On Wednesday a Motion by Mr. McLaren declaring that the
disabilities of women in respect to the franchise ought to be removed by legislation was carried in the House of Commons by 114 (182 to 68),—a heavy majority, obtained, however, in a very thin House. No Member of political eminence joined in the debate, but Mr. Labouchere resisted the proposal on the ground that women did not desire it, which is doubtful. There is, however, no serious intention of sanctioning the change, against which there are three solid reasons. One is that, women being in a large majority, it would one day, when the suffrage is again extended, involve a complete revolution; another, and the most serious, is that if the masculine minority resisted the feminine majority, the latter would have no means of enforcing their will, and legal right would thus be sepa- rated from actual power ; while the third is human instinct. If a henpecked man is universally despised, why is a hen. pecked State to be respected ? The proposal is one of many which always succeed until they become serious.
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