Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-07
Feminine Endorsement 9
of DR.. Treyes' 6
Views on {,
"The Plague of Women &
In South Africa" $
G

who flew into a passion when she could
not get a good place from which to see
him when he was executed. Frequently
they are young, like Rossetti's Jenny. in
whom the woman almost fades from
view; again, they are old, like Tolstois
Sophia Vasilievna, who cursed the foot
man for letting the sunshine fall upon
her. They may be frankly gay or apT
parently intellectual, scorning the idea
of reading novel. or they may be like
Nine. de Warens, whom Rousseau
loved, 'as devoid of moral principles as
any creature in the Natural History.
But whether these women be beauti-
full or plain, apparently religious or os-
tentatiously free thinking, they are a
plague to society and to the world. The
association of good, unblemished Wom-
en- with this class brings on their inno-
cent sisters undeserved disrepute and
| is the reason why serious minded men,
unblessed with keen perception, join in
the cry of Schopenhauer that AL wom-
en- are worthy only to hold the position
of the women of the east"
| These women whom Mr.. Treves has
rightly denounced deserve to be in
closed in a harem looking to the
sweet waters" or, at least, 1t would
help society if such could be yelled un-
der as thick hangings as those worn by
the beauties of Morocco To seal them
in sacks and introduce them to the Bos-
porus would satisfy some who have be-
come contaminated by innocent associ-
alton, but it would hardly be a rightful
Judgment to be carried out by the hand
of man.
The most regrettable part of It all is
| that the frivolous woman is usually inn
pervious to argument. Condemnation
seems to have no effect on her. Very
probably, if she has read Mr.. Treves'
article, she simply laughed and put
him down for "a silly little man." and
then, running to her room, arrayed
herself in new bonnet and started out
on fresh picnic.
Comparatively few men will condemn
her, and they will probably be less Sc
vere more merciful in their hearts,
than will be her innocent sisters who
suffer the sex blemish because OF the
faults of the irresponsible, honorless
specimen of their kind.
Though many foolish women have
been screaming against the words OF
Mr.. Treves and have been showing
their lack of brains as well as their yio-
lent tempers, feel secure enough to de-
clare that the sentiment of the majority
of their own sex is against them.
Women, collectively, are proud, and
justly proud, of their reputation among
men as the strongest and most unself'
ish fighters that exist against the sor
rows and pains of humanity. The.
Outright men, and men know it, be
cause. as a rule, they have more sci
abnegation' and have a stronger fire Q
faith in them. Schopenhauer woul
surely have written differently abou
woman had his own experience witt
, his mother been different. But on tn
whole it is no wonder that his view o
woman was jaundiced, for his relations
with certain lady had seriously affect
ed his pocket and his reputation. New
ertheless cannot help but wish that HI
, were alive today, that he might Writ
another essay on the women whom Mr.
Treves has denounced. No one but
Schopenhauer could treat the subject a
r it deserves.
II Women of this class stand In tn
+ scale and, it would seem, Outweigh
those who aspire to the balance side
But it requires the deeds of one genuin
y woman only, like Florence Nightingale
, to wipe out the misdeeds of them al
Around her one discerns a great com
q pany of women, true, noble women
. who have hearts. They outnumber tn
\ frivolous women and teach us to forge
8 that such may and do exist. The
n teach us to know and to value true wo
manhood, true wifehood, true mother
+; hood. ETHEL v. hobEiis.
London, England.