Womanhood Suffrage: A Confession.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 157, 19 June 1886, Page 4

Womanhood Suffrage: A Confession.

A Parliamentary Committee at Washington has beon taking evidence in regard to the proposal to extend the suffrage to women in the Territories. The scene at ono of the committee meetings is thus described -The room was crowded, and odours of lavender and musk made the air heavy. It was an extremely good-looking crowd. There were no short-haired women or longhaired men. Mrs Livermore was in charge of the delegation, and was ably assisted by the Rev. Miss Shaw. About thirty ladies were in the room, mostly handsome and young.

Woman at the Foils. Delegate Joseph M. Carey, of Wyoming, appeared as a friend of the ladies, and proceeded to tell the committee how delightfully the law regarding woman suffrage had operated in his Territory. His is a large, imposing figure, and the ladies gazed on their champion with admiration. He epoke with earnestness, and his listeners on the committee looked enviously from the fait auditors to the orator. He exposed i imself to attack, as it appeared, when he said, " ( I have gone to the polls side by side with my wife and mother-in-law." " Did your mother-in law always vote for you ?" quickly asked Binger Herman' the member from Oregon. " Twice ghe voted for me and once against me," was the prompt reply, and, before the laugh fairly started, Mr Carey added, "The latter act impressed me in her favour."

Only One Head in a Family. " What effect do you find in having two distinct heads in a family ?" asked Congressman Springer, thinking he saw another weak spot. Ho was in error, however. " There are not two heads in any family," was the prompt rejoinder, " I only need to appeal to Chairman Hill and the other married men of this committee to confirm my statement. They know aa I do (and here the speaker bowed very low, dramatically Bhowing a very bald spot on the crown of his head) "that the head of the house is the woman, vote or no vote." It was a charming coup de theatre. And the committee could not check the laughter until some time after ex- Governor Long, of Massachusetts, had begun his address in favour of suffrage for the fair sex.

Mr Moss has presented a petition from Mrs Bracewell, whose husband was killed on the Waikato Railway, , praying for an allowance.