The Tucson citizen., 1902-08-30
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT.
WOMEN DlSGRRGE THEIR SEX.

During the past week or ten days the
readers of newspapers have been told
a good deal about the doings at Sara
toga, It is plain that the New ork
State spa is trying to outdo Newport
in eccentrieity and extravaganza, but
on somewhat different lines. The
Newport people dine monkeys and give
banquets to pet dogs, while Saratoga
seems to have gone gambling crazy.
We are told in dispatch published in
our news columns today that upward
of 100000 changed hands at the differ
ent gambling clubs last night, and only
O. few days ago it was told that. 'soci-
ETY. women" had invaded the gambling
rooms and joined with the men in the
dissipation.
The public has been expecting this,
and the news will neither shock nor
surprise any one. The dolngs of the
'tsmart set' can no longer cause any
in advance. After the city of Athens
became tributary of Rome, and was
no longer of any consequence in the
affairs of mankind, "all the Athenians
and strangers who were there spent
their time in nothing else but either
to hear or tell some new thing" They
1n nd
useful to occupy their time, they spent
their lives in gossiping.
1t was a contemplate use to make Of
life, but it was infinitely better than
to spend it as many of the new rich"
women of this country do. Having
abandoned the mission of woman as a
home maker, as lady or bread
giver, as the word implies, having sur
rendered to others the care of their
children, if they have apy, which is not
likely, and the companionship Of their
husbands, they spend their time in a
mad rush after some new excitement.
Publicity, to have their names in the
newspapers, is the breath of their
nostrils. If they invite friends to
dinner, an account Of it must appear in
the papers, with the amount spent for
each guest and the cost of the flowers.
Nothing is too vulgar to give them
pleasure, provided it brings them be-
fore the public.
Vulgarity is the crowning feature of
this society. And now this new kind
of new woman has found her way to
the faro table. ''The society colony at
Saratoga we are informed by the
press dispatches, views the affair
complacently. The tenor of the re-
marks heard is in effect that what IS
good for the men in the way of amuse-
ment is also good for the women" And
they might have added that what is
bad for the men in the way of amuse
nnent is also bad for the women, and
may be much worse. If women are 20
engage in all the "amusements" that
men often engage in, then our entire
social fabric will collapse.
Women, on the average, are far bet
ter than men are, and it is to be hoped
that they will stay better 1t is to
women that are entrusted the most
important affairs of this life, namely
tho training of the children and the
maintenance of the purity and sanctity
of + c home If they are to be gam
racers, and what not then the land
will speedily fall prey to fastening
ills.
The fact that few smart women
have engaged in playing faro and that
others of the same set are looking at
the gaming table with longing eyes
may excite our disgust, but it need not
cause any serious apprehension. What
these few do or say can not affect the
millions of virtuous, modest, home
making American women, whose price
is above rubies, who look we'll to the
ways of their household and eat not
the bread of idleness; whose children
arise up and call them blessed and
whose husbands also praise them. I'M
agine Martha, or Mary, Washington, or
Abigail Adams or Dolly Madison or
LucTetia Clay at a faro table!