Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-22
lspecial correspondence.l }

features of the political fight
is the way in which novelists
are throwing themselves into
the fray. Jerome K. Jerome dropped
his cap and bells to have serious talk
with the workingmen on rich mems
rule; Quiller Couch is applying "a
splendid spur" to the Liberal cause in
Cornwall; Marie Corelli has INDUCED
in a characteristic jeremiad over
empire: the Rev Silas Hooking. novel
ist and preacher has come out as
Liberal candidate; Sir Gilbert Parker
has once more set aside the pen for
the political sword; although not
novelist Robert Blatchford is writing
'thrillers" for one OF the Tory papers,
and Flora Annie Steel Is harangulng
the SuffraglSts about their desire for
votes and their desire for velvet
The following quotation from n daily
paper Is responsible for the warth OF
Mrs. Steel:
"As the important period of general
election is quickly approaching, our
women. anxious to help and work for
their friends. for ther country. are
busy ordering costumes for the cam
paign. Velvet is the prevailing note
In these charming creations, which
seem ideal gowns for the occasion"
VELVET AND POLITICS.
According to Mrs. Steel beads,
brooches, false hair and high heels are
not among the eternal verities. She
has much to say concerning fripperies,
furbelows. froufrous. frills and ephem-
eral wells with beauty spot in a new
place.
"velvetl" she cried. land we women
ask for votes. Velvet, when the fate
of Britain quivers in the balance.
II seems to me that II is tItno for
men to put some check upon that
canker OF womanhood, the passion for
dress, which has already eaten out
the heart of our school girls and sap
ped the sanity of our society women.
by all the canons of political sci
ence, half the dress of the present day
and all It's accessories should be DOOM
ed to taxation. 1t Is all pure luxury,
even IL 1t Is not n vice.
This suggestion could be worked in
soberly to any scheme of well-balanc-
ed taxation, What the amount would
be that could so be raised 1t is Impos-
sible to say: but to judge by the almost
incredible increase in frlvolity shops,
| 1t might be something very large In
deed, so large that the incidence of tax
alton might be very small. An ideal
| subject, therefore, for taxation. And
| that abstract justice approves of IT, Is
| beyond a doubt
why should mems luxuries be tax
| ed and women's go scot free? It Will
be urged that, after all. the payment
| would fall on the man: but this is
| an argument which cuts both ways,
| for 1t Is indubitable that the wife of
| the workingman suffers from his hav-
| ing to pay more for his tobacco"
ADORED BY PEOPLE.
Though Mrs. Steel is given to the
study of serious social problems. she
has vivacity, a love of innocent fun,
and an all pervndlng kindliness that
make her especially adored of young
people.
An early marriage to a Bengal civ
ilian took her to India in 1867 From
the first Mrs. Steel was deeply inter-
ested In native life, and soon began
to urge educational reforms on the
government. At the outset the govern
ment was disposed to look upon Mrs.
Steel as a busybody. If not. indeed, a
dangerous revolutionary; but before
she left India for good in 1889, she had
received the thanks of the Indian Of
ficials for her educational and other
labors, on no fewer than six occasions.
In conjunction with Lockwood Kiplilg
| she did much to foster Indian arts and
| crafts.
That blight on the Anglo-Indlan
mothers llfe-Separation from her chill
QTen-WdS lnc CAUSE OIL AlT5.
Steel taking up her pen, when her only
daughter was sent home" Later,
many of her stories appeared anony-
mousy in Macmillan's Magazine-even
the editor did not know the identity OF
| his contributor. addressing her for
three years as dear sir"-and attract
| ed great attention, many critics at
trlbuting them to Kipling. whose sue
cess. by the way Mrs Steel was one
of the first to prophesy when she knew
| him In Lahore. One reviewer. indeed,
In noticing a story called Harvest. p"
said, "If this isn't Kipling it must lie
Diabolus" OF all her books. Tho
Hosts OF the Lord" is her favorite; but
"On the Face of the Waters" the only
novel. so far as one knows. that gives
the Indian natives view of the mutinS.
Is possibly that of the public. 1t
brought her many letters; one she par
ticuIarly cherishes. 1t was from an
English Mutlny veteran, and be wrote,
After 40 years you have taught me to
forgive"
ONE-EFFORT MEN
How many writer's have made one