The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-23
New Publications.
THE WOMAN QUESTION.


"The Woman Question SO called, opens a
broad field for difference of opinion, and it
would seem impossible and unadyisable, with
in the limits of book notice, to attempt to
discuss its merits. So we necessarily conine
ourselves to the book under consideration:
''The Woman Question in Europe, edited by
Theodore Stanton, M. A. Mr.. Stanton began
to collect materials for his volume in 1901.
His intention was to lecture in each country of
Europe, with the aid of one or more women whe
had taken an active interest In the women's
movement, who would give a condensed his
tory of the efforts made, the degree of success
achieved, and the condition of women today
in these various countries He has been re-
markedly successful in his efforts, and his book
consists of q series of original essays, all of
which, with the exception of the chapters up
on France and Portugal, are written by women.
Mr.. Stanton has certainly obtained the coll
laboration of distinguished and cultivated
women in every instance.
"The chapter on France" says the Editor,
"differs materially from the others, both as
regards its form and its amplitude. France
while accomplishing less than almost any other
country in the practical amelioration of wom-
ans condition, has, in the field of ideas, al
ways led the world. What her thinkers and
reformers have written and spoken other ma
tions have put into practice. France has al
ready 6OtV6u lucOE0btCdllys bu0 WOuau Quob-
ton, as she has all the other great problems
of the nineteenth century" (Which latter, by
the way, seems very sweeping statement for
Mr.. Stanton to make.) The woman question
being solved theoretically by France, it re-
mains to be seen whether the solution will
become practical in any other country. And
how much better off will women be when
they ale reduced to an equality with men, and
are permitted to do for themselves what men
would much better do for them, and save them
&tlnd Soor 10 10
The contributions to Mr.. Stanton's book
came to the editor in six different languages,
without counting the English, viz: German,
italian, Spanish, Norwegian, Polish and Mod
ern Greek; so that the work of translating,
as we'll as OF editing has been immense. The
special intention of this work is to furnish the
facts free from all extravaganza.
England has the first place in the volume,
and the larger share, because in that country
has been made more marked progress in the
women's movement than in any other.
First and foremost what these writers de-
sire for women is the right to exercise the
electoral franchise; and the ground taken is
that unless women are allowed to vote all
other privileges that are accorded them are of
little use.
Whatever ones views may be, Mr.. Stanton's
volume is an exceedingly interesting one, and
contains many curious and valuable statistics.
One gets great deal OF light too, upon the
peculiar charteristics, customs and habits of
the women of different countries represented,
and of the various classes in those countries.
There is remarkably interesting chapter
upon women in Medicine" by Frances Eliz-
abeth Hogan, M. d who is the wife OF a
physician. Mrs. Hogan is licentiate of the
Kings and Queens College of physicians in
Ireland, and is jointly with her husband,
regular contributor of scientific articles to En-
glish and foreign medical journals. Indeed
the contributors to this work have written
with care, thought, and thorough knowledge
of their subject, SO that each chapter has some
special value of its own, and all go to make
up a remarkable book.