New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-04
MARIA DERAISMES.
A FRENCH CHAMPION OF WOMAN SUN
FRAGE.
A LovABLE CHARACTER-HER LAST vIcroRt~
FUNERAL TRIBlTES.

A IOvABLE CIIARACTER-UER LAST VICTORY
FUNERAL TRIBl'TEs.
Paris. February 10.
Maria Deraismes. the most original, PICTURESQUE
and In all respects highly gifted champion OF 'he
canal rights cause In France, this week re-
sed by death from the tortures OF cancer IN
the chest II eliminated in pscoral hemorrhase'
which for twenty minutes made her surfer as IL
she were being slowly drowned. she mas ieit IL"
successor who can worthily III the place she occu-
pied ever since she took up the glove thrown down
by that brilliant paradoxst. Barley dAuviers'
whom he publicly said the Turkish estimate OF the
womans mind was the right one. Apart from her
wide and deep culture. a culture which embraced
Greek and Latin scholarship. painting. music ana
e,oauence OF the highest order. she had two greae
oualifcl lions for leadership of the cause she took
up She was SO large-minded as to be free from
vanity and she had a sweet merry disposition that
prevented resenting open or hidden attacHs "e"
the latter became known TO her. In snort petit
ness was foreign to her nature. Not caring 10 cut
\ figure in society she only thought as leader
OF being useful as she only thought IN her aims AT
reimbursement to live according 20 her conscience
Her family two genera tons before her were all
working people in the sense OF having 10 i've o''
daily earned wages. She had the robustness anu
mental health which such an origin might oe en-
pected to transmit. There was In her the hBh sV''e
which impels the French market woman 70 DE up
and ont at 4 O'Clock on a winters morning 70 at-
tend - her business that qulckness Oh Te'or'
courteous which Haine thought 20 remarkaDie IN
Paris market women the capacity Tor WHICH las
greatly died out in the dantv nurtured frehch-
woman There could be greater int 'ectuai treat
than 10 hear her handy words with talented OPP
ponent OF the masculine sex. Her opponents sehei-
ally became her friends. Do not imagine from WHAT
[ have said of the hereditary traces she bore OF
worI<Ing-cass that she was a vuigar-iook-
ing woman one might as well speak or Luther
mr. Voltaire or Sir Thomas More. such as Ho'oein
painted him as being vulgar. Her race was ala en-
preston and showed an exqusitely penetrating anu
mobile intellect and heart easily s'freu
10 noble emotions ard brimmed over with good
| mesa A CHEEKY chit-chat with her affected me ike
| a glass OF champagne The spontaneousness. me
talent for saying pretty things on the spur OF the
moment. the lookout she kept Tor opportunities l"
he obiging without fuss ofticiousness maze her
| delightful companion. What very peculiar IN
her was the massive strength and the playtuiness
| Of her mind / used to think of the Bessemer NAM
mer that can hatten into thin sheet a ton-weighs
Of iron or delicatey break the top of an eggsnel:
The last victory OF Maria Derasmes was on tho
petition which she drew up during her illness ana
sent 20 the Senate In favor OF Dill that mao
nassed through the Chamber. Its success mao
seemed hopeless until she caused TINS peton ~ 10
presented The object OF the petition was 10 oo-
| tain the power for tradeswomen trading III the'r
| oy., name and at their risks to vote at
elections for the judges Of arbitra tribunals ana
Of tho Tribunal OF Commerce. Judges OF this TIL
bunal whenever they could. showed a bias IN favor
Of male su!tors because they were their electors.
\ message was sent to Maria Derasmes privately
of course from the committee OF me senate 10
which the bill in question referred. 10 convey
- her the pleasing Information that her petition
| had carried all before IT, Senator and Pastor Dde
came often to comfort her by giving her the assur-
ance that her efforts 70 make the woro oe''er
! than she found II not lost. and that she
! would live in the hearts and memories OF all VINO
had the great happiness of knowing her. lie spoke
! beside her grave. Another speaker was senator
Ernest IIamel the historian.
| Maria Deraismes had had for a woman who took
| up IA cause the great advantage OF being removed
from the temptation OF pushing her own way in the
world by being its advocate. She was born wealthy.
| and kept a rich annuity. which she bought out or
what fortune she had spent when she was
turned nifty She could always afford to be hospita-
bic and follow her bent. which was to be dsinter-
ested and Independent in stating her views and de-
| Tending her friends Though highly cultivated
and an al-round artist. her instincts were popular.
II was said of her that she the Grande Dame OF
| the Hotel de VILE. and Nine. de Blocquevnle was
| the Grande Dame OF the literary world As a free
Mason she had considerable influence at the ieS's-
lative and municipal elections OF Paris ana in ques-
lions connected with school administration she
went with the advanced party in many things, but
was against the Socialists whenever they appeaied
TO the baser instincts OF the working classes MARIA
Deraismes was however. with the Socialists when
they like the Hebrew prophets. demanded justice
rupton it refused.
The funeral of this eminent woman took place
yesterday. and was Partisan event IL hah many
a hearse weighed down with floral wreaths which
had the name OF Maria worked into them mere
! were a vast number of poor people admitted as
mourners and as II they were members OF the FAM
Their w ana the seahS s
appointed eQuipage of the deceased woman mere
"sen @ ohsrs Ssrs Of
thinkers: there were delegations OF Masonic oases'
and the pastor Dide. was in plain clothes and IN
legislative SsGm an the hsarss
with from the Riviera such was the respect
shoulders with Reds Extremes behind the
hearse and around the open grave. and fanatics
N Ernest Hamel. representing the soclete des
Gems de Iettres was the irst to speak at me grave
nous journalist. dramatic writer. as lecturer.
@ Ina IDEAS was a no. her She
voted her genius. her talents. her activity and her
feminine emancipation. On realizing while still .
young girl to what a degree woman was sacrificed
TO man she raised. let us not say the standard or
revolt. but of Justice for all To this holy mission
and and mind mind And what heart and mind she had
give. She asked for full equality Of rghtsmfor al
the French Revolution Her courage was on a par
with her intellect She began her career thirty,
thought OF in the tinted States, and not thought
OF even there unless to be scoed at, Women
%edn nd Ha
they now can iesisae was ou. S .. .iv Nv
OF ridiculous eccentrcity. She stepped alone on
the pla tform. Men went to laugh at her or at
best to view her phenomenon. but went away
her respectful admirers. Women did not dare to
follow her for years after she began her aposolate
She did not mind. but persevered whenever 4
humane cause was to be defended. she was up and
speaking for II. She set Paris In tears ABOUT the
prison children She sided against the rich 70
whom she belonged. for the poor. In the terrible
year she turned her house into an ambulance and
was the most sacrificing OF sisters OF charity
She wore her strength out attending the wounded,
and deprived herself OF the barest necessartes Of
life give to them She caught me neS ss,a
Kindness After the siege she was at DEANS door
and not long after she was saved from deatn ~
| an operation for the fell malay 'nal re'u'heo
, twenty-five years later 80. A.. 49,. ga
The other speakers Corjot. the poet ana
artist. Victorn Joncieres the great musical criiic
| Eeredin the ex Minister, who was present at ner