The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-10-31
EDITOR op MANCHESTER JOURNAL

Dear Sir:
WAS considerably touched short
time since by reading an article in the
Saturday Evening Post written by a
Discreet Frenchman" entitled 1.-THE
Real American Boss" tits something
Of ending lecture on the comparative
conditions OF society IN the writer's
country and ours. In long prelude
he advises us not 10 solicit encomiums
for our country from strangers AS soon
as they set foot on our shores, AS he
notices we do according 10 his notions
and experiences, Looking from his
view point our social fabric is all "up-
side down in our country" intimating
that all our women folk are class of
Amazons, conceding that, in all pro-
liability. the strangers views would
change after short residence here.
He intimates also that the women Of
the household spend the entire income
of the establishment and that allorders
necessary for family operations ema-
nate from the female side OF the house,
Sunday observance and temperance
questions, religion and in fact all mat
tiers that, as this writer claims are at
tended 10 by the men in his country.
II astonished him greatly TO see such a
spirit Of selfreliance and independence
as our country women displayed, con
sidering il too mannish TO assert such
an air Of superiority over the men. He
admits that the women in this country
and France are Of q higher intellectual
order than in any other country. The
writer concludes that the principal
cause Of this undisputed sovereignty is
our national trait, ehivalry, which We
have carried too far, speaking of it as
having been brought here generations
ago by some foreign race. From his
standpoint our women are spoiled be-
cause we have shown them too much
attention and are likened TO pampered
children, and declares that all the rest
of the world knows it. And so he pi.ies
us men for our standing in such rela-
tons, but pities our women much more
for our letting them belittle themselves
by taking TO their sex these preroga-
tives, He is magnanimous enough 10
class our women with his country wo-
men ~ equals in all the general quail
ties and gra.es that make women so
attractive. He gives bis opinion that
American women are not equal TO our
French sisters in the art OF eonversa-
tion saying they talk too much or talk
too little. He comments on the beauty
Of our women, declaring their equal in
this respect 10 his country women. /
quote one passage in regard 10 which
am not sure but the author is right.
II am amazed by the awkward arm
swinging. hip webbing gait Of your
younger women and girls, that inn
PRAISES me M not whit less gdsehe and
ugly than the ridiculous hussar stride
Of the English woman" The writer
then goes on At considerable length to
iidicule our women. more particularly
the girls and yonng society women.
Through the kindness Of the Editor !
will gre the closing sentence Of hi
seven or eight eolume article. "Now.
the moral Of that episode like the
moral Of large part Of this srticle) il
this. II may be difficult 10 be hus-
band in the United States but il is jolly
10 be foreigner who admires your
American women without being mar
ried 10 them ! can but think the
writer Of the article was a peevish, mar
row minded. egoiistical bachelor; sure
b be lacked The qualities Of gentle
man. OF course our modes and man
ners differ greatly from those in
France, but resent such charges from
We Americans have dis
located many old world notions. bat !
dare say Il ! should spend summer in
France ! would have impressions Of the |
people that would not conform 10 my
IDEAS Of propric,y in all respects. We
Aro satisfied with ourselves and have 4
been doing about "a we please Tor
about one hundred and thirty years.
md from the pr@sen, outlook We shall
.si The pace Tor o<lsers vet awhile.
kHES T., TAYLOR.
Manchester Depot, Vi Oct. 90 'c7, !