The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-24
THE VELVET GLOVE.

Helen NllmanS eQltOf OF the WOmdnS
World, in Chicago, is surely what may be
termed "a rum creetur." She is, to all APP
pearances, the Louise Michel of America.
Her greatest recommendation lies in the fact
that she is one woman only, and not an
army. Ii she were more multitudinous than
she is every man on the face of the globe
regard to age, race, color or previous condi-
ton, or even few moments notice in which
to pick up his things to travel with. Mrs.
Wilmans's writings are of an extremely in
cendiary character, inspiring the most mild
hammered woman who reads them to pos
sess herself ofa baseball club, and flatten
out the first man she comes to; not because
he has done anything in particular, but
purely and simply because he is a man. The
utterances of Mrs Wilmans appear not only
rabd, but reckless, and if her example were
widely followed this world would bear even
less resemblance to the Garden of Eden than
it does. She recently gave expression to
the following startling sentiment: cpl
do my own thinking if it
leads me to the devil" (which rather
awakens the apprehension that, if she were
to go to his satanic majesty, she would make
it lively for him. Such violent talk does
not prove anything in particular, and, more
over is not pretty. Mrs. Wilmsns is suf-
frage advocate, and her arguments are gen.
orally of this brick-bat character A city
minister once stated that Kicking the pulpit
never saved anybody" and, in parallel
phrase, it may be said that f1inging boot
Jacks at a man will never convert him to
equal suffrage ideas. The more agreeable
the suffrage advocate will make herself, the
more respectful attention her ideas will re-
ceive. The man or woman who attempts re-
battle-ax, and vice versa. The woman who
has suffered from the abuse or tyranny of
man is to be ptied, and is pitied; but there
are still good men and true, or the world
would fly its axis. Virtue was not ex-
hausted by the virtuous of old, nor did all
heroes perish in the days of Homer. We
have still choice selection of Bayards on
hand, although they may possibly have red
hair and wear goggles, and spend their days
in more prosaic employment than pricking
DER the plain or a charger and digging
a lance into everything that happens along.
Mrs. Wilmans's errors are somewhat palliat-
ed by the fact that she lives in Chicago.
The world is more out of joint in that
wicked place than elsewhere. Standpoint
is everything. In a serene and peace breath
ing place the Chicago editor becomes another
man, his agitated editorials wax milder. and
in ten days time he will prattle as harmless
glides" In all seriousness, however, the
boot-jack style of oratory adopted by many
most earnest advocates of woman's fuller
freedom, political or otherwise does injury
to the cause it would promote. Woman is
not physically adapted to combat with man.
All the strength she could muster would be,
in a real contest, but as chaff in the wind.
But in gentleness and courtesy when she is
so minded, who can compete with her?
Where his victories are of hundreds hers
may be of thousands, forgetting not, how
ever, that the hand, even though it be of
vet glove.