The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-11

that in those early PERIODS of clyIliza-
ton, when literature and art were Just
dawning upon the world, man, though
aggregating to his own ego nearly
everything in the universe, paused De
fore representing himself as Il inquire Oh
justice, mercy or wisdom. lie eVloeu.-
Iy realized his unfitness TO stand, even
in marble, before the world as syn
boil of moral virtue He therefore, Win
a grace which well became him III
those pagan" days, bent the knee "
all noble attributes of humanity as rep
resented in woman. Her fair face, nef
beauteous figure, greeted him in all MS
sacred temples or Worship-as venus
and Diana she smiled upon hin-as the
goddess of Fortune or Chance she &c
cepted his votive wreaths-as Fame OF
Victory she gave him blessing when
ever he went to war or returned IN trl-
unlph from the field-and all this was
the embryo or shadowing forth OF wo-
mans higher future and better posi-
bilities, when the days of her long ana
cruel probation should be accomplished
and her curse" in part be lifted. There
are signs and tokens that this happy
end is in sight. Accused Eve is be
ginning to have a good time. And the
only fear now is lest she should over
step the mark of her we'll deserving
liberty and run headlong into license.
For Eve, with or without cause, is nat
urally impulsive and credulous, and be-
ing too often forgetful of the little in
cident which occurred to her in the
matter of the tree of good and evil, is
still far too prone to listen to the be-
quilting of "subtiI' personages worse
than any beast of the field which the
Lord hath made"
Accused Eve, having broken several
of her old-time letters and beginning to
feel her feet as well as her wings, just
now wants a word in politics. AS one
of her cursed daughters, / confess ]
wonder that she should wish to put
herself to so much unnecessary trouble,
seeing that she has the whole game in
her hands. Politics are generally
hustled along by Coward Adam-unless
by rarest chance Brave Adam, his twin
brother. suddenly steps forth unexpect-
eddy, when there ensues what is called
a collapse Of the government" In any
question, small or great, Accused Eve
has only to offer Coward Adam the ap-
pie and he will eat 1t. Which metaphor
implies that even in politics, If she only
moves him round gradually to her own
views in that essentially womanly way
which, while persuading, seems not to
persuade, he is bound to yield. Person.
ally speaking, I do not know any man
who is not absolutely under the thumb
Of at least one woman. And 1 will not
believe that there is any woman so fee
bic, so stupid, so lost to the power and
charm Of her own individuality, az not
to be able to influence quite half a
dozen men. This being the case, what
does Accused Eve want with a vote
II she Is so unhappy, SO ugly, so Fepul-
sive, so deformed in mind and man
ners as to have no influence at all on
any creature OF the male sex whatever,
neither father, nor brother, nor uncle,
nor cousin, nor lover. nor husband, nor
friend-would the opinion Of such a one
be of any consequence or her vote OF
any value7 1 assert nothing-I only ask
the question.
Speaking personally as q woman,
have no politics and want none. I only
want the British empire to be first and
foremost in everything, and tender my
sincerest homage to all the men OF
every party who will honestly work to-
ward that end. These being my senti-
ments, / deprecate any strong separate
parliamentary attitude on the part OF
Accused Eve. / say she has much
better. wider work to do than take part
In tow-rows with the rather undigni-