The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-24

Chicago Evening Post.
In telling the Matheon Club, yesterday,
that this is 1.-THE age of rudeness'' and that
men losing their manners because
they forget to practice them Richard
Mansfield cannot be accused of drawing
wholly on his imagination. He may have
been prompted more to turn phrase than
to state a fact when he declared lit has
become the fashion to be rude" but when
he said that men have become too brusque
where women are concerned, that there is
too much push and jostle and not enough
of true Difference and polteness he was
simply stating a truth which is apparent
to any one who knows what good manners
should be.
1t is a fact that we have grown so busy
we have time to be polite. AS woman
has invaded the business world where she
elbows men and scrambes with them in
the crowded streets and stores and in the
overcrowded street cars, men have allowed
themselves to forget she is still woman
and have dropped into the habit of treating
her either as one of themselves or as a
good fellow" And this easy familiarity
has dulled the fine sense of deportment
and made men rude and thoughtless.
But the true man, the gentleman" never
can forget that woman, no matter what
her station or where she is, should receive
from him all the Difference that gentle man.
ners prompt. No gentleman, unless physi-
cally unable will remain seated while a
woman stands. This rule is not followed to
any alarming extent in our street cars
Take a single instance: In North Clark
street cable car, this morning, seventeen
men were seated. One pale-faced, slight
young woman hung to a strap and swayed
as only our cable cars can make one sway
Yet not one of those Doors paid the slight
est attention to her or offered to make
room for her frail form. The term gen
tleman could not apply in such case.
But women themselves must bear some of
the responsibility for this lack OF courtesy,
this growing rudeness. Let us again illus
trate: well-dressed woman and her boy
about seven years old-whose fare had been
paid-occupied two seats in a car A num-
Der OF women were standing. one with
gray hair Immediately in front of the
younger. This was a good opportunity for
the mother TO give her son a lesson in
politeness and gentle behavior; but she did
nothing OF the sort. She was educating him
falsely. giving him wrong ideas. practically
teaching him that Difference to women is
not necessary part OF a boys training
When this boy grows to manhood he is
likely to join the seventeen just mentioned
We do not agree with Mr.. Mansfield when
ne says That return 10 polite manners
can come about through the agency of the
stage alone. The stage. doubtless can WELD
powerful influence in this direction. but
II is In the home the seeds of chivalry are
planted The stage may suggest the mimic
~ OF politeness, but IL is the home that In
culcates the elements of gentleness. Boys
who are taught politenesS and Difference TO
others in the home Will not need any les
sons from the stage Men who do not defer
TO women simply because they are women
and from genuine Unborn chivalric i'm
likeness which will not always cover the
selfshness beneath