New-York tribune., 1902-08-24
WOMENIN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
THEIR ACTIVITY IN THE OLD WORLD
AMERICA SINGULARLY FREE
FROM THEM

Although in all matters relating to feminine
emancipation feminine rights and feminine ad-
mission to the various professions and calllngs
this country Is far in advance of the Old World.
yet there is one field OF activity from whlch
American women have as yet held alool-hailie
ly, that of politics. The United States is as
yet free from the woman who aspires to play
a political role, to maintain political salon
and to be recognized both at home and abroad
all powerful factor in the affairs Of state.
There is who puts forward any preten-
sion to be regarded the boss in municipal,
State national politics. or to constitute the
power behind the throne in the sense that
statesmen and authorities of one kind and an
other ready to do her bidding, and II Is
worth noting that, although the American wom-
an occupies with regard to her husband po-
stion of far more complete equality than does
her sister in Europe, yet Chief Magistrate
high public official of the United States
any statesman or politician of note has
ever been charged with permitting himself to
be influenced in public affairs either by his wife
or by any other
This is a subject for congratuation to the
people of this country, and 1t must have ap-
reared to them as such when perusing during
the last week the cable dispatches from
France describing the part played by a number
of political women there in actively fomenting
not merely opposition TO but downright insur-
rection against the authorities intrustcd with
the execution of the duly enacted laws of the
land. 1t is useless to go into the question here
as to whether the French Government Is we'll
advised in exacting the enforcement of those
laws which, though passed by overwhelm-
Ing majority of the national legislature. un-
popular In certain portions of the country
But the resistance to their execution and the
popular disturbances resulting therefroni have
been mostly due to the political activity of a
number of women. whose vanity prompts them
to play what they believe to be important
political role. They for the most part the
| same women who were engaged in that ridicu-
lous royalist conspiracy for the purpose of
bringing about the overthrow of the republic
which eliminated in complete fiasco at the
time of President Faure's funeral
1t may be remembered that the latter
followed by a state trial. resulting in the ban
ishment Of few masculine agttators- But al
though the proceedings brought to light the part
which these political DANES had played in the
conspiracy. well the fact that they, by
means OF contributions from their purses
and of subscriptions which they had obtained.
had been the principal financial hackers of the
plot, yet the government wisely declined to pro-
ceed against them, even to take them seri-
ously. Indeed. the increased bitterness which
they now display against the republic Is prob
ably TO great extent due to the amused con-
tempt with which they were ignored by the
courts and by the administration that
casion There is no doubt that some of the
titled women in question would have been de-
lighted beyond measure II the republic had pro-
ceeded against them, and by ordering their ar
rest and their subjecson to a state trial for
treason had enabled them to pose in the role OF
sort of Maid of Orleans-as a national heroine.
ready to suffer martyrdOm for the sake of what
she believed to be the welfare of her country
Political women have never accomplished any
thing to speak of either in France anywhere
else in Europe, and wherever their influence has
been exercised in public affairs the consequences
have to say the least been unfortunate. Thus
the Dowager Duchess of Uzes, In endeavor
to place the late Count of Paris upon the throne
of France little over decade ago. dealt the
monarchical cause the damaging blow
which IT had until that time received. and from
which it has not yet recovered For. by in
ducing the late pretender who knew her as the
most generous subscriber the funds of his
party to form alliance with General Bou-
LANCER she succeeded in identifying the fortunes
of the royalist movement with those of the most
shady and despicable adventurer in modern
French political life Indeed, she may be said
to have driven thereby the last nail into the
coffin of the prospects of monarchical restora-
ton.
cannot help thinking that she has realized
this for of late years she has held altogether
aloof from politics. and has become to such an
extent reconcied to the present form of gov
ernment in France that the other day. when
President Loubet visited the annual exhibition
of women artists. of which she is the moving
spirit and head. she spent more than two hours
walking about the show arm in arm with the