The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-08-29
Women and Men.

TRADE against women writers, calling
their effusions vapid stuff and berating
especially the silly names they use.
The works of one were called "well
enough" but "why didn't she use her
own name instead of one fancifu
enough for child, when she was not
even young?" which the masculine
writer knew very well. Taking a fic-
titious name is done solely from mod
est wish for seclusion, but the writers
are condemned for not remaining in
entire seclusion. Those who emerge
feel propelled, we suppose, and those
who write would cease very soon if
they had no readers. | know one who
wrote an article on the spur of the mo-
ment, signing the first name thatS &C.
Cured, with no idea of ever writing
another. Writing became her life-work,
without generalization or the faintest
desire for publicity, or even acquiring
reputation as a writer. One would think
it would be the last thing sensitive and
scrupulous men would find fault with
a wish to remain unseen and unknown.
They say the "stuff y women write is
a disgrace to the papers in which it
appears.
We sometimes read articles that men
write which are no great credit to them,
and every city paper has several editors
and correspondents. | do not know of
any that employs more than two women
writers at the same time, and their con-
tributions could be easily omitted by
those who do not think them worth
reading. Strange as it may seem, a great
deal of this is mere spite, envy, jealousy
and malice. Pseudonyms have been
used by more men than women and quite
as foolish, fanciful and ridiculous ones,
as any one can easily see by consulting
a cyclopedia, where he will find them
all in a row."
In Europe women have taken mems
names with no intention of disgracing
the brotherhood, but only more effectu-
ally to conceal themselves. To suppose
men could do anything so improbable as
to fear rivals in women in the spheres of
learning and literature will be called
too far-fetched to be admitted an in
slant. This danger is so distant that
we wonder it can be allowed any inhu-
ence in the privileges granted to women
of any sort whatever, yet great deal
of the objection to their taking an in
terest in public affairs springs from fear
of those they would consider contempti-
BILE rivals, not worth noticing and GER
tainly not worth fearing. Why shouldn't
women do as they please in all the trans
actions of life, entirely free to use their
judgment, and not obliged to feel that
they are governed despotically, COM
PEELED to blush unseen" whether they
like it or not? There is a saying that
when there is trouble anywhere g there's
sure to be found a woman at the bot
tom of it," If she were allowed to
work at the top there wouldn't be so
many of her at the bottoml
1t is said European diplomacy is car
ried on almost entirely by women in
these days, the intricate policy it re-
quires being more deity managed by
them than by men. They have more
tact for all purposes than men, be-
cause they are compelled to cultivate it
and have the time. Diplomacy shouldn't
be carried on by intricate policy, and
governments should do everything
openly and above-board. All the secret,
undetermined ways of diplomatists are
mean and contemplate. Some wives
say " there is no other way to get along
with men than to manage them ,
and women who don't do this are
tyrannized to death" One said I" her
husband would have been fiend if she
hadn't known how to manage him -
and "she had managed him into the
kingdom of heaven" Ishould not think
men would covet the reputation Of" be-
ing managed" but would prefer to act
openly and uprightly. Managing means
deceiving. | once said to a man who
was in raging fury with his wife that
whatever else she did she never de-
ceived him." " If she did I'd kill her. -
he said. If he had ever discovered a
deception he would have killed her.
very likely. She wasn't one of the
managing sort. She hadn't even the
tact which may be exercised innocently
but never did anything Intentionally to
irritate or injure any one. Her husband
was one whose theories were very fine
but whose practice didn't at all CORE.
spond with them.
Espionage makes hypocrtes of those
dependent and in service. Govern.
mental tyranny makes rebels and me-
cessltates armies of spies. 1t is all con-
temptible. Restraint and punishment
are for those who offend and should
not be exercised upon the innocent
In the course of centuries men sue
coed in getting free, as they have in
England and in most continental coun-
tries, but, as the Frenchman said
they've forgotten to free the women
1t is disgraceful to those who rule ovel
them that they are compelled to NEE
in convention to discuss questions o.
rights and privileges to ask for this o.
that. They ask for what is theirs
rights which should never be ques
toned. They have never forfeited
them. When they have used them t
the injury of society and the world i
will be time to deprive them of thes,
and any other privileges of which the,
have made wrong use. One class o
human beings has no right to tyranniz
another. 1t is equally wrong and vul
gar whether those in subsection ar
called men or women. Nobody shout,
be compelled to waste time in plottin,
against tyranny and petitioning TO
what is already theirs and nobody ha
the right to give or take away. Tn