The sun., 1907-03-10
AMERICAN WOMAN DISSECTED.
SHE IS "THE SHOW" AND CREDIT
ABLE TO THE MANAGEMENT.
Not superior 90 American Man In Think
Ing Or Taking POwer-A survival OF
hackwOOds Conditions Both sexes
COld. says English Magazine Writer.
Special Caok Despatch to The SUN.

NpectW CdOf DeSDdfCh 10 THE SUN.
LONDON. March 9.-"The American
Woman" is the title of an article to which
a prominent place is given in the current
number Of ths Nation. In nothing. de-
ciares the writer. il there exhibited more
general failure to realize the underlying
facts of a situation than in the general esti-
mate placed on the influence Of the Ameri-
can woman in her own country.
Neither the American woman nor the
American man has any mystery for the
writer. who says: European visitors to
America use language which suggests
that the women are distinct and superior
human species to the men. superior not
only in grace and physical attractiveness
but in character. intelligence and individu-
ality. and the complacency with which
the American man will accept and indorse
this testimony to his inferiority is accepted
as conclusive confirmation"
This is fallacy which the writer of the
article proceeds to explode. The apparent
domination of the American society by
American women is explained. he says.
by looking to the foundation Of American
society," In pioneer life in the New World
woman necessarily attained large measure
Of independence together with special con-
sideration due to her scarcity.
When this primitive condition had given
place to life in the modern industrial city,
with the swift emergence Of the new rich
class. the women had no time to lose all
the transmitted energy and personal effi-
cheney of the earlier womanhood. The
first need of the industrial male conqueror
is to display financial power through the
Ostentatious waste Of conspicuous leisure,
hiIf mai bal
him from performing these rites in his
own person, so his wife and daughters
become apt instruments for the Vicarious
expenditure of the time and money that
attest his economic prowess and they carry
into this career the energy. confidence and
resourcefulness Of baCkwoodsmens grand
daughters.
Male ascendancy," continues the writer.
"is as real and at least as strong in America
as in any European country short of Tur-
key The social sway of WON an is due TO a
different valuation of society by the Amer
lean man from that of European countries.
What Henry James and other critics affirm,
that the American man is a business man. a
politician and club man, but leaves society
largely TO his wife and daughters. is quite
true. But what apparently they fail to
recognize is the characteristic mental atti-
tude of the male American toward this
social life
His extravagant wife and daughters.
with their receptions, diamonds, trips to |
Europe and sprightly talks on books and art,
are TO him primarily big entertai nment,
an expensive, elaborate show, which he |
can afford to keep up and likes to pay for. |
The average successful male American |
would no more think Of competing wit his |
wife in the display of social arts and graces |
than the Londoner who visits Maskelyne |
Il Devant's would think Of vying the mys-
terry men there. But his real con-
troll OF the social order is not less deeply
rooted on that account.
The American nouveau richie has no
or revivals Of the feudal state
with which TO make a display Of oetenta-
tious waste. Everything in recent circum-
stances Of Americas life tends to make
her social activities an ways OF
going on. the single relief element for the
strenuous life Of the pioneer turned 'hust-
ler.'"
The writer admits that il is not really as
simple as this sounds. for there are other
factors affecting directly the sex relation
He proceeds to examine one case in a pas
sage full of possibilities for controversies.
He says:
Some cause. possibly climatic has
reduced the intensity of sex
emotion. This. of course. is a suggestion
Incapable Of proof. but few who have
studied closely the conventional bearing
If American men and women toward
Dne another will doubt that il is the very
reedOm OF association between young
men and women which attests it, possibly
induces or assists il. II would perhaps
)e too much TO say that sex emotion has
AIDED into sentimental interest, but the
'hange is something Of this nature.
The conventional, simple admiration in !
he man and the firm tone Of confident self
possession in the woman attest il. So
ar as fiction holds the mirror up to Ameri-
an nature ii exhibits quite a significant |
,aucity of sex emotion in it's more spon-
aneous, mastering flow. Possibly
he conquering American woman owes
much Of her triumph in circles where self
counts for so much to this touch
4 inner chill. That she owes anything to
Intellectual superiority over the male Of
er kind cannot be conceded, for no such
uperiority exists.
-She reads more, and talks more because
hat belongs to her decorative function.
he thought Of America owes little 20 her.
hough she has long enjoyed more ample
opportunities for education than the other Z
eX. Her contribution toward serious
terature, art and science is small. almost ,
eglgible. Almost all the best brain work !
4 America, even in fields where women .
re most occupied is done by men. '
Nor are women the hest takers Though
he business mans wife CLEANS from her I
ooks and women's clubs a large assort- >
lent OF ideas. which she handles with more !
kill and freedom than ia common in the II
nglish drawing room, this sprightly talk il
eldom rises above the patter OF the social Q
age and custom which always gives the v
ord to the woman, and usually acts as a o
reventive Of real conversation.
Most inquiring English visitors are
IDLY familiar with experience in companies
here some man Of intellect and judR- n
lent worth listening to is kept in silence
y the chatter of his commonplace wife
nd daughter, who deem it their role TO
ltertain the guests. Woman, in a word. -