1895.] The Effect of Female Suffrage on Posterity. 817 
she is not slow to seize on these prerogatives and to use them 
in the furtherance of her own welfare. Polyandry, originating 
from any cause whatsoever, will always end in the establish- 
ment of a matriarchate, in which the women are either directly 
or indirectly at the head of the government. There are several 
matriarchates still extant in the world, and one of the best 
known, as well as the most advanced, as far as civilization and 
culture is concerned, is that of the Nairs, a people of India in- 
habiting that portion of the country lying between Cape 
‘-Comorin and Mangalore, and the Ghats and the Indian Ocean. 
The Nairs are described as being the handsomest people in the 
world; the men being tall, sinewy, and extraordinary agile, 
while the women are slender and graceful with perfectly mod- 
eled figures. The Nair girl is carefully chaperoned until she 
arrives at a marriageable age, say, fourteen or fifteen years, at 
which time some complaisant individual is selected who goes 
through the marriage ceremony with her. As soon as the 
groom ties the tali or marriage cord about her neck, he is 
feasted and is then dismissed ; the wife must never again speak 
to or even look at her husband. Once safely wedded, the girl 
becomes emancipated, and can receive the attentions of as 
many men as she may elect, though, I am informed, that it is 
not considered fashionable, at present, to have more than seven 
husbands, one for each day of the week. Of no importance, 
heretofore, after her farcical marriage, the Nair woman at once 
becomes a power in the councils of the nation; as a matter of 
course, the higher her lovers the higher her rank becomes and 
the greater her influence. Here is female suffrage in its prim- 
itive form, brought about, it is true, by environment, and not 
by elective franchise. As far asthe children are concerned, the 
power of the mother is absolute ; for they know no father, the 
maternal uncle standing in his stead. Property, both personal 
and real, is vested in the woman; she is the mistress and the 
ruler. “The mother reigns and governs; she has her eldest 
daughter for prime minister in the household, through whom 
all orders are transmitted to her little world. Formerly, in 
grand ceremonials, the reigning prince himself yielded pre- 
cedence to his eldest daughter, and, of course, recognized still 
