The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-18
TIE nnrrENror THEORY.


THE HoTrENTOT THEORY.
MIR taft has accepted the apology of
the Woman Suffrage Association, and
the Incident is closed. There has been
variety Of coment. most of 1t a
friendly sort, but the New York Even
ing Post thinks that "a talent like
his for the infelicitous and the posi-
lively inept must be born, and
cannot he acquired" We were moral
Nv certain that the reference Of Mr..
Taf, to the Hottentots would fetch the
Evening Post to its feet. and IN this
case the Presidents reputation Oh
the theory that Hottentots are not
fitted for self government is char
actcrized BY our contemporary as
equally sad" whether it be regarded
las humor. or" good manners, or d.
plomacy." 1t is true that Mr.. Tart
said that the Hottentot theory did not
apply in the case of woman suffrage;
but having touched on the Hottentot
nerve of the Evening Post, his dis
claimer is interpreted by it as only al
clumsy way the President had of get
ting his foot out Of hole. me
theory of the Evening Post ap-
pears to be: Touch the Hottentots
| touch me! but the women ought to have
more sense. They know that Mr..
Taft is one of the most perfect lady's
mon in the country, and that he would
not say anything out of the way for
worlds.
This. however, is not the feature OF
the incident upon which we would
now make some observations of
more OF. less pertinent sort. Nobody
believes that the really responsible
women in tho convention at Wash
inston Kissed at Mr. Taft, and that
was the point he tried to make AFTER
the kissing was over. The Kissing it
self proved that his fear that the un-
desirables among the women should
the suffra ge be given TO them, wou't
impair their usefulness as citizens an,
the demonstration against him was
!
his saving Mr.. Taft has had soo'
deal to do with men in a political way
and he knows how many OF them ar
undesira BILE citizens. When he spoke
Greensboro two years ago he happene
. 10 mention the name of Bryan ant
the Unterrified went wild with zen
/. thusiasnl," and ever since that day h
has been rather shy on some publ
). occasions.
q But this is not quite the point W
n arc driving at, Much as the menfoil
II of the baser sort may be disposed u
r mock at the Kissing of the unidentihe
r women who made the trouble in tn
convention at Washington, they sure
; v have no case, because with a hun
g dred and thirty years or more of IN
: suffrage in this country they ar
g steadily growing in i'll manners an
e in general unfitness for the sufraS &c
S we have seen in another state tines
, lords of creation cry down the pes
} and highest men in the State, me
f who had won deliverance from tn
!, most corrupt government in the worl'
: and in more than one case we nav
: known these men TO be threatene
: with actual physical violence becauS
/ they would not abase themselves
= the level of the mob for the sake
rs nersonal and political gain. The on
l. reason why we should not be WIN
NJ to have the suffrage granted TO wome
sc of course upon fair conditions
n that they might follow the example
tho men In the exercise of their pc
.,r ,tcal privileges, and that would OF
!, increase the pandemonium ana ma
m life in this free country hardly "o'
,va tho living. The incident at was
OF inston is closed, as we have sald'
iii the convention which was not
Jun sponsible for it, as after-discoVer
les, evidence shows, has apolos'zeo' d
ted Mr. Taft, as in duty bound has
es- copied the apology, and the work sc