Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-01
The Lady Of Alton Gives a Dissertation
on Her Sex.
MISS VAN LEW AND HER TAXES.
Her Annual Protest Against Taxa
ton without Representation
Woman Suffrage Considered and
the BIoomer Costume Alluded To.
CORRESPONDENCE of the Dlspatch.)

/ L ndun TIME 10 say mucn ABOUT It. lHas
| Miss Van Law pays her taxes has be-
| come a national fact. Everybody knows
when she pays them, and her annual pro-
test OF mo taxation without represen-
tation" is as real, IL not as hard for ordi-
nary mortals to make. as the greenbacks
and silver she deposits for her receipt.
However opinions may differ as TO her
loyalty In other days, let 1t go down
| upon record that as jewel Of consistency
Miss Van Lew far outshines any jewel
of Cornelia's ancient boast. This lady is
ahead OF her sex about ten years. But
the age, femininely considered, is revo-
lutionary, and the rest may catch up in
about half that time Female suffrage. or
as the protest phrases II, taxation only
with representation" is coming along just
as fast, II not as gracefully, as the BIZ
cycle whIrled into public favor. The
main and brain-reelng obstacle is the
difficulty OF settling upon a suitable cos
tune That once decided upon-equally
becoming to the fair ballot-hers as they
stand In waiting line-and the last YES
tige of the rights of man Will dsap-
pear like a swift-hying migratorious. or
a November meteor.
THE WHEELWOMAN.
Does anybody remember the prejudice
which formally existed against bicycling
In conservative old Richmond, where a
few years ago her only wheelswoman was
stared at as lusus naturae. behold now
the ruddy-cheeked women. with flashing
eyes and sinuous bodies. racing for
Measure and health and making vocal
the air with their chatter They are an
inspiring spectacle. and no company OF
military dudes ever got themselves up IN
array so stunning. And do you know the
badge that won? What did the work was
the four-in-hand necktie. T.rat one poor.
bungling article Of mans attire, that
single deft touch turned into a thing OF
arrest grace and beauty. Fashions change
but the bicycle is here 10 stay, and the
world Of women wants other worlds to
conquer. Be assured the suflragists VIII
make II.
Seriously, though. one had might as well
take IL the other way, 1t Will not affect
the fact. women do not need. the ballot:
collectively, they do not want it. Ii is
the men who keep putting it in their
heads
MAN RESPONSIBLE
II was Michelet the profound scholar.
thinker, and observer Of human nature,
who declared that every folly Of woman
IS born OF mans stupidity. IL Is even
doubtful IL any woman Influenced the con-
ventlon of South Carolina In its late ques-
ton Of female suffrage. Men know, and
the women know, that they can never
vote until the men say so. OF course, II
the 100000 of adult women in the coun-
try should demand the ballot, 1t would be
difficult, perhaps impossible, TO resist
Il. hui hat no a CO.
is worthy of reference that even the plat
form women are not talking suffrage TO
any great extent. 1t Is not because they
have lost faith in what they believe to
be the business of the cause. Right or
wrong, women never lose sight OF an
ideal. They'd die first-and that is not
meant hippantly. But there is an omi-
nous silence all along the line. Elizabeth
Cady Stanton. feeling perhaps that she
has done her duty well. and is not called
upon TO do 1t over again, is having jolly
reunions on her S0th birthday; Susan b.
Anthony, spry and youthful at 70. Is lee
turing on any and every other subject.
and Frances Willard. in her nobler work
of temperance, winning golden opinions
In two hemispheres. is as non-committal
on female suffrage" as a politician on
free silver.
EQUAL SUFFRAGE.
To speak truly. there is great deal OF
mistness in the minds of these equal
suffrage people as to what they really do
want What they are aiming at is free
dom from bondage and perfect equality
in the law The ballot is only a means
to the end, there is no innate desire to
usurp mans place In the government OF
elsewhere. But the ballot is personally re-
nulsive in thought to the great body OF
Nr trnf la
many ways reform is needed. This Is the
great coming question. that contains IN 1t
more than any other question issues VI
tai TO the progress Of the race. Woman is
acquiring the status of a human being.
IN three fourths Of the world she Is still
chattel Of man. Nowhere Is she a fun
citizen; IL Is only IN England and America
that she is beginning 70 arrive. What she
really wants Is mans respect for her
without any question OF sentiment-legal-
~ ard not politically. So many women
would be benefited n men but felt that
they were EQUALS, 1t Is always best 10
put things in plain language, but the
moral Of this paragraph les In the pity
Of IT, There Is no blame 10 be Imputed
10 women that they would be unwilling
TO take opportunities for their own bet
terment II they were given. 1t IS a part
and the most pathetic part-of the mar
rowness Of many women's lives that cour-
age and the heart for new conditions are
not begotten by II. The timdity and hest
fancy Of woman whose lives have been
one long round OF hard work and accept
ed inferiority IS what makes the pro-
blern OF the nhilanthropst-and the suf-
fragist-the hardest. II WOmen-nOble
good women-whO have really the interest
and advancement of their sex at heart
would only move i'm any other channel
than equal suffrage.
WOMANS WORK.
The time has come when woman must
work for bread: for the clothes she wears;
for the roof that shelters her; for the
luxuries that sweeten her life. Yes, even
for the feathers and flowers. the fripperies
and ribbons, and al the concets and ir-
resistibe temptations that make up the
sum of her folies, which, after all, are
not as deadly as the world would have
us believe. She is so near our equal
that the day will not be far distant
when man, perhaps, for his own aggran-
dlzement--or stupidity-will help her over
the last remaining bar. Better be choice
n the mode sister Representatives" and
set your own fashions. and pay your
taxes like little man. with every right
but the right TO vote.
"cONJURING."
Some OF the big city dailes are saying
that they have more criminals than po-
licemen and more tramps than either.
This is pretty bad, but in many parts
Of the country a spirit OF lawlessness
prevails that cannot easily be controlled
for the simple reason that catching Is
before hanging" notably in Nelson. There
are laws and legendary statutes, but no
one to enforce them especially In cases
against negroes, feeling OF intimidation
existing which prevents exposure or pun
ishment. More than one case OF poison
ing-called by the darkies 'conJuring"-
has occurred where the guilty went Tree.
II Is part Of negro's creed that he