The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-05-04

Woman's right to he ugly, discussed
in this city some time since by lot Of
well meaning clubwomen in search of
a novelty, is exercising both men and
women upon either side Of the Atlantic
just now. The radicals declare that
woman has right-a 6ivine right, If
you choose-to be just as ugly as she
pleases. They further affirm that the
chief cause for her previous condition
Of servitude and the self assumed su-
periority Of man is all due to the false,
mistaken standards demanding that she
should be beautiful Let woman but
once assert her right to be repulsive,
say these; "let her bnt declare her in
dependence Of masculine opinion as to
her appearance and 60 about looking
quite as homely and awkward as she
dare, and the whole present wrongful
system Of things will be changed, for
woman will at last be the equal Of
man. New, all Of this sounds first
rate, and it has the ring Of originality,
but, as matter of fact, it is doctrine
old as the hills, and Just as specious as
il is old. 1t is sophistry OF the very first
water
In the first place, do women seek to
please men By their looks any more
than men seek to please women in the
came way: Neither sex has the eXclu-
sive right to vanity. cnd, if anything,
the attribute is stronger in men. All
question as to the privilege to be repul-
sive applies to the one just as it does TO
the other. Again, it is ''ag N natur' a"
for woman to want to be ugly, and as
some enc has observed, whoever seeks
TO 90 against the nature Of things is
pretty certain IN the lcng run to get ths
worst Of it" No woman ever yet sub
scribe6 10 the doctrine that making her
self unattractive was good for the soul
without very strong pressure Of most
personal sort-in other words, after she
had vainly tried to iDdorse the opposite
doctrine and had failed
photographs are not needed to Rc-
quaint one with the general appearance
Of these women so Jealous in maintain
ing the right Of their sex to be ugly any
more than 1t is necessary to be tSid that
she who inveighs against charm is her
self sure to be lacking in it. An anus
ing side Of the discussion Is that so far
as the American man is concerned q
woman may be ugly OF anything else
she likes, and he will not only never
say her nay, but think it all right Ac-
cording 10 his indulgent standards, her
own sweet will is sufficient excuse for
anything she may do or want TO do
Still this isn't likely to damren the
ardor Of the clubwoaCn. Tic fatal
curse Of beauty is to be denounced at
all costs and irrespective Of any logic.
A woman who had attended one of
these antibeauty meetings for the first
time came honse so lrimful Of the sub
jeot that she st once broaehed il to her
husband. John, (" she cried, what
would you say if were to 90 round lock
ing ugly? I've just been to q meeting
where they said that the only way BIZ
which women could ever hope to attain
an equality with men was By becoming
positively, outrageo1sly and repulsiyely
ugly. Would you b willing TO let me
Try it. John?" Certainly" returned
this typical American husband. at once
grasping the situation, anything you
like. my dear. Only there's one thing.
yen couldn't be ugly if you tried. -
New York Sun.