The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-08-22
LAZY MANS COLUMN.
Another Piece About Ricy-
CleS and Women.
DANCING AND CAMP MEETINGS.

SEINE 1Ouhs FcOple keDukeO Tor Ba0
Behavior at the Marietta amp
Meeting Recently.
EDITOR LAZY MANS CoLEMN In your
last column you touched on a 81 lject that
is causing much discussion in this part OF
our country, namely, women and bicycles.
Doubtless the only argument that the
opponents can offer is tradition, and this
is no argument, everything else is in favor
of it. A late number of the Atlanta jour-
nal contained a number of letters from
eminent NJ. ID. 8 as to whether cycling is
injurious to the health of women or not,
every one was in favor of it III moderation
All riders declare that for getting over
ground the wheel is not so fatiguing as
walking, and this fact can be demonstrated
by scientific laws. Mother Nature doubts
less gave us the best method of locomotion
for general purposes propulsion by levers)
but not for level ground. The bicycle is
certainly safer than horse and much
more handy. 1t does seem monstrous that
few theological Jacobs are ever trying to
rob the poor women OF their birthrights
$50 long as they are birthrights of pleas
ure.) Aunt Susan Anthony says they
never complain of women cleaning spit>
toons The ones who have saner view
of the universe sach as DIR. Talmage. are
in favor of women cycling.
No doubt the women are not treated
fair; public opinion is too severe on them !;
when life hangs heavy on their hands, they
are denied the right of imbibing the cons
tents Of Rip VansWinkle's fsgon as the
sterner sex do (Alas that they drown their
sorrows so often.) Let us use our intellect
a as clear cold logic engine, and il good rea.
soning conflicts with traditions let them
go to the we'll, or we will find ourselves
the laughing stock of the civilized world
A. r. M.
Marietta. Ga. Aug. 8, 1895.
/ received the above letter last week,
but having already prepared meter on
such different lines, decided to let it go
over until this issue.
Before touching on the question involved
l will state that l am glad to get ones
evidence OF being read, and / will try
always to give any fair query from the
public the fair, courteous treatment that is
due from one who asks for the public's ear.
Women on bicycles is no longer ques.
ton, but fact and the discussions that
give the preachers notoriety and supply
needed space for Sunday newspapers are
not harbingers Of coming foe, but the
discoutented mutterings of a conquered
people.
When a woman will she will, and when
she wont she wont, and that's the end
OF it.
Clad in the full rights of an American
citizen, trimmed with cap, bloomers and
determined air, she has bestrode her
wheel and rode down all opposition, and
like your poor relations that will Fay you
visit during the Expo, she has come to
stay space.
She is no lolgec such e novelty that we
get crick in our necks trying to catch a
glimpse of her as she spins away in the
distance. She has become such common
occurrence that We scarcely notice her
passing and have ceased to ask, who
the D is that fool woman making a
spectacle of herself"
We are getting used to her and as men
have ever done when women adopt an
innovation and stick to it, we have raised a
thunder OF rumpus, aud when we find we
can't stop them we begin to make excuses
for them, and he who hesitates is lost. 1t
is but little way from excuses to advo.
cacy and from advocacy to adoption.
The conquest Of the woman on wheels is
certain and no one thing on earth could
have more positively guaranteed its per-
mansncy and popularity as much as its
general use by the ladies. Lord love EN-.
When that "ope woman" gets wheel it
is only question of time vixen we get
one, too, so that where she goes there also
may we 60.
In the foregoing l have only used my
mind as "colG engine of logic" | have
not in any sense discussed the pro and cons
because | consider the question settled
one.
! am still through force OF tradition and
training "agin" the lady on wheels. She
violates my conceptions OF womanly deli>
cacy, gen:leness and dignity, but l realize
that this is only matter of custom and |
object because have never been used 10 it,
SO long as no moral law is broken, what
everybody does is right.
The time was when the woman that
waltzed was branded as fast aud immodest
but as the custom has become universal
while directors are still To be fOund) I