THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

Evening Star, Issue 8610, 2 September 1891, Page 4

THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

TO THB EDITOR, Sib,—Mr Fish said that women don't waat the fr&ncKiso. They Jo want ifcThey have proved that they want it, I myself, though living in the oountry, gathered about four hundred signatures to the franchise petition, and' could have gathered twice as many more if I had had time and forms, • The forms were difficult to get, as not nearly enough had been issued to meet the requirements. Some, I believe, had to attach sheets of ruled paper to contain the names of those eager to sign, Many have stopped me in the street to ask where they could sign. Also, I believe I oould have got as many male as female signatures, as they said it was only an aot of juatioe. Again, Mr Fish, astonished no doubt by women's enthusiastic response to the question Does she want the franchise ? dares to insinuate fraud. He says there are dozens of signatures in the same handwriting; Since, for the last half century or bo, children have been massed together in schools, and turned out by the hundred, like machines—- ' all sohooled by one routine to one pattern—- , it would be odd, indeed, if handwritings by ! the dozen were not alike. But I know that all mine were faithfully and honestly collected, and I put my name at the bottom of my forms as a guarantee of their authenticity. Wouldn't my co-workers be just as honest? Mr Fish has made a mistake. If he has made it in ignorance of the times be is not fit to take part in a Government that has to deal with the times. If the mistake be wilful, still less is he fit.—l am, etc., S. J. Hancock, Roslyn, September 1.