The Topeka state journal., 1897-06-12
MRS. STETSON In TOWN.
The Brilliant Sufragist and Reformer
Comes to Topeka Again.

nent OF WOman'S rights, economic as
we'll as political, of international fame,
is in Topeka today and viii remain
here until Monday. Tomorrow morn
ing at Unity church Mrs. Stetson deliv-
ers her address, THE Heroes We Need
Now,'' which is one she delivered in
this city a year ago.
Mrs. Stetson visited Topeka last
June, remaining for a week, and her
visit was the occasion of a reception
rendered in her honor by the Stedman
club at the home of DR.. and Mrs. H.
W. ROby. Mrs. StetsOn has been be-
fore the public as a lecturer for sew
eral years, and during that time has
talked to audiences in all of the larger
cities of the United States and the
principal cities of the British isles as
well. Her trip to England, Scotland
and Ireland was taken after leaving
Topeka last June.
I am glad to again visit Topeka"
said Mrs. Stetson, as she sat in a will
low rocker at the home of Mrs. Henry
Hull this afternoon and toyed with
bunch of sweet peas at her waist.
You say Topeka is quite city, but
it always looks like a wood to me At
this time OF year trees and grass are
the principal things you see here, but it
has a decidedly refreshing effect.
1T was just a year ago this month
that I was in Topeka before" Mrs.
Stetson continued, and since that time
I have been abroad. 1 have lectured
in England, Scotland, Ireland and
Wales and enjoyed the trip immensely.
L was SGdSACh CO1l11AlS DotGtA3 anu eli
joyed that immensely, too. 1 don't
know why I escaped being seasick on
my first trip, except, perhaps, 1 am diff
ferent from the majority of people.
But I want to tell one thing about
the English people. In a great many
ways they are like any other people;
they like to laugh and be amused, and
this and that and the other thing, but
they don't know how to cook. Posi-
bly, I am too severe in my criticism,
because I am an expert in the art of
cooking myself, but in my opinion the
English people don't know how to cook
a little bit. I'll tell you why it is,
though, they haven't the means to do
it right.
When you have a nicely polished
stove with a. shining tOp,you can watch
over your cooking and see that your
food is well prepared, but when you
have hole in the wall with an open
CRATE, as they have almost exclusively
in England, with smoke curling UP to
choke you and mixing with the steam
from the food, don't blame the cooks
for going off and leaving their cooking
to take care of itself. Baking and boil
ing are the only modes of cooking they
know of there, because of the means
they have of cooking, and as a result
they don't know what good cooking is.
At least that is my opinion of it.
I am so glad I know how to cook,
Mrs. StetsOn went on. If you know
how to cook and sew you can always
find something to do, because people
will always eat and wear clothes. 1t
has always been a, consolation to me to
feel that if 1 ever fail as a lecturer, L
can make my living as a cook.
Mrs. Stetson has a way of smiling
peculiarly her own, and she smiled one
of her characteristic smiles at the pos
sibiIity of her failure as a lecturer and
her success as a professional cook the
reporter didn't think of anything to say
at the time; he was so interested IN
Mrs Stetsons smile, and presently
Mrs. StetsOn asked;
why shouldn't women make a l1V-
ing for themselves in one profession or
another?" The query was directed at
the reporter but as his education in
economies had been sadly neglected, he
didn't know. Then Mrs. StetSon cohllh-
'SThere is no animal on earth that has
to be fed but a woman. woman mar
ries a man, and fOrsOoth he must feed
her. According to the condition of the
man she marries is the manner in
which she is fed. 1t is simply rld1cu-
lous There is no reason why women
should not make their own living and
feed themselves We say she must pc
cared for by the men because she IS
feminine, because perhaps of her moth-
erhood yet no animal in the world only
a woman expects to be fed by the male,
and women who are never mothers ana
never expect to be still expect to be led
by the men they marry.
''The rights of women, both economic
and political, have made gigantic strides
during the present century. We think
otically measure time by our own lives,
but it in reality has been very rapid.
The greatest change in the life of wO-
men has been the economic one. They
have changed from being absolute par
asites to individuals. They have taken
places in literature and art, which
century ago was denied them, just as
places in politics and professions are
denied them to some extent even at this
day.
Il go far ahead of the majority of the
women suffrage people," said Mrs Stet-
son, after short pause. Il see where
women can enter all of the professions,
stilled be loved and marry, and after
wards aid in keeping their family. 1 see
where we can have better mother
hood by such a change, and in conse-
quence a better world"
Mrs Stetson's home is in Pasadena,
but she has been away from California
for the past six years. My home in
reality is wherever I am she says.
Mrs. Addison, state president of the
Women Suffrage association, has ar
ranged for a number of lectures to be
delivered by Mrs. Stetson during the re-
miander of the present month in Ka-
sas, and she will leave Monday for a
tour over the state.