New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-23
FENININISM IN FRANCE
u1o,neu There Behind Those an
dmericq and Scandinavia.

Paris July II.
.,..o,.r, the fact that the meeting OF the
- frrsrnationaI Councils, recently held
I'll, vas attended by the delegates Of
-.,b+aen OF the leading retions o. me world IS
e-s-1a.sr- If the widespread interest taken
IL the so-calIed Fenirinlst movement II -
l.ostI-,p 70 remember that it was in France
,,s+ The movement originated Even before the
,or,.,o,, ferainirisn found its first apostle in
- ,raat Condorcet himself and Thomas Payne.
- 800 Of washington. and the first man in
- >, interest himself in the enfran-
- cf the sex had MS attention first
- n me subject n the course OF his stay
: 47,s-oa That so much more has been
,,.,.o5 in America than in France is, Of
80. 5,s 10 the fact that in this country
-. we're the traditions OF centuries 10 be
,-..-,or7a one by one. and their strength can
,-,el,, be correctly estimated by the citizen
. a new country. n the second place, the op-
l.s-io, nj the Roman Church. waich has a far
go hold upon the women q the Latin
80 -hs- on any others. has also 10 be taken
49,, soco,,nt. and this opposition made itself
felr in every direction.
77-i--t,g n know how the results OF the Ber-
,.- congress- were regarded by the French
---47,,ists other than the specialist delegates
who took part IN Il, your correspondent applied
-, ana VINO has distinguished herself by the
,,-,.,.,+ literary work which she has contrib
-,+.a in furtherance Of the cause for her opinion
:, the subject Nile. Claire &c Pratt was one OF
~. 4,unders Of the daily newspaper la
r7rorse" which was run entirely by women. The
articles contributed weekly ny Nile. de Pratt
constituted one Of the most interesting features
If the ~Fronde" which from 1897 10 1900 main
-qtD4d a high standard Of literary excellence,
combined with reliable news. which placed II on
level with any OF SIS older contemporaries
Wren II finally failed In 1898 from lack OF funds.
tne women on i.s staff all FOUND employment on
other French or foreign papers. competing on
equal terms with their masculine rivals in writ
ing aoeur politics po.euics. or subjects % gen
era interest.
The Berlin meeting" said Nile De Pratz.
did -o- equal tn interest the congress Of 1900,
AeId IN Paris AZ the tire q me great exposi-
ii0a. whea such burning Questions a. the
divorce arvs and wHrens suffrage We're so
Thoroughly -hrash-d out for Us in France the
political rights so ardenrly desired by women Of
other natioualities have less Importance at the
moment -ra7 some other reforms. We ara far
from Indifferent on the matter however. You
MAY remember that NJ the congress held here
Nine. Pogror. our president. expressed in eIo-
queat language he~ great wish thar q single
The French code n laws. namely, that Every
French citizen. irrespective Of sex. shall be
equal before the Code" You may remember.
TOO that when ". Rene Tiviani. the Socialist
deputy. advocated Ir the Chamber the opening
Of the legal profession 20 women. he was inter
rrIpt-d by cry Of But YOU are opening the
door TO female suffrage To which he retorted,
And why not It is what We want That
point was carried. and there are several women
to-day practising successfully at the bar. The
other wiz also come in time. Another vital
question is. rnomeurarily. in allegiance. 4 bill
has passed the Chamber and awaits the sanction
of The Senate. giving married women a right 10
dispose Of their own earnings. As the law now
stands. husband has absolute control OF all
money earned by his wife. This bill we owe 70
Nine SchmaIs initiative ana tenaci1y. Il is
bound 10 become law before long. Then. too.
when the law schools We're thrown open 70
women students the sex was admitted TO be
henceforch qualified 70 give evidence in courts
Of law. bur each Of these privileges had 30 be
fought for inch by inch. and so strong We're the
prejudices with which We had To contend that II
IS not surprising that are still far behind
our sisters IH America or Scandinavia What
We most want is undoubtedly a revision % the
code as If concerns women"
IT is urged against female suffrage" Mile
de Pratt remarked that fl would be highly
dangerous 10 place The issues Of peace ana war
in any degree in the hands Of women. her
penchant for the military profession being so
strong that she would be- likely 70 incline In
vaTiably 70 a belligerenr line Of policy but the
late Berlin Congress has set those fears ar rest
The peace subjeet occupied the attention of the
delegates Tor the whole Of one sitting and the
feeling # the assembly vas unanimously IN
favor ~ peace and arbitration. ard entirely
and on principle opposed 10 war"
Nile ae Pratt has been closely associated with
ne FAminiuist movement iu IT'S latest revival and
her rlews reflect those ~ other influential
French women such IS Nine Daniel Ceseuer.
Nine Marguerite Durand. Mre. Bremontier.
Nile. Laparcerie, and Mile. DC Tinayre