO
! far the Interruptions have come excIu-
sively from persons of the same sex as
the speakers, who are either Jealous OF
+he attention that they receive or fear
that the feminine cause can only lose ny
this effort to saddle women with par
Uarentary responsibility while their
irresponsible legislative influence is still
| SO great. - = D.