PARLIAMENTARY COURAGE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 499, 28 August 1890, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY COURAGE.

That the courage of our legislators is small has been fully proved during the last few days. The rejection of the proposal to extend the franchise to women, after the proposal had been approved by a vast majority, showed how weak-kneed are some of those who voted for it. They became shocked at their own advancement in the school of progress, or probably they knew that there was another card left, which they could successfully play, and by a little dbuble-shuffling keep smooth with both sides. They quietly absented themselves when their votes were required a second time, and thus the proposal was easily stifled. But we should have expected something better from the Legislative Council. The members of that body know that their tenure of office is fairly secure, but they also appear to have a great fear of the popular voice, and like to keep with the current. They had a rather nasty nut to crack over the Bible in Schools Bill, and a division took place on an antagonistic proposition by Mr Buckley. The numbers were even, 13 on either side. The Speaker gave his casting vote in favor of the Bill, but then came the motion for going into Committee on it. That motion was lost on the voices, the Bill thus being killed. We cannot say we approve of the Bill, but we do strongly object to the in which it. was .treated, Throwing out a Bill by such strategy is very discreditable. Legislators who have not the courage to do things more openly are, however, not likely to hold opinions that would be of much weight on such a question as that of introducing the Bible into the schools.