The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-01

brought often into .conlrnunicationr with
the colonial editor of The Times and
was more than astonished at the knowl-
edge of South African affairs and the
shrewd foresight displayed by that in
dividual. There was constant confer
ring between the government colonial
office and the colonial office of the Lon
don Times. The Times colonial editor
was a woman-Miss Flora Shaw-a
young and pretty woman at that. On
the whole, the motive of the London
men reporters in attempting to drive
women out of journalism can be under
stood.
The English woman's intellect is clear
and vigorous. She has a ready grasp of
mind, and well educated English wo-
men have often a better knowledge of
history and current events than Ameri-
can women of the same class. with all
their superior advantages, take the
trouble to acquire. An English woman
going into journalism would realize that
she required careful preparation; con-
sequently when once launched she
would really prove a formidable COM
petitor to men. The Westminster Ca
zette, the best afternoon paper in Lon
don, employs women on the same terms
as men. Sex does not count either for
or against a woman, which is as 1t
should be. The managing editor of The
Westminster Gazette told me that the
work of the women on his paper was
first class. He mentioned in particular
one lady who had been on the staff
nany years who for quality and guam
tity of work and for faithful and regu-
lar attention to duty could not be sur
passed.
Again, one can understand why the
London men reporters are becoming
alarmed.
Probably these men would like to see
all London newspaperdom masculinized
like the office of an alleged woman's
weekly visited. 1t was a paper devot-
ed to things in which the feeble minded
female sex is supposed by man to be
especially Observation-Disclosures, teeth
ing babies, potato salads and tea par
ties. I was looking around among the
offices of the English women's period
icals to find what they were like.
asked to see the editor of this woman's
paper. A rather green looking young
man of twenty or thereabout advanced
to meet me and said he was the assist
ant. May 1 see the managing editor?'
I asked. The youth withdrew, and IN
his stead appeared another youth
little more callow. Then said would
like to see the lady editor
''Oh, there isn't any lady editor. We
do it all ourselves
And there was that paper, devoted to
fashions frills and teethihg babies.
actually filled week after week by the
pickings and stealings those two
youths clipped from fashion and home
periodicals whose contents were really
written and edited by women.
No notice, however slight, Sof news
paper women in London should be end
ed without mention of Max Eliot, the
London correspondents of leading Bos-
ton paper. In private life Max Eliot is
Mrs. Anna M. B. Ellis. She became a
correspondent of the Boston Journal in
1882 and since 1884 has been a member
Of its staff. Few newspaper women or
men either have written more or better
than Mrs. Ellis. Perhaps the fact of
her American birth and training may
have something to do with her success.
In addition to her regular newspaper
tasks, she is a frequent contributor to
English and American periodicals. She
is also an eminently capable dramatic
critic, having served in that capacity
for leading newspapers. She has writ
ten numerous books and, besides all
this. is an enthusiastic golfer.
MARTLLA WEAVER.