The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-17
A TAX ON BACHELORS.
Advocated by One of the Lead
ing German Philosophers.
PENSIONS FOR THE OLD MAIDS.
Nowadays There Are Women who Do
NOT Care to Be Loved-The Sexes
Ought to Be ReconciIed.

could not resist seeking an interview
Win Edward Won Hartmann, who is I'M
oouotedlv the greatest modern philoso-
pher OF germany. the author of the "Phil-
osophy OF the Unconscious" the system
OF winch Is based on the materialism of
Darwin and the pessimism of Schopen-
hauer. The leading idea of this volumin-
GUS work is easily enough explained in
quoting his own words:
Have you never had ideas of which you
were unconscious until they were called
forth by suggestion?" To find out
now far the influence of the unconscious
can be traced in will, idea, instinct, ma
ture, etc., is the task he put himself. Let
me describe my first meeting with this ex-
traordinary thinker. As it is always wise
before meeting such men to prepare one
self with some topic of conversation I
chose subject which will interest almost
any reader and which has formed but
limited place in his hitherto published
writings, his idea on woman's rights.
friend had advised me to meet him at
Cafe Bauer. where he often came to glance
through the papers in the afternoon. An
introduction would hardly be necessary,
and IN spite of a little gruffness of man.
ner he is found to be very pleasant con-
Versationalist. So one afternoon l en-
tered the Cafe Bauer, ordered some refresh
ments and barricaded myself behind a
New York Herald. 1 inquired of the
waiter if he knew Mr.. E. Won Hartmann.
"Of course; who does not know him?
Do you wish to speak to him?" Then
glanclng over the guests, "He is not here
yet. That's his corner over there. He
generally comes at 2 if he comes at ALL"
From the further details the amiable
waiter gave me concerning the philoso-
pher came to the following conclusion:
That he was neither an eccentric like
Schopenhauer nor a solitary student like
Kant. He is known for his regular,
reasonable mode of living, only working
In the morning, taking plenty of exercise
and enjoying long hours of sleep at night.
Though his philosophical writings have
found ready market and have been
translated into many languages, it would
have hardly sufficed to secure him the
comfortable, independent living he enjoys
if he did not belong to wealthy and
aristocratic family. 1t struck two, and
shortly after a tall, robust, solid-headed
man, with long flowing beard, entered
and revealed in his gait that he had in his
youth served as an officer in the German
army.
As soon as he was seated 1 approached
him and begged the favor of converse
ton with him on the much discussed sub
ject of "women's rights"
you wish to hear my opinions on
women? Well, you had better take seat,
for it is not an easy subject to be discussed;
but before l begin beg you to listen care
fully, for / dislike having any miscon-
strued ideas published that am supposed
to have uttered" Though promising to
be very attentive, found it extremely
difficult to follow the vehement flow of
his words, sputtering away with weighty
thoughts, showing wonderful knowledge
and mastery of human nature. The words
he used, however, were simple, very much
like his style of writing. His works have
done more than any before to bring
science in an untechnical shape as part
of literature in the broad sense.
"How do you come to ask me such q
question: he said, comfortably slipping
his coffee and lighting cigar. explained
my reason. He nodded with his large
head:
True enough, woman's emancipation
is making rapid progress everywhere and
nobody can escape its influence. The
woman who desires to be equal to man
u
nations. In the last 800 years nothing has
undergone more intrinsic changes than
the position which women take in social
life. The woman of ITO can hardly be
recognized in the woman of 1890"
do you think that contemporary liter
ature gives US good idea of the modern
woman"
Hardly" he continued in his fascinat-
ing though dictatorial and somewhat
rough manner. 1.-THE modern woman has
to be studied from life; she has not yet
made her appearance in literature. Emile
Zola, who has given US in his 'Rougeon
Marquarts' marvellous description, of
even historical accuracy, of the girl, the
woman, the mother of today, has never
theless endowed them with symbolistic
sensuousness which reminds US too often
of romanticism.
Guy de Maupassant is one of the first
who understood that women begin to real
iZe in what the essence of life consists, and
in his novel, 'Notre Coeur,' he has made
an attempt TO introduce to his readers the
relation of men and women without the
mystic monotony of lola or the erotic
sentimentailty Of Paul Bourget."
do you think women are right?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "For CEN
turies women have submitted with mar
tyr-like resignation to the brutality of
men. Who can blame them then that
they now struggle to free themselves
from the cruel bondage and want, more
over, to practice all human privileges; this
results naturally in q certain fear of
merely domestic and maternal duties
And yet it is TO be regretted, because
women are yet to lose their traditional fe-
male qualities and adopt the egotism and.
| fear, even the brutality of men"
And have you really observed these
changes in women?''
Everywhere he called out emphat-
ically, you can nowadays find the woman
who does not care to be loved and taken
care of and even demands perfect inde-s
pendence in married life. The increasing
influence of woman is based on her supe-
rior morality and desire for knowledge of
life. The Noras of Ibsen who leave their
husband and children to find out in what
the true happiness of life consists are
more frequent than most people imagine.
But many of our young authors exagger-
ate if they say that modern women can
only love while kneeling or hate while
clenching their teeth. But there is no
doubt that modern woman no longer
wishes to be obedlent and ever patient and
tries to overcome her physical deficien-
ctes. She wanted to become mans equal
and now tries 10 become his master She
employs all means within her reach as
coquetry, gentle persuasion, patience and
will power, and in many particulars she is
mans superior"
Il am afraid that few men would be
willing to acknowledge it," remarked.
He gave hearty laugh which shook his
gigantic frame. Il believe that the ma
iority of men still adhere to the much
found-fault-with Essay on Women of
poor Schopenhauer, who was unfortunate
in having an unsympathetic mother.
Even those who literally give in TO
I, -,