The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-03-17
MRS, HUMPHREY
WARD ON v0T|NG
Opposed To Giving Parliamen-
tary Suffrage To Women In
France and England
By The Associated Press J

Paris. March 14-strs. Humphrtv
Ward has written NJ. Ferdinand B-.s-
son. the leader in the Chamber c.
Deputies of the group working "a
lively for women's suffrage. IN opp
sition to giving women Parliament
suffrage in either England or Franc
While a strong supporter e tha
municipal vote for women she DO
clares that Parliamentary suffrase
deprived of its ultimate meaninG
it has not the physical force e m.n
behind it." and il should theref4I-
be confined to men only.
ITO my mind" she says. there a.
| at least two ~insuperable objections to
| giving the parliamentary franchise ro
women in England.
First, it would disturb the relation
Of the physical force Of the country
in its political force; and in these
days when reform and legislation can
be brought about 10y many other
agencies acting upo Parliament, the
vote acting as an instrument of gov
eminent is. in my eyes. very muCh
more important han as an instru
ment of reform. The women'S vote
in such a country as England, would
be like a paper currency with no gold
reserve behind it. Considering the
tremendous questions, in which great
| DOClcS OF men are IdIScd OH tljI@T
side, that have already arisen or are
steadily developing with the develop
ment of Democracy, it seems to lnc
more important than ever that the
political vote should indicate Nhere
the physical force Of the country lies
although Of course the effort Of every
good citizen will bring the forces OF
reason and justice to bear upon that
vote. But in the last resort the bai-
lot box is and must be our defense
against disturbance and civil war.
and if hat defense is weakened 10y
the participation OF women in the
governmental vote, the country is
weakened, and the women would be
the first to suffer.
Second, in my belief insuperabIa
objection SO far as England is con
cerned is the large preponderance Il
women yer men in England. We
have, as you know, a preponderancs
Of 100000 women and his i'm
t mensely complicates and strengthens
E the physical force argument.
The argument as to the relative
s political ignorance OF w~omen-iSnor-
ance dependent IN their material
t functions and in a way discreditable-
! to hem-upOn the larger and mora
t external issues on which the nation
!: very existence may turn, also weighs
with me very much. 1t would be
I special dangerour ! think not so much
t III dealing with measures as in deal
: ing with men, that is the selection 81
a male government to carry out Il
policy which can only be- appreciated
t or executed by men.
adult suffrage or something near
: 1t is sure to come in England and il
women were included under our con
n sututlonal system the votes of a few
districts IN which the women's vote
pfeoOmInated, might in a time of cri-
SIS hand over the government to &
majority which only represented 9
minority OF the male population. i
would be easy to name such dis
tricts.
None Of these objections apply
. 70 the local government vote whicl
. depends on delegated powers and ap
plles to social and domestic affairs. /
" IS on this side hat I personally hop
, mat the solution of the suffrage ques
tlon Will ultimately be found. Yol
nave observed that the Ulster ques
~ uon IS forcing English opinion in IN,
direction Of Federalism. To subor
innate p~ernanents in Ireland, one 70
g scotland and one for Wales. are a
any rate now matters for discussion
ana the crushing weight on the Impe
* Tlai Parliament, together with in
K growth and completely Of local ad
d lninlstratlon VIII all tend In the sam
oy direction; SO that in the future eorn
ST. OF Us may hope to see q clear oivfd
ing llne betWeen the Imperial Parlia
tS Inent dealing with the great male IN
u 'eiestS ana activities of the nation il
hliiltary systems, finance. diploma
~ etc, with its franchise and its men
e bership confined to men. and > gro
subordinate system, possessed not o.
y oy administrative but of large IL.
s'atise powers dealing locally VII
social and domestic affairs. a ~,
on TEN IN which women should ult
We mateiy obtain full equality with men
nk MRS Ward concludes her lett.
.nae Tor the present, the militia,
We @ course w. Iii |oyeo u
nopes OF the suffragist party at lea
m Tor some years TO come