ABSTRACT
Once nce again the question of women-householders and their claim to a vote has been discussed in the House of Commons; once again has the whole sex, welcomed so unquestioningly, approved of so warmly when the occasion is one for self-sacrifice, unstinted labour, or generous giving, been weighed in those political balances, kept specially for these occasions and found wanting, discussed, appraised, criticised, and dismissed. By a majority in this national tribunal we have been pronounced unfit morally, unfit physically, unfit technically, unfit mentally, unfit in that we often marry, unfit in that we sometimes remain single, unfit by our merits, and unfit by our failings, unfit in that we do not want the vote, ad " sit apart surprised, annoyed that it should be offered us," and unfit in that we clamour too loudly for it. It is somewhat humiliating to belong to the sex thus tried and sentenced, politically outlawed by the other, but like all bitter experiences this, too, has its alleviations. We learn in these debates who are our real friends, those who wish to treat us with justice and fairness as equals, and who on the other hand would hide under the poor thin veil of flattery and politeness their real feeling of contempt. Cheered by the thought of these 114 staunch upholders of our claims we must 338take heart after our defeat, and see if we cannot extract good out of evil, hints for future conduct out of the adverse criticisms of our opponents; perhaps aided by the light these have thrown on our qualities, we can educate ourselves up or down to the standard set before us by the 130 arbiters of our political destiny, before the question of woman's franchise comes again before Parliament.
