The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-09
INFLUENCE OF WOMEN.
The Subject Under Discussion in the Lime
kiln Club.

Detroit Free Press.
Il hold heah a letter." said the president as
the meeting opened, ''axin dis club to report its
observashuns on de inhooence of de female sex
on liberty, pollyticks art progress, and blzness.
Brother Bebee, what do you know of the inioo-
ence of females on de matter of liberty"
Brother Bebee replied that he had of late years
observed a disposition on the part of the female
sex to do as they pleased, go where they pleased
and carry bundle of liberty under each arm
day and night. One hundred years ago liberty
was persimmon on the highest limb of tall
tree To-day it was pumpkin which anybody
could roll along the ground. Every body breathed
it, ate it, and walked arm and arm with it, and
the masses could no more be deprived of liberty
than bobtailed cows could take the first prem
ium at the State fair.
''Brudder Pickles Smith, what do you know of
de infooenee of de female sex of pOllyticksF
asked the president.
Brother Smith replied that he knew of sew
eral wives in his neighborhood who bossed their
husbands votes He could also recall three or
four cases wherein women had exercised pow
erful influence after their husbands got home
from convention.
''Brudder Penstock, has you noticed any per-
ticker infooence of de female sex on de matter
of art" asked the president.
Brother Penstock had Such thing as max
ing old, yellow, four gallon jug thing of
beauty and a parlor ornament would never have
been thought of but for the genter sex. A man
would pass old tomato can in the back yard a
hundred times day without a second look. A
woman would sieze upon it at the
first opportunity and transform it into a
Grecian vase of exquisite beauty. Twenty
years ago omnibus with landscape on the
side would be followed around the streets by "a
crowd To-day six gallon crock, to be used as
an umbrella holder, with view of the Yosemite
painted all around it in nine different colors,
could be drawn all over the city on a hand-sled
without exciting remark. Art had become "a
part of our every day lives. A stout woman
couldn't even fall down on an icy corner without
displaying more or less genuine talent for the
artistic.
''Brudder Pullback, has you noticed any par
ticker influence of women on dc matter of
progressH inquired Brother Gardner.
Pullback thought he had. Women had dis
covered most of the comets, projected the grand
est bridges, engineered the greatest tunnels, and
hadn't been for the progressive ideas of women
stage coaches would yet be running between
New York and Chicago
Judge Cadaver was asked what influence
woman had on business, and he drew long
breath and replied that if it wasn't for the fe-
male sex the business of the world would drop
onehalf One dry-goods store in a city could
supply all the men, but the women supported
two or three hundred of them. Women not
only maintained business, but established new
manufactures For instance, the decoration of
female hosiery gave employment to 5000 persons
the year around 1t was all out of sight and
utterly useless, but it circulated millions of dol
lars. Pads, bustles paints, cosmetics, and false
hair were of no real service convenience or
ornament and yet 0.000 900 and the labor of
200, 600 people were the annual results. Woman
was straight in business When "A wife whose hus
band earns only $25 per week can keep a carriage,
wear 500 bracelets and put on $3.50 sealskin
sacque, the man who contended that the female
sex had no financial abilities had better hang up.