New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-12
FRENCH FEMINIST.
The Forerunners Of the Nod
ern SuFragette.

Paris, March ..
Baron Marc de Villiers publishes with
Messrs. Plen a History If Women's
Clubs and the Amazon Legions, from
1898 to 1871 which is an important
in France He claims that the modern
suffragettes are the direct political de-
scendants of the revolutionary ladies
who on March p. 1871, founded the
first Womans club in France, the So
ciete des Anlies de la Nerite." Their
leader and chief inspirer was Nine.
dAelderS, or, to give her real name,
Eta Palm a Dutch woman, whose pas
siOnate discourse ION the injustice Of
human laws with respect To women
was read by d secretary at the CerCle
Social, an influential Republican club
which held its sittings at the Palais
Royal in the early DAYS of the reyolu-
tionary movement. Born and brought
up III a foreign country" she said, ''if
my phrases are not according To the
rules of the French Academy, it is be-
cause I have consulted my heart more
than the dictionary" But the cit
selves into an Amazon company Of the
National Guard were so delighted with
Nine d'Aeiders's Grafton that they
elected her an honorary member of
their regiment. and presented her with
a medal which. she assured them
Thereby unconsciously anticipating the
famous phrase of NJ. Prudhomme),
h.. fE,a ,-A 81 I,r ty-l,i ,I,
should cover her coffin
Throughout the Revolution feminine
organizations played an active and
picturesque part. and none were more
active than tho Devoted CitizeneSses OF
Lyons who startled the less enterpris-
ing male population of the town by issu-
ing d declaration against the then exist
ing monopolies, which correspondent in
almost every particular with tho modern
trusts. They inaugurated a food strike
Oh the most practical lines. Baron de
NiIlers prints facsimile Of their proc
lamatcn, drawn up in the name of tho
sovereign People Of Lyons" III which
they state their intention not to pay for
any of the necessities of life except upoH
d scale Of prices, which they proceed TO
indicate. "Nerniceliy'' is not 10 cost
more than J. cents d pound, refined
sugar is to be 30 cents pound, coffee is
to be also 30 cents, and ham Is cents a
pound. Passing from words to action.
the women OF Lyons actually took pos
session Of the city, and remained mis-
tresses of il for three days They ap-
pointed female police commiSsaries, who
forced the grocers to open their shops
and sell their goods at these newly i'm
posed price $, aud they captured the mar
ket places and caused them to be
guarded by militia women armed with
yikes The movement came to an end
owing TO the refusal of the laboring
classes To participate in il. Women's
clubs and Amazon batta.ious reappeared
during the tragic days Of the siege OF
Paris by the Prussian army in 1S70-'71.
and We're a characteristic outcome of the
comn1unistic movement which followed
it, The most eloquent and successful Of
French femiBists Of recent years, Nine
Maria Desraisncs. has her statue erected
in one of the open spaces OF Paris. and
to-day Paris boasts Of two successful
clubs exclusive for women, establish ed
on . firm financial basis the Lyceun
ANA the Ladies Club bat no French
feminist newspaper. though numbers
have been started has SO far mana ged
To pay its way
NJ. Felix DuqUesnel. whose new novel
a Ia flemme de Paris fFasnuele). has
| just appeared is a Well known figure IN
| literary and theatrical circles la Paris
/ having been for years the director of Z,
popular boulevard theatre, the impress
ario of Nine, Sarah Rernhardt and lat
! terlY the dramatic critic of the eau.
! lois, the organ Of French roy alism His
/ knowledge of Paris Is unrvaned. and II
! is this which gives value and SAVIOR t.
! his newest story, which relates the very
ing fortunes OF two typical Partisan 10y
ers, whose final happiness is not achieveo
until they have passed through the
! flame Of Paris" with All its hare and
! smoke and hypnotic attraction. NJ. Du'