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Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 9, 11 July 1892, Page 2

(toting g)ugt.

MONDAY, JULY 11, 1892. WOMANHOOD SUFFRAGE. ♦ Some half-hearted supporters of Womanhood Suffrage profess themselves willing to grant tho right of voting, but not that of being voted for. They would allow women to become olectors, but they would not on any account allow thorn to become members of Parliament. Such a limitation is utterly illogical, and very absurd. If women are fit to be trusted with the power of electing' members of Parliament, there can be no sound reason given why a constituency should be debarred from electing a woman to represent it if it thinks she will prove a truer representative than any male candidate. We do not suppose that many women will aspire to seats in Parliament, but if any do the verdict on their claims should be left to the electors to render. The decision should not be taken out of their hands by any arbitrary legal disqualification. Th 6 folly of attempting to impose any such disqualification will at once be apparent to anyone who reflects upon tho subject. If_ tho franchise is conceded to women, their political power through its possession will be amply sufficient to compel the granting to them of the right to be voted for as well as to vote, if they desire to obtain it. They will have the power to remove any restriction on their rights which they object to. It is just as wellthat this should bo clearly understood from the first. Those who vote to permit women to go to the polls and vote for members of Parliament must bo propared ' also to vote for allowing women to go into Parliament if any electorates wish to send them there. The franchise being concoded, the choice of representatives properly bolongs to tho oleotors alone. Their choice should not be restricted by any qualification of sex. There is, of course, room for wide and legitimate difference of opinion as to the propriety of women taking an active part in politics, or being allowed to vote at all. There are many roosons urged against thoir doing so which command respect, and there aro others utterly contemptible— down to the objection that woman bos an illogical mind, because she pokes the fire from the top ! There are also good and bad reasons advanced in favour of placing political power m wotnen'g hands, but we think the balance of argument is in favour of this being done. The concession, however, must be full and complete. If the franchise is given, it must be given with all the privileges attached which the other Bex enjoys from its possession. Thero must be — there can bo — no restrictions or limitations, and sex must cease to be a. consideration in the possession and exorcise of political power.