The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-12
CANADA HAS FOUR
WOMEN LAWMAKERS
Western Provinces Are Get
ting Good Results Through
the Innovation.
SUFFRAGE OPENS GATES
Subjects New to Political
Arena Brought Before the
Legislatures.
SUFFRAGE OPENS GATES
BY "CArUcK.y
Written especially for the Canadian Sec
tlo.. 80 Txrm QrfA


tet Of women legislators No woman
has yet made her appearance In Parlia-
ment, but in three Of the Western legts-
latures women are to be found taking
their place with men. in the making OF
laws, The verdict also IL that the inno-
walton is beneficial. ...t.
Proverbially the wise men come from
the East but In Canada the wise women
lawmakers come from the West. The
western provinces, which were the first
to introduce woman suffrage, were also
the first to send women to the Legis-
lature. It is also to be remembered that
in these provinces there are fewer women
in proportion to the population than in
any other part of Canada. 1t may be
that their comparative scarcity has de-
veloped among the men deeper sense
OF appreciation. Incidentally, It may be
observed, that In Prince Edward Island,
where the sexes are practically equal In
number, women have not the franchise,
much less are they elected to the Legis-
lature.
Beginning at the Pacific coast and
working eastward. the women M. L. AS
are as follows: Mrs Ralph Smith,
widow OF the Hon. Ralph Smith. q well
known figure In the political life of the
Dominion, sits as. one Of the members
for Vancouver city. In the Alberta
House two women are to be found--Mrs.
Mckinney. representing Clareshoim, and
Miss Roberta Macadans one OF the rep
resentatives of the Alberta soldiers over
seas In the Saskatchewan Assembly
Mrs. Ramslarid, widow of the late men,
Der for Pelly, has recently been elected
to succeed her husband.
Manitoba in the Van.
Manitoba was the first to introduce
woman suffrage. having done so in 1915.
1t came as the result OF an agitation
continued over several years, the victory
being won more through a policy of
sweet reasonableness'' than through
militant methods The Manitoba women,
however, have been slow to take advan-
tage OF their opportunity; not yet has
one entered the Assembly.
Alberta and Saskatchewan introduced
woman suffrage practically at the same
time, In the early part Of 1916, but OF
all the provinces Alberta was the first
to send women to the Legislature. In
the general elections of 1917 Mrs. Nc
Kinney was returned The soldiers over
seas pumped for Miss Macadams, a most
capable and most popular nurse over
seas. In q keen fight Mrs. Mckinney.
who stood in the non-partisan interest.
was returned by majority of 16s over
her male opponent. her victory being
due chiefly to her personality.
Amid a large number of contestants
Miss Macadams ran second only to the
redoubtable Cant. Rob Pearson, one of
the most popular of Western officers that
" ent overseas There were twenty-ene
candidates. among Che defeated being
seven Observation-Disclosures. one Major
and four Captains. The nineteen de-
feated aspirants are now convinced that
q popular woman Is the hardest kind of
a candidate to defeat
British Columbia adopted woman suf-
frage in 1915, and In January. 1918.
Mrs Smith was elected to. succeed her
husband, who at the time of his death
was Provincial Treasurer and sat for
one OF the Vancouver seats. Her ma
jority was S,515, a certain evidence Of
popularity.
Break New Ground I'm Politics.
II is, perhaps, significant that three
of these four women are listed among
the independents-the other, Mrs
having been elected as a
Liberal in opposition TO an independent
Coming upon the political stage at a
time when old-time political lines have
been badly broken, they are likely to
maintain a fairly independent attitude
Their tendency in this direction will be
by the fact that they at
tach most Importance to a range of
social subjects that are more or less
new in the sphere of legislative action
in Canada and, hence, have not come
to be identified, in a traditional sense.
with either of the old parties
he laA
Is undoubtedly the best known outside
Of her own province. She comes of a
well-known and able family. Rev DR..
Grumpy, one Of the most widely known
Of Canadian Methodist ministers, a ripe
scholar and one-time principal of
Wesley College, Winnipeg, is her
brother. She is an eloquent and per-
suasive speaker, thoroughly informed
on the questions OF the day and al
ways equal to the occasion. She has
been pioneer in the cause Of woman
suffrage and Is prominently identified
with the w. c. T. U. and the Daugh-
ters of the Empire. Mrs. Mckinney
was born at Frankvllle in eastern On
tarlo and was educated in that portion
Of the province.
Miss Macadams is also Ontario born,
sarnia being her native town. Her sis
ter is the widow of the late Hon. w. J.
Hanna. She Is very capable and de-
servedly popular. In 1915 she went
overseas rendering admirable service,
at Orpington Hospital, her
work undoubtedly having contributed
great deal to insure her large vote.
which was equal to ohe-sixth Of the
total poll. In the Alberta House she,
with the other soldiers representative,
nm Independent attitude.
Mrs. Ralph Smith is easily one of the
best known women in British Columbia.
Her late husband having been a promi-
nent member OF Parliament, afterward /
a member OF the British Columbia
Legislature and Minister of the Crown.
she knew much OF political AFFAIRS be-
fore she entered them on her own ac-
count In other ways she has rendered |
much public service, having, among |
other things, done much to advance
woman suffrage In her own province
She was born In England, came to /
Canada about twenty years ago. has
four children and has been an untiring |
worker for the community. In politics /
she, too, is Independent and in religion |
S a Methodist,
Mrs. Ramsland Is newcomer IN |
political life, but comes to It with some |
If the benefit Of her husbands experi- !
'nce, Her majority in the recent by
election was substantial and her ad- /
'ent into the Saskatchewan Assembly /
will be attended with much interest.