The sun., 1897-04-18

only by prudence rom IavorlnR ~. we
don't believe that any woman At to be a
lay delegate will be bit discouraged by
Wednesdays vote.
On another day Of the week the same
question was brought up at the Sing Sing
meeting of the ministers of the Methodist
Episcopal denomination. There, also, the
woman party was beaten, but did not lose
the hope Of winning yet, through change
of the ministerial mind.
In politics, too, there was an occurrence
last week Of interest TO women. We had
news from Albany concerning the proposed
amendments to the State Constitution
favoring woman suffrage, and concern
ing tho amendment TO the Greater
New York charter providing that women
may hold certain municipal offices.
In both of these matters the Legisla-
ture is adverse to any change Both the
Constitution and the charter, SO far as they
relate to the political rights Of women, are
to remain as they were drawn up. 1t can
not be said, however, that this decision of
the Legislature Is a setback for the cause of
woman. Both of the amendments spoken
Of owe their defeat In a large measure to
women. The Woman's Anti-Suffragist
State League made energetic opposition to
them. Women representatives Of that body
went to Albany to urge the members Of the
Legislature to vote against them. The or
ganiEation Is q strong one, and is very much
in earnest. Its members do not desire that
women shall possess any other political
privileges than those which already be-
long to them. They are at cross-purposes
with women politicians, and they say that
the great majority of the women of the
State are on their side. We are unable to
speak with certainty upon this subject, for
the reason that the women have never been
polled. We can say, though, that the wo-
man suffragists are untiring in theirlabors,
and that good many men favor their cause.
1t may be said that the three Western States
In which woman suffrage Is established
have not been ruined by it.
Outside of the suffrage question many
women take an interest in political affairs,
and meetings Of number of Women's Re
publican clubs were held during the week.
At one of the meetings an "original poem
Of q romantic character gave pleasure to
the audience, and at another there was an
unusually acrimonious debate. We don't
seem to hear much Of women's Democratic
clubs, and must ask If there are any of them
in town.
In the matter Of public education, ques-
tion of particular interest for woman school
teachers was at the front last week; it re-
lated to the appointment of women as prin-
cipals of the proposed high schools for girls.
The argument on the woman's side in this
case is strong. "All the principals in these
schools should be women" said a woman
who has studied the subject. at is highly
desirable" said another woman of knowl-
edge, THAT women should be appointed to
these places, and they should likewise hold
offices as school inspectors and School Com
missioners." We also received last week a
circular that has been prepared in the in
terest of the woman teachers in the public
schools Of the city; it is an argument in fa-
vor of making their salaries more nearly
equal to those of man teachers. All these
matters are deserving Of the careful atten-
tion of the Board of Education.
We have obtained reports of the proceed
ings of the Congress of the Women's Ma
tional Science Clubs which was held at
Washington few days ago. Papers were
there read by woman upon astronomy,
natural history, and other high themes of a
scientific character.
We think that there must have been in
the city nearly n hundred courses of lee.
lures for women by women during the past
winter, and n good many Of them have
been brought to an end within week.
The women lecturers have dealt with
questions in history, literature, the drama,
education, architecture, music, theology,
law, and government. Some of them have
been learned, instructive, and attractive,
highly appreciated by the intelligent bodies
of women who have listened to them.
In this brief review we have spoken of
but few Of the intellectual activities of
the women Of the time. There are women
in medicine, Jurisprudence, divinity, let
ters, the arts, the sciences, journalism, and
politics. We need not speak of the women
actors, artisans, mechanics, telegraph opera
tors, stenographers, typewriters, warblers,
and bicyclers, or Of the women in business.
There are tens of thousands of them among
us, and they are everywhere.
Wonderful, indeed, has been the mental
development of American women since all
the world was opened up for them.
AS to those women out at Denver who
want to form regiments of women soldiers,
let them ask the regular army what it
thinks of the notion.