The Washington times., 1908-10-03
WOMEN AMUSED
BY POLITICIANS
Many Would Like to Cleanse
the Powers That
Be.
LACK OF SUFFRAGE
is MUCH REGRETTED
Only Hope Is TO Train Sons TO
Grow Up as Honest Pub
lie Officials.

To a woman of mediocre intellect and
little imagination like myself. the pres
ent situation in politics seems not with
out its amusing side
The President of the United States,
the governor Of one State, a Presiden-
tial candidate, an editor, the president
or great monopoly. and a number
OF other more or less prominent and
gifted gentlemen are engaged ir what
must be called, undignifed as is the
word. a squabble over some letters
which would seem to have been stolen
from the files Of a company
The language used has not been with
in parliamentary limits The word
scamp" has been uttered: likewise lie
word rascal likewise the words thief
and liar.
1t all sounds like an incident from
'Alice in Wonderland" except that the
creatures in that classic, even the
March Hare, were far too careful Of
their own dignity to so demean them
selves.
Pity the Foreigners.
What impression the spectacle must
make upon the foreigner who reads our
political views, 1 shudder to think
Fancy Mr.. Asquith calling names! But
do know that it is enough to make
III AAAo1N No-4 cAE NDAA1 CuAA4dEELAE VI
them all feel that she is too decent, too
refined, too nice TO have anything to do
with politics.
Perhaps, poor thing, she will think TO
herself that If she were in politics she
could cleanse them. But never was she
more mistaken in her life No thousand
women could hope TO change by one lot
or little the politician of the United
states, whether that politician Occupias
the presidential chair or whether he is
hrr hi Off
Statesmen are out, politicians are in,
and the politician, like the leopard, can
not change his spots.
But consider, my cOuntrywOmen, what
would be said If the case were as fol-
lows. Suppose a band of women had
been put in charge of work Of first i'm
portance to the country. Suppose that
the members Of this band had so Gar
forgot their honor and their dignity as
10 begin TO row among themselves.
What Would Men Say?
Suppose that the work upon which
they were engaged was neglected while
they INDUCED in BiIingsgate and scout
ed each other and accused each other
Of all the high crimes and mdsdemeanors
known to man.
What would the men OF the country
say7
Why, they would say at once that
that was just what they had expected
Of women. They would say that the
weaker sex was not mt to be trusted
with important affairs. That Il had not
now nor ever had a sense of honor.
They would say that the work must be
taken out OF its hands at once and nut
3nto more capable and more honest
ores
More than that, they would say thar
the exhibition was a very painful one.
and they would pass resolutions depre-
eating the whole cfrrru
on the women in office to resign al
once and let men take hold of the Of
ices and purify them.
They Read the Papers.
Alas. that the women Of the coun-
try may not take this step. All that
they can do is to read the news
papers and wonder how under the
sun Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Bryan and
Mr.. Haskell and Mr.. Foraker can all
be right and no one wrong, and when
the blood will begin TO flow
When the husband Of a woman who
takes an interest in public affairs
comes in she says;
wont you explain about the Has
KEN analr, please2 Who IS in the
right and who is in the wrOng2 Is
It true that Mr. Haskell is usually
dressed in a couple Of cloven hOofs,
some horns, and a taiI2"
OF course, the husband answers
1mPatienty:
You wouldn't understand II I ex-
planned" he says. "The fact of the
case is. TO put II succinctIy. that ali
Democrats are rasCals and should be
In the penitentiary, and 7 would rather
vote for Chauncey OlcOtt for President
than for Bryan"
Then he sets to reading the paper. as
hard as he can. hoping that in this
way ne may enlarge his vocabulary
And this is the only way In which
women can ever hope 10 really effect
anything in politics-by training their
boys to be decent and honorable gentle
men. LEONORE CALVERT