The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-05

IsH GIRLS.

AMERICAN AND ENGLISH GIRLS.
Among the pleasant humbugs Of the
present generation il w. 7. Stead. who
manages to keep himself before the pub
lie without having any ability except
to utter commonplaces in very pyro-
technical language. His works on Chi
cago and New York have no more merit
than sensational drama with realis-
tic effects. but he fills the gallery and
gets roars of applause and makes plenty
OF money. He has been paying some
attention to American women-that
is, with his pen-and he talks as much
nonsense pleasantly about them as he
did about the municipalities.
He compares the respect accorded to
women in Great Britain and the United
States; and being compelled to admit
that Americans are more courteous to
women as rule than Englishmen are.
he explains 1t by saying that although
there is less show of courtesy. there is
more real respect. He proves this by a
very catchy illustration. declaring that
the English are not ashamed to place
a woman high above all politicians. to
keep her there for sixty years and to
give her direct and most potent voice
in settling all the great affairs of state,
while from such duties the American
woman is barred. This is so silly as to
be unworthy Of contravention.
There is something more in his other
argument, that Americans regard
women as inferior, and to prove this
he says that no American gentleman
ever ventures to contradict a woman.
He will listen with imperturbable polite
ness to some fine lady friend. talking
the most palpable nonsense about sub
ject which. to quote his very inelegant
phrase. "he knows at his fingers end"
This. Mr.. Stead says. is cruel forbear-
ance based upon a radical lack of re-
spect.
There may be some truth In this, but
1t is, as everybody knows. equally true
of Englishmen, as Of every nation I'M
der the sun.
when you meet woman as an equal
intellectually and as q real force in the
work OF the world, the more close your
union. the more absurd and unneces-
sary will seeIn the paraphernalia Of con-
ventional courtesy" says Mr.. Stead:
but is this more true Of English women
than of Aniericansf With all respect
for English women-who are equal to
the best anywhere In many virtues-it
will never be claimed that American
women are inferior to their British sis
tiers In intellectually and force. Ameri-
can women have their faults, but they
are much less affected than, much
more straightforward, much more lack
Ing IN that simpering innocence to be
found in English girls OF the middle
class
The only way In which to arrive at
an estimate Of the difference between
the respect shown to women in England
and America Is 20 compare the way In
which the best people OF each country
those who have made the furthest
advance from that barbarism which
welters around the base Of all our civil
ization-regard their women Taking
up this challenge We venture the claim
that there Is more rea, comradeship and
platonic friendship between men and
women in the United States than there
Is In Great Britain. The sexes are edu.
Gated together. they understand each
other better. The difference OF sex rare
~ obtrudes itself. because OF that
moro sisterly feeling which men enter
tain for American girls: and all OBJ
servers have commented upon The
freedom from nTectation and the self
possessed Innocence Of wrong which
characterize the American girl. In
marked contrast with those OF Europe.
IL Mr.. Stea6's remarks had not at
tanned such widespread notoriety they
might not be worth noticing; ba, they
sre so astoundingly and SO VIGOROUSLY
wide CT the truth that We must attrsn-
ute them TO his continual effort to be
noticed