Life, 1910-05-05 · page 5 of 72
Life — May 5, 1910 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a reader's letter about women's suffrage in New Zealand, paired with a Peerless Motor Car advertisement. The letter writer, opposing suffrage, argues that suffragettes' "unwise proceedings" discredit their cause. He contends women commit more crimes than men and shouldn't vote as a group. He also claims New Zealand women (where suffrage had already been granted) don't represent broader female opinion. The accompanying advertisement shows well-dressed people in an automobile, captioned "Silence Comfort Peerless"—using leisure and respectability imagery to market cars to affluent readers. The juxtaposition appears satirical: the ad's depiction of genteel automobility contrasts sharply with the letter's dismissive arguments about women's political capability, highlighting the contradiction between treating women as consumers versus as citizens.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
fay) The “‘Cause” in New Zealand My pear Lire: As to the wild pranks of the suffra- gettes, I do not think that their unwise proceedings can have militated in the least degree against the “cause ’’ they seek to further, nor do I think they have assisted it In England, at woman is more average man. B. There are more women than men in the country, yet the larger number of offenses against the law are committed by men.) No man whose opinion is worthy of consideration would be influenced by the violent tactics of an infinitely small pro- portion of the sex. These women are not by any means representative (for one thing they are, in the main, too in- tellectual). Though I have been in New Zeal now for five years, and for the greater part of that time I have been cligible for the vote, I have not cared to exer- cise the privilege. This is a personal matter. I am a very retiring woman and more than a little indolent. Any- thing in the way of an exciting function bores me unutterably, Certainly I am rot representative of my sex. There is one thing that I would greatly irconvenience myself to vote for, and that is to take away the suffrage from certain types of men However, as things arc, I think that the nearest way toward some sort of fairness is to give a voice in the making of the law to the sex that, on the whole, knows so well how to respect the law. ing than is the » » The handiest, most compact =,» mostcomplete Fly Bookmade. # -“ Holds 36 to 54 dozen flies. “The best book yet.” Catalogue Q will be sent on request All That The Name Implies Flies always in sight. No metal to rust hooks. Moth, dast and moisture proof. Loose leat. Fer orleg eto THE PEERLESS MOTOR CAR CO. PRICES | 2449 EAST 958 ST., CLEVELAND, O. puLreees: rae * : : LICENSED UNDER SELDEN PATENT $450 Pig Skin - - $6.00 Holders per doz. $2.00 Nentie.11 Boot, 3 bolders$1.00 A fighting woman makes not a pretty picture; she should restrict herself to causing the quarrel and nursing the wounded, and she should leave to men all the swashbuckling and the actual fir- ing-of shots. Your contention that woman's suffrage would double the purchasable vote may readily be admitted. The man who would sell his own vote could hardly be expected to refuse to sell that of his wife also. At the same time, perhaps, you will not deny that the granting of the suffrage to women might also. be 73 supposed to double the unbribable vote. It is said that every man has his price, and the adage may apply just as truly or untruly to woman, though I for one do not think it likely that many women would sell their votes. Some of them have been known as rather success- ful buyers of votes I will take this opportunity of saying how much I admire Lire; how I look for it and enjoy it. Yours very truly, Neuite Loo, Wrttxaroy, N. Z. (Continued on page 794) comicbooks.com