To this menacing speech Mr. Borden made a very clear,
vigorous, and proper reply. He had no intention of introducing legislation giving votes to women. The Parliaments of the nine provinces of Canada had the absolute right to fix their own franchise, and the Parliament of Canada had made it a rule to adopt the provincial franchise from Dominion elections. As for the threat of militancy, Mr. Borden observed that his course in public life has been in the past, and he hoped always would be in the future, dictated by what he deemed to be right in the interests of the people as a whole and in the interests of humanity, and any suggestion of methods of any kind would not have the slightest influence upon him. In reply to the anti-Suffragist deputation Mr. Borden recapitulated the views he had expressed to the other deputation.
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