The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-24
ENGLISH CRITICISM
AMERICAN WOMEN ARE CLEVER
BUT NOT SUBTLE
The Women of This Country Are Be-
ginning to Attract the Attention of
Their English Sisters-What They
Say of Them

There was a time, and not so very
long ago, either, when the people of
England did not bother or concern
themselves with Americon women at
all, but within the last few years there
have been many signs which show
that the women of that country have
thought it worth while to take their
American sisters into account and
study their characteristics.
Hence we see a good deal in papers
and magazines of what English women
think of us and our ways; that we are
intellectual but not especially subtle;
that we are loud, vulgar; that we like
cities and despise the country, and
that we are not really domestic, but
only so on the surface.
All of this, while it is critical, is also
evidence of the fact that English wom-
en- have awakened to the knowledge
that we are to be reckoned with. Amer
lean women have made a sensation
wherever they have appeared in Eu-
rope, some by doubtful methods, others
have won by their real charm and evil
dence of intellectually.
Heretofore English women have
thought that Anglo -Saxonism meant
England, and the discovery that an
other English-speaking people are re-
ceiving the worlds attention has stir
red them. They are busy explaining to
the world at large that while American
women are this, they are also that, and
they proceed to explain away their
charm and the interest they awaken.
They will tell you that the woman of
this country is indifferent to politics,
save where she has full suffrage or is
stirred by a f1uctuating influence in hu-
manitarian projects; the American
woman is also somewhat coldly in
clined toward religion. Especially is
this true of the younger generation"
Nothing could be more misleading than
this criticism; the American woman is.
not run in a national mold of any kind.
She is the most versatile woman in the
world and never twice alike. To say
she is not interested in politics would
be to say nothing particular against
her, but as far as many are concerned
it is not true. Some American women
who do not demand nor want full Suf-
frage are the most truly interested in
politics. Not in the English way, per-
haps, of going out to harangue crowds
to help along the election of their hus-
sons tries to bring them up with high
political ideals and teachers them to
be honorable in their civic relations.
There is certainly no better way for
women to take an interest in politics.
The charge that American women are
not as domestic as those of England
hardly needs refutation. They may not
have the same reverence for inherited
traditions, the same love for the family
home as those of an older race, but
there are many women in this country
who have a passion for domesticity,
just as there are Individual English
women who are not domestic and not
given over solely to household pur-
suits.
In fact the American women is not to
be defined. She is everything. There
are those who have many accomplish
mentS and talents; one woman may be
an excellent cook, a woman of the
world, a loving mother, a delightful
hostess, a good talked, an artist, a lin
guist, and be possessed of an individ-
uality and charm whichis all her own.
1t is in some cases a certain change
ablenesS-meant in its most agreeable
sense-that makes up the American
wOman's charm.
The English woman is obvious; you
know what she is, just what she thinks
and what she is going to do next. An
American woman is full of the most
delightful surprises. You never know
just how much she knows, what she
may not be able to accomplish, or what
she will do next. She rises to emer-
gencies as no other woman in the
world can. Bring her up in luxury and
promise her all that money can buy,
but suddenly deprive her of everything