The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1889-01-12
AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN
WOMEN.

w ONIEN.
The comparison, or rather contrast,
between American and European wo-
men which Professor Bryce draws in
his american Commonwealth" "a
great work, from which the Herald
was the first journal to print liberal
extracts-will be read with widespread
interest, and we may add pleasure, in
this country.
The comparison is highly compli
mentary, not only to american women,
but also the men Of the nation, and
coming from an Englishman so OBJ
servant and thoughtful as Professor
Bryce, is of more than ordinary value.
He does not hesitate to declare that in
this country woman holds superior
position to that held by her in Europe.
She is more independent, more defer
red to, more influential, ranks higher
socially, intellectually and in domestic
circles.
Especially is this true Of American
wives as compared with European
wives. The average foreign husband
feels that he is superior to his wife,
and when he meets an American wo-
man consciously or unconsciously
talks down to her" While the Amer
lean husband recognizes the equality
of woman, and "talks to her just as
ha uOul1 to a man
A European cannot spend an even
ing in an American drawing room
without perceiving that the attitude.
of men to women is not that which
he is familiar with at home. The av-
erage European man has usually a
slight sense of condescension when he
talks to a woman on serious subjects.
Even if she is his superior in intel
lect, in character, in social rank, he
thinks that as man he is her supe-
rior, and consciously or unconsciously
talks down to her. She is too much
accustomed to this to resent it, unless
it become tastelessly palpable.
Such notion does not cross an
Americans mind. He talks to wo-
man Just as he would to man, of
course with more Difference of manner
|and with proper regard to the topics
likely to interest her, but giving her
his intellectual best, addressing her as
a person whose opinion is understood
by both to be worth as much as his
own.
Similarly, an American lady does
not expect to have conversation made
to her. 1t is just as much her duty
or pleasure to lead it as the mans is,
and more often than not she takes the
burden from him, darting along with
a gay vivacity which puts to shame
his slower wits. 1t need hardly be
| said that in sill cases where the two
sexes come into competition for COM
fort the provision is made first for wo-
man.
Whether this superior social stand
ing is the cause or the effect, it sug-
gests the fact that nowhere else in the
world do women hold that legal status,
that high position under the law which
has been conceded to them in this
country. If, for example, an English
man ''talks down to women, it is be-
cause English law has always treated
them as mans interiors. Take the old
common law. Under it a married wo-
man was but little better than slave.
Husband and wife were one, and that
one was the husband. He was her
lord and master, the owner Of her and
all that belonged to her. Legally she
was cipher. She had no rights. She
could not acquire or dispose of prop
erty, and could not contract or sue
could not engage in business.
The very children she bore she could
not call her own. They were her
husbands, and subject to his control.
Without his consent she could not
rear them in her own religious faith.
Without her consent he could make
of them priests. or pirates. The hus-
band was even allowed on immoral Ii
cense. while the wife was held to the
strictest chastity, for he could obtain
divorce for her marital infdelity, while
she could not for his. Of course time
has bettered the legal status.of the
English wife, but the position which
Professor Bryce ascribes to her to-day
shows that woman in England has not
yet been emancipated from the'bane-
! full influence Of that early legal thral-
dom.
| Now look at woman under Ameri-
can law. The record of legislation
enlarging her legal rights, in recogni-
tion Of her legal equality is history
of steady progress. Under the Con-
stitution Of the United States an Amer
lean woman is an American citizen
TTrJor tho cfofutr,1ry lau q married.