Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13

women of my home state, but | think
that Ohio has produced as many women
who have been successful home politicians
as it has men who have become eminent
in national affairs Ohio women seem to
breathe politics in the air and they love
to discuss them and to follow all national
issues as we'll as local ones. But they are
content with few exceptions to act In
advisory capacity and not to ask ac-
tive participation. Therein has lain their
strength. Every one of the women who
have presided over the White House in
the list of Presidents from Ohio have
been noted for home accomplishments
and in several instances for such keen
political acumen that their husbands
gladly acknowledge them as potent fac
tors for success. In less exalted places
wives of Ohio politicians have achieved
national fame not for power or influence
in obtaining patronage, or for turning the
tide in high public stress, but for the
queenly way in which they presided over
their homes and the friends they gained
for their husbands by their tact and In
tellgent grasp of opportunities. A we'll
cooked and daintily served dinner will get
more votes than ten stump speeches.
I'm all this / alude of course to the
woman married and happy in her home
relations. My own life has. been excep
tionally happy and so sheltered that
seem to be venturing out of my element
in discussing some Of the Issues In which
less fortunate women are involved. The
creature in existence whether she has a
million to spend a year Or only some
paltry hundreds which must be care
fully counted and discussed 1 grieve to
say that not so many women seem so
contented now as formerly. This may
account for the unrest, for the desire to
beat down small private troubles with big
public responsibilities, but 1t looks like
from Scyua to Charybdis. hear every
where the cry that life is so complicated
now, SO tied up with extraneous matter
that no one can be contented on small in
comes as in years gone by. 1t may be,
but many of the older schools still cling
to simple ideals and get much enjoyment
out of existence.
Talking Of the women of Ohio. and OF
Cincinnati in particular, where my home
has been almost all my life, cannot pay
sufficient tribute to all which they have
accomplished for every movement which
means social, artistic. religious and intel
lectual elevation. Take what music
means in Cincinnati. something which is
without parallel on this continent and
worthy Of comparison only with old
cities of Germany or Italy. This devel-
opment is due mainly to Teutonic inf1u-
ence and the love Of the divine art which
they brought to their new home But
without the sinews Of war furnished by
generous ana sympathetic WOMEN VI LII
cinnati the development would have been
impossible.
notwithstanding that the citizens OF
Cincinnati delight in music and must
have 1t as a necessity like food and drink,
many women of the city, and far more
women than men. gave their funds year
after year to get the orchestra running
long after it ceased to sustain itself tinan-
cialy. Cincinnati women have figured
conspicuously in what they contributed to
art, and especially to the delicate and
beautiful species of art pottery for the
manufacture of which the city is getting
famous In all public movements. also.
the women of Cincinnati have been pre-
eminent. and their activity in this line
some might call interference in politics.
They have exercised benef1cent infiu-
ence on all matters relating to sanitation,
TO regulating and improving conditions
about civic institutions for charity and
generally for the betterment of their home
communities
AS visitors, as supervisors and lnspec-
tors of institutions for sick or INDECENT
children, 1 think women can do their