The times., 1898-08-15
THE woMAN's MAN.
he Is brought Forward Once More
by the War With Suafu


by the War With spain
The assertion has been made many
times in the past dozen years=that man
even the American man, is womanlzing-
losing the heroic qualities that most en-
dear him to woman, who adOres phys
ical strength and courage more than
business success and intellectual great
ness Miss Elizabeth BIsiand. the young
lady who made a tour of the earth some
years ago, alone. in The interest of a
magazine. and who is not merely a
charming. but thoughtful writer. un-
dertakes. in a recent article. TO show
that man has lost his place as ruler OF
the family and society by abdication and
not by the rebellion of woman. The Bal
timore Sun summarizes her argument
as follows:
Time was when man was n baro ua
went TO war. ne faced danger and
brought back the spoils upon. which his
admirins women folks subsisted. AS sole
protector and benefae.or. the husband
in old times deserved and received the
plaudits of submissive dependents. The
circumstances Of life gave him a glorious
role and ne supported the dignity Of his
position by suitable dress. Our great
grandfathers wore silks and satins. pow
dered their hair. sDorted gold buckles.
ratified their swords and put on IordIy
airs which greatly impressed the weaker
sex They appreciated the value OF a
handsome personal appearance and took
great pains 10 confirm their hold upon
womenkind BY the studied charm of
courteous manners. The individual man
thought highly of himself and tried at
all times to sustain in dress, in conversa-
tion, and conduct the character OF a
nero, or, any rate, OF chivaIrous gen
tIeman
So long as the tyrant held himself up
to this ideal. his mastery. according TO
Miss Bisland, was cheerfuIly conceded.
but during the last four-score years the
average man has been taking a common
place view of himself and life He has
become a slOuch- Woman sees with sor-
row and disdain the transformation Of the
hero into the unromantic man who goes
patiently 70 business every morning in a
cable car, sits on a stool at a desk.
weighs tea or measures ribbon The man
OF today IS conceded TO be steadier in
his habits, more Industrious, better pro-
wider and more reliable in money mat
ters than his predecessor OF the same
class eighty years ago. but all that was
heroic about him has collapsed The
ideal is lost and the idol is shattered.
Man no longer fascinates woman By his
masterfulnesS and splendor, but bent
solely upon his ease and comfort sets
himself against this need of the female
He alone, says the writer. fatuousIy
pFides himself on the dark bifureated sim
ss11r E,1e.
warmth and ease and constructed with
a calculated avoidance Of adOrnment. He
carries further this democracy OF sex BY
adding rigid pIainness OF behavior TO ug-
1ness OF appearance. forgetting that a
woman like a child and the savage loves
pornp Of manner as well as OF garment
What she does not see she finds il hard
TO believe. Every wise lover knows that
tenderness OF manner must be REINFORCED
by definite assurances Of affection sew
eral times in every twenty-fOur hours
The heroes Of romance studied the fe-
male heart. and every woman wants her
nie giided with some romance Yet the
modern man does not take the trouble
10 please womans imagination Hence
the revolt Woman has thrown of the
yoke of a tyrant who discards the trap
pings and habiliments proper 10 a des-
pot. She was prepared 10 obey a mon
arch, but man. says the writer. has
been seized with a democratic IDEAL and
after applying il TO political institutions.
has attempted 10 carry il into domestic
applicat ation. He is relentlessly forcing a
democracy Of sex on woman, industriaIly.
mentally. and sentimentally. He refuses
TO crafty her ina ginatiOn; he insists
upon her development of that logical
seIfishness which underIies all democ-
racy.' But this has results. Women are
beginning to accept these stern theories
to look out for themselves by discard
ing domestic burdens. The only consid-
eratiOns that can reconcile human beings
TO unattractive Iabors.' Miss Bisland
says. are, first. the sentiment OF loyalty
that such IabOTs are for one who is
loved and admired-and. second. the fine
old habit of submission. These incentives
to duty. these helps 10 happiness. man
has taken from woman by weakly shut
fling OFF his mastership- Such is the
Indictment In an industrial age man
forgets the graces Of life. and thereby
forfeits the position of lord and maS-
ter