The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-25

was noar Yorktown TO dsposs the OWL govern.
mont OF the Confederate States and TO declare
Con. J. E. Johnston Dictator. On ono occasion.
In tho Presidents ONCE In Richmond. Mr..
Davis asked Gen. G. W. Smith whether he
knew OF the existence Of tho plot mentioned.
Gen. Smith denied and now rsitsrates the de-
NAL In the most explicit terms that any such
scheme was a. matter OF fact laid. or could
have been laid without his knowledge.
what Wsasn have 0a,ssA II Earsps.
Mr.. THEODORE STANTON hes we'll per.
formed . difIicult and useful task In supplying
us with the materials for complete review OF
tho present position Of Tho Womsw Question in
Europe tPutnamsL For this purpose hs has
collected. In many instances translated and In
almost oil cases remodsllsd series Of original
essays all Of which. with two exceptions. ere
written By women. and which. taken oollsc-
lively. ensbla 10 to trace the movement for the
educational and political enfranehisement
Of the female sex In every European country.
Nowhere else 10 1t possible to obtain within the
compass OF a single volume anythise like the
ssme amount Of authentic information upon
topic which already stands In the foreground
Of discussion. and ID fast core Yelling tho atten-
ton OF Legislators.
Rather more than quarter OF the pages in
this volume are devotsd to an examination Of
the actual situation Of women In England. To
this branch Of the subject. with which American
readers are more or lsss oonverssnt. We shall
not at present refer. but oonnne ourselves to
marking the less.known facta which exhibit
the progress made BY tho advocates Of equal
rights for women among the Continental
nations. Here. too Va shall begin with the less
familiar data relating to those countries about
which the American press a. rule evinces but
little interest. reservins for . hnal glance the
status OF the woman question In France
and Germany. Most persons for example,
will be surprised to learn that women
have come nearer In the Austro- Hunga-
rian monarchy to political emancipation
than in any Continental State. By tho electoral
law OF the empire women have voice In the
municipal. provincial and national elections
though male citizen. duly authorised by
them. easts their vote. Not. OF course. that
universal suffrage exists In the Hapsburs do
minions. but the franchise 10 exercised by those
who pay fixed amount Of taxes A
woman who owns property enough may desig-
nate q citizen possessing her confidence to
represent her at the polls . privilege
which II eeems IL preferred tn casting
ballot In person. We learn that WON.
on are nlso eligible to ofiics. at least
there is no law against their Accepting
II. while there are instances OF their having
dono So. At :ram. In Croatia. woman was
some time ago elected . member Of the Munic.
ipal Council. and no objection WAS made In
southsrn Bohemia more recently. q Countess
was chosen member Of Provincial Assembly,
and her election was ratified by that body
ON condition that she should not participate
personally In It's deliberations. but should b.
represented by male delegate empowered to
act for her. Apropos Of Bohemia. 1t may here b.
mentioned that thore are economical reasons
why the industrial and commercial instruc.
tlon OF women should be there promoted. the
number Of females In that country exceeding
that OF males by some 200 900. On tho other hand.
the University OF Prague Including both the
Czech and the German divisions) is shut against
women like tho University OF Vienna. For
long time the State did nothing for tho educa.
ton OF bohemian women after they loft the
primary schools. but during tho last twenty
years high school and = normal school have
been established at Prague. Among tho Ger.
man-speaking peopla Of the Cisleithan king.
dom. marked advance has lately taken place
In the general education Of women 30 far a. tho
foundation OF lyceums and normal schools 10
concerned.
There 10 . good deal Of misconeeption re-
garding the extent to which the emancipation
OF women has bosn carried under tho Russian
Government. The fact that Russian woman
belonging to the classes above that OF peasant
Is by law mistress OF her fortune has led to her
acquiring few other privileges, which, how.
ever. are more nominal than substantial II
she pays definite amount OF taxes she may
take part In tho elections for the Municipal
Councils. though. just a. In tho Haps-
burg empire. her vota must be cast for
her By some male relative or friend. She
may also vote in the same roundabout
way for members OF the ZsD.stpo, or pro.
vincial assembly, but tho functions Of this
body arc Insignificant from political point Of
view. Tho lot Of the Russian peasant woman
10 much harder one. for besides the laws OF tho
empire she must obey those Of custom. which
are extremely rigorous. and the Mir. or village
council IL always roady to lend parents or
husbands helping hand to crush the spirit OF
Independence In wife or daughter. Returning
to the women OF the middle classos. ws observe
that the so.callod gymnasiA are merely inter.
mediate schools. and fall far short Of squippina
girls for entrance into the universities.
Since 1878 certain courses Of lectures
have beon opened to women at tho
st. Petersburg University. About 900
female students avail themselves OF this oppor-
tunlty every year. and Mt the first examination
for graduation In 1882 ninety nine young
women obtained degrees In the literary and
historical department. and sixty-four In the |
scientific department. These degrees. we In.
for. are merely informal certificates. for slse- |
where In tho same essay wo rsad that no
woman has ever roc0ivrd = degree In our
universities" Thus for. moreover. but little |
practical advantage 10 derivabls from the In |
struction bestowed. 1t might b. supposed that |
n hA HkAA a.