THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LV, Issue 5780, 25 September 1893, Page 3

THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMARU HERALD. Sib, —This week the women of New Zealand learned that they bad obtained the franchise, and now have a right to vote equally with men. This m fair. If we are to lire under law and government, be punished for failing to keep the laws, and pay the taxes, it is only a matter of common justice that we should have b voice m ohoosing our representatives and law-makers, the men who direot the country m which our sons and daughters may tynd prosperity—or the reverse. But it is such a pity that just as we ere feelipg proud and happy about' it, we should find ourselves m danger of being imiirepre-

al sented — -as women — by Borne lC advanctd m young " leaders." In apito of what thaan c le thueiantic young people cay, women know th it they are quite unfit to ' fight «ide by »ide " wil le men, and those who think to any purpose at >f feel as they were by nature made to feel,h<n Bfc no desire to usurp men's places We thic i- it a misfortune for the world, and for bol is men and women, that 80 muoh has been doc m this direotion already. The " advanced school prophecies for women m the 20t century absolute freedom. They are to tat part, equally with men, m all the work of tl world. The gospel of Work for Women, th is the new ory. Not only ac mothers, nurie housekeepers, and helpmates, but as lawyer doctors, engineers, surveyors, masons, polic scavengers, lamplighters, gravedigjjers, jot keys, and jaoks-of-all«trades. Of course it w " advance " into these interesting and eaa positions it follows naturally that we mvi don the bifurcated garments. When we at a-grnbbing m trenches, or a-soaliog of ladder I or even amputating limbs, or pleading ii ' court f orjbaby-slaypra or swindlers, the kniokc bookers will be the most suitable weai Dignity would be sadly m the way of ou * suooess. In advocating two-legged appan for the emancipated woman the " advance ' f . is at least consistent. A woman m a skirt oi a bicycle is very funny, and pettiooate " footballers and wrestlers are impossibli B people. (Even the women who have spent great part of their lives m gymnasiums and oi bicyoles would make oh ! such miserabl athletes!) But, as fellow-workers with men should wi ' be happier ? Think of it, women ! Even so fa: . woman s pressinginto places formerly ocoupiec by man have made life harder for both tnei ' and woman. It has thrown hundreds of mci out of work, lowered their wages, and st 1 made marriage almoit an impossibility, anc | complicated the relation of the eexes to at 1 extraordinary extent. What then will it < J when they join the lists of workers m al ■ d apartments ? Already, even m this country ' we hear ef nothing but competition ; 100 many men for every post. The ' other day m Canterbury 76 men were applicants for a road board clerkship. Ever; ' day machinery and mechanical improvements 1 are making men's labour superfluous. Out steamers employ less than half the mcc formerly employed m sailing vessels. In th« harvest field, the reaper and binder hurriet the harvest to an end, making only a few weeks' work for anybody. Bo with the higher departments of work. Indeed, if suoh a thing occurred as women becoming on-laboureri with their husbands and brothers m all the world's work, it is difficult to realise the chaos of complications wbioh it would cause. Homes simply would be a thing of the paii, and people's liveß would be a thousand times more full of diienchantment than they are even now. The halo oi hope would for ever have disappeared from the palpitating and weary world. But I believe Ihut though this " woman's movement " is doing muoh harm, it arose out of a ueed, and it will be modified and dignified, and freed from its extremo and unpractical advocates, as women themselves become more thoughtful This is the very reason why many of us, though quite opposed to the " woman's movement," believe m the enfranchisement of women. It will compel them to think on matters of general interest concerning the welfare of the state and the world, and m time widen their views and make them more noble. But let them cling fast to their womanhood, let them certainly choose the men who are to govern and represent them, as they did their champions m other daf c or chivalry, but they will make one vast mistake if they desoend themselves into the arena. We working women have views, thqu.gh ire are not " leaders," as to the happiest state for women. Thej are direotly opposed to the advanced school. We have a dream. I suppose, though we are not Olive Scbreinere, we may have our bumble dreams. It is that some happy day we shall be delivered from th© Harden of having to work except m the sacred circle of home. No. loDger toiling m offloes, schools, factories and shops, all the poats m these publio places being filled by men, well paid, and possessed of homes m whioh live oontented and intelligent women, and happy children. Thousands of simple country homos scattered over the land, m which men and women live at peace, free from care and anxiety, and the cankering ouree of striving for the fast diminishing prizes of the world, nay ! even for the very smallest prize, a common livelihood. It is only a dream ; but could it be realised here, New Zealand would have solved the great pressing problem of tbe day. I am, eto , A WQB#rN& WeMA#.