The New Zealand Graphic AND LADIES’ JOURNAL. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1892.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 24, 11 June 1892, Page 593

The New Zealand Graphic AND LADIES’ JOURNAL. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1892.

The question of the Enfranchisement of Women is fraught with such momentous issues, and is in the eyes of many so difficult, not to say dangerous, of approach, that the daily press have (with two honourable exceptions), so far as they have been able, left it to take care of itself. The Dunedin Star in the South and the XwciZanrZ Star in the North have, it is true, taken up some sort of a stand on the point, but with these exceptions no paper has given itself the trouble of being particularly strenuous in support or vindictive in its opposition of the women who are working to obtain for their sex a voice in the administration of the Government which they pay to sustain. The support vouchsafed so far has been fitful, faint, and somewhat negative in quality—that is to say, the writers have confined themselves to admitting that female franchise ‘mightn’t do any harm,’ rather than asserting boldly that it would do a very great amount of good. There has not been, and is not, so far as we know, a journal self declaredly the organ of woman’s rights and the female franchise. The Graphic intends to take up such a position, firm in its conviction that the enfranchisement of women is the pressing question of the day—a question which may not be neglected by the individual without political immorality, or publicly without prejudice to the ultimate good of all sections of the community.

The responsibility of a newspaper which takes up a decided tone on any great social or political question must not be underrated. It it honestly and fearlessly endeavours to become the organ and mouthpiece of th >se whom it holds to be in the right, it may and will piobably accomplish much good and render much valuable aid. Its task, however, is not altogether easy. It must, while endeavouring with all the force of logical argument to support the principles of its own side, yet have its eyes sufficiently unblinded by prejudice to be able to sse with clarity into the propositions of its opponents. Denial is not dialectics, and abuse not reasoning—two facts all too often forgotten in debates on matterssocial andpolitical. In orderthatourinfiuenceshould be felt, it is necessary to take as broad a grasp of our opponents’ argument as possible, and that while upholding our own side firmly, we should be truthful and just to the other. Lest it should be suspected that we are platitudinising, or still worse, preaching, it might be well to remark that experience of political life shows how easy it is for partizanship to seduce the leader-writer or speaker into unconsciously misrepresenting the actions and words of those opposed—perhaps bitterly opposed to him—on some important and burning question.

We shall do our best to keep clear of any such pitfall. The cause is certainly strong enough to withstand the arguments that have as yet been brought against it, and there will be little temptation for us to be vindictive since we are strong enough to be judicial. But there is another point. While combating our enemies it'is imperative that we should keep a constant look out amongst our own ranks, and when there are weaknesses in our armour such should be promptly pointed out that they may be strengthened immediately. And now we have done with regard to ourselves. We cordially invite reports and contributions on the subject from all parts of the colony. We shall allow the expression of adverse views, and endeavour to answer them effectually. And so to business.

The meeting called by two Auckland ladies the other day for the formation of a Women’s Franchise League was a welcome opening of the campaign in the north. In the far south Miss Morrison and Mr Cohen have made the question literally the question of the day, and their influence is now extending through the length and breadth of the colony. It mnst be admitted that * the enemy ’ were given a considerable opening at the Auckland meeting, and that if ini-

mediate success is to be attained there must be no more such blunders. To cal) a private meeting is one thing ; to call a meeting at which the press are admitted, and to be in a state of hopeless muddle at that meeting, another. Ridicule is the only weapon that has been used against women’s franchise as yet. It is a dangerous weapon in its way, and it is the height of madness to give such unnecessary opportunities for its employment as those furnished by the conveners of last week’s meeting. Even if the meeting was informal there should have been some programme, and it should not have been necessary for the Chairman to comment on this point, and also to have to ask the women present to address the chair rather than each other. This sort of thing will never do. It is, indeed, simply suicidal, and though it may be objected that we should not point out these failings so that the unbelievers may scoff, we feel that they must be pointed out that they may be remedied. Sir George Grey was present at the meeting, and spoke briefly, but wisely and well. Not satisfied with this, however, one of the prime movers of the question in Auckland—one of the conveners of the meeting—asked him if he knew of anyone who would be good as a canvasser. Sir George’s answer was courteous and tactful, but his thoughts must have been—well, uncomplimentary. Surely if people put statesmen and busy men and women to the trouble of attending a meeting, they should have some shadowy ideas of the depth of the water into which they have plung d, and should be slightly less in the dark about a scheme for working than the outsiders whom they have gathered together.

There was also a good deal of vain repetition and confusion at the Auckland meeting. Happily, Miss Morrison was present, and furnished the meeting with a resolution, together with a short but most effective speech. This same resolution did not, however, command the unanimous approval of all present, many objecting to the clause which admitted men to the Women’s Franchise League only as honorary members, and also not wishing at the present time to affiliate with Dunedin. We are inclined to think those who objected to the first point were wise. Men will be valuable helpers—indispensable, indeed, in the present state of society, and they will be of more use as voting members than merely as honorary friends. It is, indeed, but justice that they should vote if they work. The argument on the other side is distinctly weak. It is urged that women want to show that they can conduct a big campaign of this sort by themselves ; that they are intellectually and physically capable of doing so. Very good and natural, but though the desire to‘show off’—that is what it is in plain English—is understandable enough, yet the question is too serious to admit of such a pastime, however successfully carried out. Women would without doubt do excellently well by themselves. More, if they determined to carry this thing through by force of purely feminine arms they would most certainly do so. But it would take far longer, and as they hope to help male legislation by their endeavours, so will man help them in the furtherance of their schemes of reform.

