The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-25

New York Commercial Advertiser.
In Mr.. Hopes Quisante the rart which
the well-bred Englishwoman plays In party
politics may be somewhat overdrawn. for
the sagacity of some of his political WONT
en- seems more than human. But there Is
enough truth in it to make an American
envious. Whether the empire is the better
governed for it or not. it is certainly an
element that adds to the interest or po-
litical contests. The wives in this story
fight harder than the husbands. AS
hostesses they drum UP the laggards
prime the slow-witted with suggestions.
show the most extraordinary insight into
the characters of friends and foes. and
contribute to political discussion far more
epigrams than they ought. The heroine
marries man of political genius, and
though despising him for everything else.
sticks to him and works for him for the
sheer delight of seeing him win. In snort,
the women Of this novel are clearly run
ming the British Parliament, and not one
of them seems conscious or any handicap
in that matter of the suffrage or of any
restriction in that matter of the sphere.
1t is odd that the most political women IN
or for holding Office. 1t shows that vote
or vote, a woman is not going TO stay
out Of politics unless she chooses.
In this country women will vote as soon
as they want to. 1t is a matter or de-
tail in regard to which as yet they nave
not generally expressed any Interest Ii.
like the Englishwomen, they come TO
realize how much can be done without IL,
their indifference on the subject may even
increase. Experience with certain classes
of voters has shown pretty clearly that
the ballot cannot always galvanize an inert
mass into intellectual life. On the other
hand, there are Mr. Hopes feminine rulers
without one vote among the whole lot
Perhaps our suffragists are thinking that
&I<rA a.. ~s.@,.- 80 tar,
in accomplishing things through man. Yet
what else does any real power consist In!
The woman who will run for Governor of
Wyoming one of these days Will find no
more exciting field for her talents than
these Englishwomen have had for many
years. and no more distinction. either,
though, of course. greater conspicuousness.
The lack of publicity is not likely TO dis
courage any very high order of talent, and
If American women took the same degree
of interest as the English they would sure
ly find some way of making 1t felt But
cially TO those with whom Mr.. Hopes novel
deals not only take no interest in these
matters, but look on them as a nuisance:
| The way an American husbands political
eloouence is snubbed in his own home is
| often pitiful. Time and time again, his
craftsmanship is regarded as mere noise,
likely to wake the children, and even when
l. is delivered by request in answer to
some such question as, What do the papers
| mean by Organism? or Why do they make
such a fuss about trusts? ii seldom goes
| on to the end. No man go on being
| statesman for the person who droops
| visibly under it and looks at him with
glazed eyes.
The worst Of 1t is that the very class
| of women who could do the most for poll
| tics remain the most persistently aloof.
| The clever, fiexible-minded woman would
as soon think of talking about arithmetic.
| Hence, we do not begin to get the fun out
| of it that the English do. If we put our
political women into n novel It would be
| a very diffefent story from Mr.. Hopes,
| and unless written by a genuine humorist
| far less interesting story.