The record-union., 1897-03-24
Forecast.
WOMEN AND MONARCHY.

Referring to debate now on in it's
columns, concerning the seeming ten
dency of women towards things mo-
narchical, the New York Evening Post"
says with wisdom that it is not because
women are at heart monarchists, but
because loving order, cleanliness and
good manners, and especially some for
mality in dress adornment, in society,
they are inclined to smile upon foreign
ers and foreign notables, our men being
absorbed in business and absolutely
careless about those small things in
manners that cut so large a figure and
properly enough in a woman's world.
American women like display, but
that is rot to say garish show. But
they do love forms and ceremonies and
the order and formality surrounding
thrones, because in our democratic
simplicity we are going to the other
extreme end neglecting those ordinary
forrnalities, that at least may serve to
polish and grace our manners. The
woman naturally wants to introduce
taste and beauty into her surroundings.
Few women are there in New York,
says the Post who do not dress for
dinner; that is, make some change in
adornment or in dress that pays tribute
to the gathering at the table. How
many men are there who take the
trouble to lay aside even their working
coat for the same occasion? 1t adds,
however, that the fashion has spread
among men of late years, but that
among women it is as old as govern
ment.
Our American women, however loyal
to our institutions, have at heart no
sympathy, says the Post" with the
democracy of the White House, the in
discriminate admission of the multi
tude and the free and easy manner OF
Presidential receptions. Women prefer
to see the President going about in a
coach and four than strolling down the
avenue with a cigar in his mouth. This
Is manifest by the wives of Senators
and members of the Cabinet, who at
once take to discussion Of official eti-
quette, and questions OF precedence
with those who before change in the
Administration had never given a
thought to the subject Whenever
there Is change Of Admins
tration at Washington there is a
row among the women over this
question. So 1t is that the love
of order, adornment, form, ceremonial
and good manners and the polished
graces of good behavior and polite
bearing make our women at our cap
itals seem to be unfaithful to American
simplicity and our leveling democracy.
The Post" adds:
There is no question that the only
effective resistance offered in this .coun-
try to the disregard of manners which
seems to be one of the growing accom-
paniments of democracy everywhere, is
offered by the women. 1t is mainly
owing to respect for them, and to their
liking for them, that we have preserved
any forms at all in social intercourse,
and tney nave TO contend steadily with
that tendency of the majority to Danish
Difference from the world. II we had
not, under the mysterious influence of
sex, to show 1t to women, what would
become of it? All good manners involve
a little trouble, a roundabout way of
saying things, and an assumption that
every other man has some claim on our
respect. If We had no practice in these
things. in our intercourse with women,
they would apparently soon fall into
"desuetude," without any specific abro-
cation. More social cooperation on the
part of the men would probably Danish
our passion for Dukes and fancy balls,
by simply protecting and upholding the
sense of proportion. A little masculine
steadiness would be apt to save our So
ciety from "crazeS."
The wheelmen of the country ought
to condemn with emphasis endurance
wheeling contests. This racing or
rather enduring upon the wheel for six
or seven days proves nothing. 1t is no
-ooi <act ~ opyfhfpc eYcapf of rho