GIRL GRADUATES FAIL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 January 1909, Page 15

GIRL GRADUATES FAIL.

'•■'.APPEAL''FOR'VOTES DISMISSED BY HOUSE OP LOIIDS. The appeal to; tlio House of Lords by -wome'u ; graduatei ',of ; ,tlie 'UniTersities. of St; •. : Andrews and Edinburgh contending;.that' they were entitled to vote at tho election of the -■ member: of 'Parliament for these .'.universities ■; was ■/:' unanimously /dismissed by their:'. lordships. Tho'judgments to' this effect were delivered by. the Lord Chancellor and Lords / Ashbourne/Robertson, and'..Collins. ;/ " .The appellants^'Jliss; Jessie. Chrv.stal Macmillan, /M.A., B.Sc., and Miss''Florence Simson, ALA,, appeared in' person . before the ; House on .November 10 ■ and 12, .and ably argued their case, . : -In/giving his .decision,, the: Lord Chancellor said the ample question to decide was' what .' the law in'fact was, and nothing beyond. No authentic and plain ease of a woman . . giving a', vote :had : ten; brought before their lordships from ancient records. - The disability • of: women was always taken - for granted. It was .notorious ,that,!;this' : right . of voting-had beon eonfinetl to meri; that was ' ■ the constant tradition and practice from the earliest times down to this day. . If this legal disability of women were to ■ be removed, it must be done by Act of Parliament. ' t .:■■■■. ■'. - The "appellants ' urged that it was'removed . by the 'Act' of : 1868 (Representation of' the People (Scotland) Act)/ which, while' confin- . ing to' men the franchise described, in other .' sections, used- 'in Section -27 tho.-'■ word "persons." : :•/, \ ; He 'agreed that "persons" would prima : facie iinolude:women. -v But the section limited "persons" - to those . who were ''not subjcct : any legal incapacity." He could not doubt that .by this limitation were excluded all such .persons as might' by law bo . disabled, from voting—viz., Peers .. and. women, and °th?rs., Not being voters, .women were not entitlea to reccivo. voting papers.' After_ the judgment Afiss Macmillan said, with a bravo smile"Disappointed P No : I'm to 'admit, that, even now. . I'd nw-m ••^®el|ngß: in tho words, )\ ell live to fight another,.dav! 1 "