The courier., 1896-08-15

is the part that women take in the
canvass before an election. The
calmness OF Mrs. Randolph Church
hill or Of Mrs. Gladstone In the midst
OF a bowling egg-throwing mob re-
verses the accepted opinions about the
hysterical timidfty Of the sex. The
wife's presence on the platform is as
much a matter of course as that Of
the candidates and her sangfroid when
the howls of a mob of politicians
drown her husbands voice. is COM
plete.
farm and in his shop. or counting
room by the candidates sister or wife.
She talks with him about the candi-
dates views. and explains his liking
for that particular section of country.
Woman's Importance in practical poll
tics In England is undisputed. Wheth-
er the influence she exercises is legit-
innate and beneficial is another ques-
tion. The basis of the influence she
exerts Is her femininity and because
questions to be settled by the election
of this or that candidate IL is of doubt
full expediency- When women enter
politics in this country let it be through
the front door as an individual and
not indirectly as a sister or a wife of
a candidate.
Wives Of American politicians are
following the English in appearing on
the platform with their husbands at
all political meetings. though they
have not yet formed the habit of max
ing personal appeal to those who
possess the suffrage.
In our own state Mrs. Thurston set
the fashion. In the nominating con-
ventions and mass meetings of the last
decade of Nebraska politics, in which
feature. Mrs. Thurston has been by
his side.
So far Mrs Bryan has accompanied
her husband in his campaigns. She
has gone with him to New York and
when he goes out TO speak in the many
states of the union, she will go with
him. After the announcement celebra-
tion is over they will go to Bath, Me-.
to visit Mr.. and Mrs. Sewell. Mrs.
Bryan stimulates those who come in
contact with her. Ii is well known
that she helps her husband with his
speeches The Review of Reviews
says: 'Mrs. Bryan has been almost as
deep a student of public questions as
her husband. While his chief inter-
est lay in the practice of the law she
office. When. following the natural
inclination of his mind. he turned to
politics and state craft. she, too, took
up the questions Of the day and in
vestigated them intelligently and ex-
haustively. Nc. Bryan frankly con-
fesses the aid she has given him in
preparing his addresses-for like most
good speakers. he seldom goes before
an audience on an occasion of import
ance without careful preparation. Dur
ing his term in ths house Of cepresen-
tatives she never failed to be in the
gallery when he was TO speak, and her
presence stimulated as her aid before
had prepared him. At the Chicago
convention she SAT prominently on the
platform throughout the sessions,
noting with a mind trained to grasp
public affairs, the varying moods of
the great gathering. She saw the
wonderful outburst Of enthusiasm that
followed his speech and sat through
the four ballots which ended in his
nomination. Since the convention she
has been constantly at his side, trav-
eiling with him and sitting on the plat
forms from which he makes his
speeches. In the event of his election
she may be expected to be more than