The Washington herald., 1906-12-02

protection Of women who work in fac
tories"
"Oh. but we do all care about thoss
I things, began the friend protestngly.
Perhaps; but the trouble is that we
care in such an impractical. abstract
/ way. We don't realize that it is the men
/ each district sends who make the laws.
/ II every wife 0nd mother would feel az
much genuine interest in the election OK
/ her States officials as she feels in TIA
/ petty social happenings Of her circle her
/ influence would be felt by the men OF
her household There's a lot Of truth In
| mat hoary adage, The hand that rocks
/ the cradle rules the world OF course,
you scientific mothers don't rock your
/ Dabies nowadays, but the truth Of the
adage hold just the same.
lhere can't be much ruling Of the
world Of politics by such women as tho
/ one whom l met at a dinner partv not
/ long ago. Cieveland's name was mention
/ ed ana sweet young thing who must
/ nave been playing with her dolls when
4 ne was Ia office asked ingenuOusly what
MS greatest stunt was, anyway? Be
! lore any OF the men could answer a wo-
man said. Why. he was the President
/ who gave Us the two famous phrases.
| "in0cuOUs desuetude" and ''glittering gen
! eralities." This was in dead earnest.
mind you I'm sure she hadn't an idea.
about the electoral count act Of 81 or
| the BeriHg Sea arbitration episode
She must have been the spiritual twin
Of the woman / heard acknowledge that
all she knew Of Bryan was that he was
fond Of talking about sixteen 10 one Yet
l happen to know that this woman spends
hours Teveling il the mysticism Of Haunt
mann and discussing the subtleties Of
Henry James Her husband doesn't care
a fig for these distractions: he loves tba
game of politics; she could be vastly
more entertaining 10 him and 70 his cir
Gle if she would use her wit and discern
ment In the study Of the real drama OF
[ history gong on about her. Moreover shs
could exert a good deal Of influence. for
sne has d strong personality. It's d waste
OF talent for her not to know OF care
about the politics OF either her city or
State"
a waste Of opportunity. too. I should
/ say remarked the other woman. She
must have a better chance than most OF
US 10 hear the fascinating little bits OF
inside histOry-the personalities. the scan
dai0us, humorous. and pathetic stories
tnaI make men seem like real men and
not simply hgure-head candidates Did
you ever notice how men admire the rare
woman who is well-informed on political
subjects? / don't mean "a rauter on the
subject Of wOman's rights but the woman
with tact and charm who makes pertinent
observations OF political issues and who
intelligenLIy enjoys q good story about a
candidate, OF, better still, who can tell
a good story herself The men really
like that sort Of talk a great deal better
than they Ike esOteric discussions OF triv-
/ ial social gossip.
I've heard this man we were speaking
Of tell his wife many a good story about
some one prominent in poliucs-say Jones,
for example 4 day or so later, when he
would remind her Of the story about
Jones. she would say. Why. I thought
you said that was Smith-and what was
the point Of that story. anyway Now
wasn't THAI a criminal lack Of attention.
''JusJidable homicide ought 70 be the
verdict in such a case the spinster said
suilingly. But until we women are in
terested in the subject We shall go on
being stupid about il If We would de-
vote half the mental energy 10 the study
Of this drama Of politics that we spend
on bridge and clothes, we would find our
selves in much closer touch with life 7
have always envied, the English women
their intimate knowledge Of political af-
fairs. Party issues are not vague 10
them; they are keen about the game IN
all its stages Of Importance.
Imagine the scorn with which an Eng
lishwoman would look upon the American
woman whom 1 heard say this a a din
neT table: Why do I say I am a Re
publican, when my husband IS a Demo-
crat? Because the Republican party be-
lieves IN protection. I do think we poor
women and children need all the prOJec-
ton We can get. The maternal instinct
is so strong in me that 1 simply couldn't
be anything but q Republican No, her
husband did not throw his plate at her.
but he suddenly looked as If ne might
die Of apOplexy any second. Such stU-
pidity was certainly an awful warning to
the other women at that dinner party, for
that husbands embarrassment was pitt
able"
Just Enough for Necessities.