Morning journal and courier., 1893-08-21
THE LADY MANAGERS.

1t Is little early for the removal of ex-
hibits from the big show at Chicago, but
nobody is finding any fault with tbs re-
moval of the Board of Lady Managers of
the Columbian Exposition. This exhibit
was expected to be very interesting, and 1t
was for awhile, bu. everybody seems to
have had enough of it.
The plsin truth appears to be that the
Board of Lady Managers of the Colupbisn
Exposition has been a great dissppo!nt-
ment to all who were looking TO 1t to show
what Woman can do. II has shown tbs,
but not in the wsy wished for. 1t has at
tracted good deal of attention, because
Its members have been In a row most of
the time. And their rows have been very
bitter and noisy onss. 1t Is whispered
that their Adjournment was really due
to "the gentle but irresistible pressure"
brought to bear upon them by their presi-
dent and by the treasury officials AZ Wash
ington. And it is added that for eome
time Mr.. Carlisle, the secretary of the
treasury, has been watching with astonish-
ment and alarm the proceedings of the
board. Having old-fashioned notions
about feminine decorum he was shocked
by the immense lack of Observance, not
merely of parliamentary law, but of the
courtesies of life, which marked so many
of the Lady Managers meetings. When
he saw the methods of Democratic city
nominating convention being copied SO
faithfully by the Lady Managers" he
began to fear that Chicago air was
too stimulating for a session pro-
longed till November. Besides that he
did not see that the board was doing
any good for the exposition-that 1t was
| doing anything except eating up several
hundred dollars of government money a
day. The members of the Board made
the most of their privileges. They got
free passage to the Fair for themselves
and had some tickets to give away to
friends. All the side shows on the
Plaissnce were open to them. They rode
free on launches and gondolas. They
wore conspicuous badges, which set them
apart from the women of Chicago, on
whom they looked down with undisguised
\ or laboriously concealed contempt. Fur.
thermore, they had patronage. They had
And strange and paradoxical as it may
seem to those who believe that the new
mission Of women Is to purify and elevate
politics, It Is nevertheless true that thost
ladies wrangled over their patronage with
more vshsmence and bitterness than mer
politicians would have displayed. During
their discussions as to who should hsvt
these little Offices they too often resortet
to the use Of language not altogether suit
ed for the kitchen and quite out of plac
In the parlor.
lis the general opinion of those bes
qualified to judge that the conduct of tn
board has been such as to create an IN
favorable impression of the advisability o
calling on women TO take an active part 4
the management of great public under
takings. And the Chicago Tribune doe
not hesitate to say: "There was exhibite
abundance of malice, hatred and all ur
chsritableness. Therefore, 1t is well tbs
the board has adjourned and that th
members have gone home to scold In pr
vate, instead of In public, and eIpeud o
their husbands, the natural recipients, Ii
bad temper they have been expending o
: one another in some of their publ
meetings."
This episode is sad and disceqrsgir
one. The opportunity 10 show Woman
fitness to be the boss was splendid on
/. and 1t has been fooliahly misused. Nut
was expected of q Board Of Lady Mana
ers. Perhaps less would have been e
peoted Of Board Of Women Manager
. and perhaps more would have been re-
lied. Lady Manager is high title to Ii
tup to.