Omaha daily bee., 1893-11-12
THE FAIREST AT The FAIR
Review Of Woman's Work at the Great
Columbian Exposition.
THE SEX DID ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING
Kate Field Thinks So, and Appeals to the
Record to Prove It-Administrativo
and Architectural Results, and
the Varied Exhibits.
copyrighted by Kate Field Syndicate, Wash
innlnn IL E1

~ 10 " hhhtsNS ~ 'oAAS hANN NANt '
nothing whatever to do with the general
management of the fair. Their administra-
tion has been confined to their own sex,
within the limits of the Woman's building.
Though some of the best exhibits of women
were on view in the Manufactures and Arts
buildings the Board of Lady Managers had
little to do with them, except TO fight for
their admission. Little In one sense, this
fight for justice was everything in another,
as Mrs. Palmer states in her official report.
Without it women would have been almost
excluded from the exposition, except in the
Woman's building.
"Now, then, what have women done in
that Woman's building besides making
themselves ridiculous and fighting like cats
and dogsl The building was as dark as a
pocket. l couldn't see several exhibits,
notably those of New South Wales and
Mexico, and there is no sense in separating
the sexes. There should no more have been
a Woman's building than a mans building
So spake a clever man, who was enthusias-
tically supported by his wife.
Eyes" echoed the wife,, women should
stay in their own sphere. They have no
business capacity and always muddle what
ever they touch. I'm ~disgusted with thcm.'
If this opinion we're confined to one house,
hold it would be unworthy of notice as it is
shared by thousands it deserves considera-
tion.
In the first place the Board ofLady Mana
gers compares most favorably with the ma
tlonal commission, though the former was
taken direct from private life, while the
latter was more or less used to public affairs.
The women had spasms Of unwisdom, which
reports exaggerated considering their man
ner of appointment l am amazed at the gen.
eral level Of capacity. No scandal has been
mixed up with them, no charges of dishon-
esty. The fidelity TO work of the various
committees is proved by results.
That the Woman's building is better
adapted to the reception Of people than the
reception Of exhibits is certainly true. The
first floor is dark, but Miss Hayden's build
ing is not unique in this respect. Various
exhibits in the Manufactures building were
killed by being slowed in dark recesses. Ex-
ternally the Woman's building pleases the
eye and harmonizes with the ensemble
of jackson park. Refined, uignifed, unob-
~trusive, it well expresses a sex that Is only
beginning to feel the artistic power with
which nature has endowed it. That Miss
Hayden more than realized expectations has
been shown by the esteem in which she is
| iClu ny oo blCNOi q iiOiO 10 In "
Works Burnham and by the award Of Il
medal from a jury OF architects that re-
fused to honor the government building ana
the Illinois state building, both designed by
men. Ii Miss Hayden had conceived the
latter women would have reason to be
ashamed. AS it is, they can congratulate
themselves, not only on the woman architect
Of the fair, but on the women decorators.
Opposed to u Separation.
On general principles l am opposed to a
separation of the sexes. | believe men and
women are vastly akin to n pair of scissors
both are needed for the complete evolution
of anything and everything. Firm in this
faith l began by seeing no necessity for a
oman's building. After five months OBJ.
servauion | am convinced of its utility. Ii
all the world were enlightened its erection
would have been unwise; out the least I'M
derstood being on earth is woman, even by
her own self. She needed a revelation and
has had it.
Ii popularity be a sign of approval the
Woman's building outranks all others. /
never entered it's portals without being OPP
pressed by an overflow of humanity. Every
woman who visited the fair made 1t the cen
ter of her orbit. Here was a structure de-
signed by a woman, decorated by women,
managed by women, filed with the work Of
women. Thousands discovered that women
were not only doing something, but had
been working seriously for generations.
Many of the exhibits were admirable; if
others failed to satisfy experts. what of it2
The SUN total filled a mission that is bound
to produce good fruit. Women have gone
home imbued with faith in their sex and in
themselves. They feel that their kingdom
Is yet to come. Filled with hope, they de-
termine to make the most of themselves.
Every woman manager will be a motor in
her community to set going the wheels of
progress. If, however, the next interna-
1 t;n..1 aynnSition hn Anfarnra1 tNynntu- a ya
years the Woman's building will not have a
successor. BY that time cooperation of tine
sexes will be so firmly established as to put
women beside men in management and to
make two boards an eXtravagant anomaly. 4.
The assertion of my critics wife that
women nave no business capacity is laugh
able, considering how many women not only
earn their own living but support families.
Look at France and SEQ what her women
are doing in business. American women
cannot touch them in shrewdness and in
telligence.. The cause OF this capacity is
due, / fancy, to Napoleonic wars that drove
husband and father into the army and
forced women to look after themselves, So
well did they hold the reins as TO have kept
them ever since. Mind you, / think it "a
national misfortune that women should ever
be obliged to leave their firesides to WELD
the scepter OF work, unless it be artistici
but as the world is out of joint and women
must be breadwinners, in Gods name let
them be given all the necessary tools.
AS to the lady managers OF the Worlds
Columbian exposition what is the verdict Of
congressl Let a national commissioner tell
the story.
"They have done better work and more of
it than we have" frankly admitted the hon
estest of men. 81 know what I'm talking
about, because I've acted with both organl-
cations, and let me tell you that DuJ for Mrs,
Potter Palmer congress never would have
given the money for awards. Every man of
us who argued before the committee said or
/ did gomethinp aQGagOQiStIC, did, FOR one.
When Mrs. Palmer arose oil was poured on
the troubled waters and victory perched on
our banner. Not only did Mrs. Palmer get
all the money she asked for, but $50 900
more" If tins is not business capacity it is
q good imitation.
Mrs. Potter Palmer was the right woman
in the right place. To fill her position
needed intelligence, knowledge of the
world, a clear head, great se.f-control, tact,
beauty, wealth and leisure, What other
available woman possessed all these req
usitesl What unmarried woman of your