The San Francisco call., 1910-03-10
JUFFRAOETT TIE OF
A NEW VARIETY
Chicago Woman Knows Best
Whether or No the Term
Lady Misfits Her
By MARY ASHE MILLER

IT is apparent that there are suf-
fragettes and yet again suffragettes
in an infinite variety and that We
must begin critical study of this new
species of womankind which has
evolved itself within the last year or
two, but which seems permanent.
| In Chicago-whence come so many
startling things-a suffragette. in an
address, has declared that she is not a
lady and that nothing makes her so
angry as to be called one.
OF course. she may be right about
| herself-she probably knows best.
| since she insists-but the idea is new
| that it is insulting to apply the term to
any woman.
| OF course, 1T is frequently used in
such way that one knows it is mis-
! take. or a joke, or just the outcome of
| excessive politeness on the part of the
| speaker. as soothing syrup. or any
one of a half dozen other things which
mean that it isn't really true. But to
take it as an insult-oh, most astonish-
! ing
/ not compliment because she defines a
"lady" as "a creature who has neither
brains with which to think nor hands
to work. She goes farther and de-
| clares she is thankful that she is a
woman" and can think and act intelli-
gently
I'm glad she is so appreciative of her
own intelligence. because it is of an
unusual order when it comes to defni-
tions.
Webster's dictionary is still consid
cred an authority along those lines. L
| believe, and from that source I gain
| several ideas as to what a lady really
is-none of which seem to bear out the
Chicago theory The first given is "A
woman who looks after the domestic
affairs of the family; the female head
of household"
Permit me to interrupt myself to re-
mark that woman is distinctly said
there and that it is at least implied
that she has intelligence-we would be
sorry for the household If she had not
and certainly action is necessary.
Then, again, Webster says: "A
woman to whom the particular homage
of a knight was paid; sweetheart"
Does the Chicago person scorn the
| homa ge-or what one gets for that
nowadays? And does she refuse to be
a sweetheart? Poor thing, perhaps she
| is modern that she insists upon be-
/ ing an affinity.
1t means also: "A woman of social
distinction position"
! Perhaps the woman" scorns that
I hi 41E -ta Ho5
described once as ''one of those women
who hates all the rich people she
| doesn't know"
| Then, last of all, comes the best of
| all: "A woman of refined or gentle
manners; we'll bred woman-the fem
| mime correlative of gentleman"
| Now, could anything be better than
t that?
! When I was a child my idea of
well bred person was one who was very
! clean and had perfect self-control-and
( I do not think that my conception has
changed very materially. Certainly. IL
means nothing that includes stupidity
| and laziness.
| Does the Chicago person intend. per-
/ haps, to do away with gentleness and
refinement? She would not gain any
! enlarged brain cells if she did.
| Although / have labeled this woman
! who says she is not a lady a suffrag-
! cite t1lS IutLlndIlOn, i do
so merely because she was announced
as such, and not because l consider her
as typical of the class.
Whatever may be the faults of the
| suffragettes, 1 do not wish to force
them into the category with the anti
lady, nor do l think the fact that she
| has embraced the desire TO vote has
aught to do with her opinions. She is
simply one of the varieties of our sex
| who seeks every means, appa rently for
| expressing her discomfort with existing
circumstances.
AS for the suffragettes, even when
| they are forced to be harsh. as are the
English militant ladies, they are gen
| tie. We hear that they wrap their
| stones in paper before throwing and
drop them softly into unoccupied win
dows. Miss Murphy. the London suf-
| fragette who has been defending their
methods here, explained too. that when
a demonstration was necessary, Mrs.
Pankhurst tapped Inspector Jarvis so
gently on the side of his head that he
| besought her to be more realistic That
should act as a reproof for the Chicago
person.