The question of affiliating with Dunedin is of much greater importance, and concerns every place in the colony where the franchise question is being pushed. We affirm, and affirm most earnestly, that it is absolutely necessary that there should be one big league or association for the furtherance of the social and political questions concerning women and not a multitude of little ones. Doubtless each little township would like to have its own particular little association with ‘ no connection with any other establishment.’ They furnish a certain amount of petty importance which some find agreeable, but which will ruin the cause. Association is absolutely necessary ; discipline is even more so, and discipline can only be learned properly by banding under recognised leaders and working under orders. The lesson of obedience is one that cannot be learned too early by the pioneers of any reform. We must work under ordeis as soldiers work for the attainment of one end, sinking our self importance and personal inclination out of sight for the public good. It is to be hoped that branches of the league will be formed in every town and village throughout New Zealand, but to do good they must be bound together. Singly they might amuse some, and give others a small gratification of vanity—nothing more. Bound together and acting together they would be a power that no Government would dare to disregard. And now the space at our disposal is well nigh exhausted. There is so much to be said that it would be futile in this issue to attempt to deal with the question from an argumentative point of view. Week by week we intend to take up some

}>oint brought against female franchise by its op|>onents, and shall discuss and dispute the same.

In conclusion, we would urge the advice of the greatest reformer of modern times, and say to women as he said to men : ‘ Improve yourselves. Let this be the aim of your lives. It is only by improving yourselves by becoming wiser and more virtuous that you can render your position less unhappy. Petty tyrants would arise among you by thousands so long as you should n erely strive to advance in the name of material interests. .1 change of social organisation of life is of little moment while you yourselves remain with your present passions and egotism. Social organisations are like certain plants which yield either poison or good medicine according to the mode in which they are administered. Improve yourselves, therefore ; institutions will follow.'

The man who raises religious discussions at the dinnertable or at any social gathering is either devoid of tact or good manners ; and perhaps it may be thought newspapers should avoid with scrupulous care the public discussion of questions and topics relating to religion. But there is a difference. A newspaper, unless read aloud, speaks only to one man or woman at a time, and if the subject is one which they have no desire to discuss, they have merely to turn over the page and start another column. A good deal has been said all over New Zealand lately anent Mr Grubb, who is accredited —doubtless rightly so—with having done a vast amount of good to individuals during his recent evangelistic tour through the colony. Mr Grubb has gone, but Mr Jude has arrived. Mr Jude is not an evangelist pure and simple. Mr Jude is a song writer and an organist of repute, with a distinct turn for religious conversational lecture. Like Haweis, he is a believer in the morality of music, and here he will be sure to find many sympathisers. Mr Grubb talked to the point and earnestly, and no doubt his direct style attracted many previously utterly careless of things religious. Mr Jude, with the assistance of music, seems to create an almost equally great sensation, and so the thing goes on. No sooner does one good man depart than another lands, and the people are kept in religious life by the constant administration of these spiritual stimulants.

There can be but little doubt that this is in reality a most unsatisfactory state of things. Stimulants of all sorts are injurious when so constantly administered, and the spiritual ‘nip’ is as deleterious to the religious welfare of a great community as spirits or morphia are to the individual. Bothproduceaglow and pleasing effect for the time, but both are mischievous in the extreme in the long run. It is a singular and significant fact that while every month or so one or other of the Protestant denominations gather to do honour to some travelling preacher, one never hears of a travelling Gatholic preacher. It would be a bold man, nevertheless, who should say that the Catholics are less keenly alive to the importance of matters spiritual than their Protestant brothers and sisters. The church attendance amongst the Catholics is admittedly larger in proportion, and in the matter of working together, they set an admirable example to both Anglicans and Nonconformists. Into the why and wherefore of these things it would not be expedient to examine too closely, but it is certainly a matter worthy of note that the Catholic community manages without the constant administration of stimulants. Nay, more, it is, we firmly believe, for this reason that the Romanist church is so firmly welded together and so active.

If the travelling evangelist would for a time cease from his ‘ good works ’ in these islands, people would learn to be more self-reliant, and would pay far more attention to their own ministers. There is, too, a certain amount of humbug and self advertisement connected with the clique who are mainly responsible for the visits of these clerical tramps. There is not a little vain gloriousness in the spectacle of some hundred or so of persons on the platform (‘the elect,’ we presume) looking with a certain mock humility and sweet sadness on the humble and more sinful mass of ‘publicans and sinners ’ in the body of the hall. These are, we presume, like those who wished to set one on the right hand and the other on the left of our Lord. Certainly many of them must feel, to a certain extent, chastened when they remember that there will be none of these pleasant distinctions in the future life.