The Topeka state journal., 1897-04-05
COMMON SCOLD
Aged, Sick, Disappointed and
SOured
Phoebe Cousins POurs Out Her
Wrath
ON WOMEN IN GENERAL
And Miss Susan B. Anthony in
Particular.
Women as Easily Bodied as
Hen, She Says.

1um, is the veteran woman suffragist
Miss Phoebe Cousins. Brought back
from California through the kindness
of friends on an inValids s chair, she lies
on bed racking with pain and so
stricken by her ancient enemy, rheu-
matism, that she will probably never
rise again.
Her hair is snowy white and her fair.
intellectual face is drawn and Wrinkled
with pain and the traces which time
inevitably marks but her eyes are still
bright and her voice, though somewhat
rasping at times, is clear and distinct
Today a visitor asked her what prog
reSs,1 If any, she thought woman suffra ge
was making. Her reply was startling,
for the visitor was not prepared for
either it's vehemence or the revelations
she made.
Three times I have seen women un-
der fire." she said slowly and emphat-
1cally, "and as many times have seen
them fall, and that ANONYMOUSLY. I
presume this will be looked upon as
treason, but the conclusion is reached
from long experience, close ObSerVa-
ton and rare opportunities, such as
have been accorded to few women.
Moreover, I look upon the outside life,
impelled by necessity, as in q majority
of cases to be simply experimental 1t
cannot be conclusive, for the vast ma
jority of women prefer the quiet of do
mestic life, while man by nature seeks
the conflicts of the outer world and
theories and grows therein.
Il am not sure but that I believe with
Max Nordau that all women should be
pensioned, and thereby sheltered from
the exhausting toll and disappOint-
ments which are surely hers when
forced to compete in a field where ma
ture shows her limitations. Women in
public life will never prove satisfac-
tory, there are limitations that pro-
scribe her success. She is naturally a.
hOmekeeper. / would advise all young
women to marry and become home
keepers.
Twenty years ago I, with other new
converts, believed that suffrage for Wo-
men would prove a panacea for all of
the evils of politics. 1 believed that
women in public life would prove a re-
generating influence. After twenty
years Of close observation and expert
ence have come to the conclusion that
women are no better than men. After
reviewing all the characteristics of men
and women find they are about equal
ly balanced: that there are as many
good women as men in the world, and
no more.
This is true not alone in regard to
the relation of the sexes, but in integ-
rity of word, in unyielding adherence
to principles they believe to be right,
and loyalty to the highest in man.
am opposed to the practice of agttators
of all ages of speaking disparagingly
of man and exa1tingly of woman. After
years of experience, study and calm
Judgment, find that neither is true.
have found no preponderance of the
angelic woman as against the coarse
man, no multiplicity of depraved mas
cUlinity as against the sWeetly organ
lied feminine. If we count heredity
as a factor, this may prove true, Tor
daughters follow the fathers charac-
teristics and sons the mothers.
Il said had seen women under hre
three times. The first was at the
Worlds fair, when women failed to rise
to that altitude of public esteem and
confidence which everyone hoped for
when congress appointed the board of
lady managers. A teW OF IT'S members
in a high handed manner accomplished
the extinction of the board as organ
lied by congress"
Miss Cousins, as is well known, is
bitterly opposed to Mrs. Potter Pal
mer.
I shall refer to her in unmistakable
terms when I finish my history of the
board of lady managers" she said,
with a show of feeling over the dl1er-
ences of the past. Mrs. John A. Logan
will also be handled without gloves, as
she deserves I am in a position to do
so. for I. with several other women,
drafted the bill for the creation OF such
a board, the bill which congress passed.
It was out of our meeting at the Riggs
House in Washington that the organ
ization grew. No meeting has been
called or demanded since the close OF
the Worlds fair to report to congress
or to give an account of the steward
ship of the money of the people: II IS
due that such meeting be held as
ton and control of public affairs.
s.This is especially true. as the revenue
from the womans building, from the care
down, was to be used 10 conlf1eHAordte, te III
suitable manner-that IS; by the erect1on
of temple to WOmen-their paruclpatlon
in the great fair. No such tyranny would
be endured by men. A few broken heads
and damaged regulations would az least
serve as mementOs of the uprising Of a
free people against tyr2nnous usurpatlon
Of power. Revolt is a healthful sign.
1--WE talk of the evils that come with
the introduction of women from the
danger to be found in women or high
social standing, of moneyed influence and
of power of trickery- Such women nave
a more wide-reaching and demoraIlzlng
influence than have the unfortunate wO-
men of the slumS. You noticed; by the
way remarked Miss Cousins, heatedly,
ssThat Frances Willard and Susan B. An
thony were arrayed not on the. side of
truth and justice in the world talr con-
troversy, but on that of Doodle.
THE second time women went down
under fire was in the Colorado campaign
of 1894 The year before the Populists
had enfranchised women. 1 had expect
ed the women would at least show their
gratitude to the party that Ireed theIn'
but not so. Among the mountainous dis
tricts and farms, and what are generally
regarded as the lowiy communities, the
women were enthusiastically in favor of
the POpulist ticket. But when Senator
Wolcott appeared in Denver with 2.000.-
600 of doodle. gotten from London syndi-
Gates interested in bond and railroad
schemes in the state 1t was deemed judi
cious to expend this slush fund mainly
Immense sums were used by these Wo-
men in the decoration OF Brown Palace
money was used in the way than would
have clothed and fed the poor Of Denver
for = year Some of the fund was used
in the princely entert tatnment OF a VisI-
ting politician. one of the most immoral
men that can be found in the country, one
who has figured in as highly spiced ac-
counts of debauches the most vOra-
ciodS Police Gazette appetite could de-
size. So much for women's gentle inf1u-
in, he q