bjects to be worried and bullied
even into a good course of action. The suffragettes have done their best
to stimulate that element of obstinacy. Even among men who viewed the
matter from an unprejudiced standpoint many felt that, necessary as
woman's suffrage is, the policy of the suffragettes rendered the moment
unfavourable for its adoption. It is a significant fact that in the
countries which have so far granted women the franchise no methods in
the slightest degree resembling those of the suffragettes have ever been
practised. It is not easy to imagine Australia tolerating such methods,
and in Finland full Parliamentary rights were freely granted, as is
generally recognized, precisely as a mark of gratitude for women's
helpfulness in standing side by side with their men in a great political
struggle. The policy of obstruction adopted by the English suffragettes,
with its "tactics" of opposing at election times the candidates of the
very party whose leaders they are imploring to grant them the franchise,
was so foolish that it is little wonder that many doubted whether women
at all understand the methods of politics, or are yet fitted to take a
responsible part in political life.

The suffragette method of persuading public men seems to be, on the
whole, futile, even if it were directed at the proper quarter, and even
if it were in itself a justifiable method. But it would be possible to
grant these "ifs" and still to feel that a serious injury is done to the
cause of woman's suffrage when the method of violence is adopted by
women. Some suffragettes have argued, in this matter, that in political
crises men also have acted just as badly or worse. But, even if we
assume that this is the case,[57] it has been one of the chief arguments
hitherto for the admission of women into political life that they
exercise an elevating and refining influence, so that their entrance
into this field will serve to purify politics. That, no doubt, is an
argument mostly brought forward by men, and may be regarded as, in some
measure, an amiable masculine delusion, since most of the refining and
elevating elements in civilization probably owe their origin not to
women but to men. But it is not altogether a delusion. In the virtues of
force--however humbly those virtues are to be classed--women, as a sex,
can never be the rivals of men, and when women attempt to gain their
ends by the demonstration of brute force they can only place themse