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~_THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1915. r y x2 A o . Eim ns ue ons -'"'"_Tr' y ns evammeree fntoom PROGRESSI [ i 4 'fi* T | I f A. C C '.".( ,\ fs 3 3 . C A '\ @f § Cc & t ® # ® Minister of Public Works T witted for His Change of Front -- Attorney--General No Longer a Radical, but Steeped in Toryism | In the resumed debate in the Leg-- islature yesterday on the bill to ex-- tend the municipal franchise to mar-- ried women the feature was that the progressives had it practically all to themselves. The inaction on the part of those on the Government side was never more apparent, only one mem-- ber from that side of the House rising to speak against the bill, while five Tiberal members and Mr. Studholms advocated the proposed change. The Attorney--General's defence was par-- ticularly criticized, as was also the positions _ of Messrs. Macdiarmid (Minister of Public Works), and W. J. Hanna (Provincial -- Secretary), both of whom were declared to be former supporters of a similar bill. The Minister of Public Works, when reference was made to this, seemed uneasy, but Mr. Hannra merely grin-- ned. The debate was adjourned, and it is understood the principle of the bill will be forced to a division. Mr. Macdiarmid Twitted, Ir. W. McDonald {West Bruce), resuming the debate on the bill, twit-- ted the new Cabinet Minister, Hon.Fin-- lay Macdiarmid, who at one time in-- troduced a bill for the very thing now desired. He made a beautiful speech, and the Provincial Secretary was be-- hind him, backing him up, and then he got an intimation to pull it off. He (Mr. McDonald) contended it was ab-- _ sqrd to grant unmarried women and widows who had property the vote and place a disability upon married women. He was confident that if the vote were extended along the lines desired it would have nothing but a bencficial effect. Would Go No Farther, |* Hon. Mr. Hoyle «{North Ontario), who followed, covered a lot of ground on the suffrage question, not by any means pinning himself down to the question involved in the bill under discussion. He reviewed the history | of the franchise movement in Brit-- ain, and trotted out Lord Brougham,| D'Isracli, (Gladstone, Asquith, Christ-- | abe!l Pankhurst, and other celebrities.' HMe declared he was not in favor of; going any farther than what was now upor the statute books of the Province. Mr. Davidson: (North Brant) said, when he heard people arguing along| t§s }ines followed by the memher of North Ontario--that it is not time for a change--he was of the opinion that} the usefulness of such nersons was done. There never came a time in the history of tthis or any other country where there was not room for progress. He did not think wo-- men -- would be stampeded on public questions of the day as he had often soen tho male electorate stampeded. British Pair Play, Mr. Atkinson (North Norfolk). on the ground of British fair play, pleag'l-] ed for votes for married women in municipal matters. '"'We believe in the British flag and all that sort of thing," he said, "but where can we find in any place to--day anyone more loyal than our women, our married women ? This Government is not so patriotic as it pretends to be if it deprives married women of a munici-- pal vote." Mr. L. P. Wigle (Mouth Essex) as-- * serted thero was not a man in this Government to--day who would get} up and say his wifq was not as cap-- able of voting on social and moral issues as he was.