The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-22
W0MEN IN POLITICS.
In England They Stand Any Amount OF
Personal Abuse.

The part the women play in an English
election in one of the things which no
America can accept as an improvement
over our own methods, writes Richard
Harding Davis in Harpers Magazine. u
NAV either amuse him or shock him, but
ba Uould not care to see 1t adopted NJ
home The canvassing in the country
from cottage to cottage he can under
stond. that seems possible enough. u
takes the form Of a polite VISIT 10 tne
,eronts and the real object is cloakea
WITH n few vague inquiries about inc
health of the children or the conoitioh VA
che crons and the tract-like distrloutloil
~ campaian documents. But IN toWhs y
a. 6ic,erert The invasion OF bacheior
anartments by young primrose GAMES
embarrassing and unnice ana Is d SUI -
thing we would not allow our sis'eIs ~
do and the house-to-house canvass III ''io
alievs Of Whitechapel or among the nav
aoes Of Lambeth, which results IN ihsVi.
and nersonal abuse, is, 10 our way Vi
thinking. a simple impossibility' Inc En-
o,Iisb as \ rule think we allow our women
20 do pretty much as they please anu u
is true that they do in many things ENJOY
80 freedom than their British cousins
t,t 4ba mon in our country are not so anX-
ions IN oct into Office, greedy as they are
after n az 10 allow their wives IN order
a. ottain that end TO be even subject 10
ANNOYANCE. certainly not TO be stoIIeu VI
hustled of their feet or splattered WIN
the mud Of the mile-end road: any one
in England who followed the elecuon last
wear knows TO the wife Of when ulsuh-
euished candidate ard to the daughter
OF which cabinet minister ! reIer
I have seen women Of the best class
struck bv stones and eggs and dead FISH,
and the game did not seem to me 10 De
worth the candle. I confess that at the
time I war so intent In admiring their
Dluck that II appeared to me as rather
Nne than otherwise. but from this calmer
distance ] can see nothing in the actiNe
work Of the English woman in politics
which iustihes the risk she Involuntary
runs OF insult and the indignity and bodily
injury. A seat in the house would hardly
repay a candidate for the loss OF one OF
his wifes eyes or all Of his sisters front
teeth, and though that is putting 1t bru-
tally. It IS putting II fairly
II would not be fair. however II / lett
the idea I'm the readers mind that the
women go into this work unwillinely; on
the contrary. they delight in il and some
OF them are as clever at It as the men,
and go to as great lengths from Mrs.
Tangtrv. who plastered her house from
pavement TO roof with red and white
posters for the conservative candidate, TO
the duchess who sat at the side Of the
members for Winchester and regretted
that it threatened to be an orderly meet
ing. II is also only fair TO add that many Of
the most prominent Enghshmen IN politics
are so much opposed TO what they call
the interference Of women in matters
political as they are to bribery and cor
ruption, and regard both elements Of an
electoral campaign with a pronounced dis
favor. The reply which the president Of
the United States made to these enthu-
siastic and no doubt wel-meaning women
who wished to form leagues and name
them after his wife illustrates the spirit
with which the interference OF women in
politics is Tegal ded I'm this country. But
then IL is a new thing with us and It Is
only right 10 remember that from the days
OF the Duchess OF Devonshire's sentiments
al canvass 10 the present English women
have taken a part in general elections;
that there is a precedent for II; and when
you have said that OF anything English
YOU have justified It for all time to come.
The young American girl who would not
think IL proper to address men from a
platform and give them a chance to throw
things at her, must remember that the
English girl would not give the
man she knew a cup of tea
in the afternoon unless her moth
er were in the room TO take care OF
her. And I am sure the women in my
candidates campaign almost persuaded
ne that they as the political agent de-
clared, did more than himself 10 win the
clectiOn.-EXchanee