The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-17
How WomenHaveG Gotten
Their Political Training

It II only recently, and vary recently
at that, that American women have
developed into politicians, Tho houth-
orn woman Is still behind tho American
woman. for sho has just bsgun TO
chew tho cud OF politics no shy that
women were not formerly pnrt!snns
and that they hnyo not nlwnys taken
SIDES In the strife Of parties would not
DO true. But hitherto they havo simply
followed an emotional trend In tho
wake OF the male members OF thei,
family Independent organization on
their part. independent thinking and
acting In n convention. bringing for
ward woman as a candidate, and
electing her to a national Office OF inn
portancc is a result that marks a
great gain made by women through
the study and proper application of
questions relating to the educational
and social interests OF the States ana
communities In which they live.
Awakening Gradual.
Centuries OF subsection to restrictive
rules governing the speech, action and
thought of women rendered their grad
In life and environment matter
marked by slow growth. They had
been so accustomed to having their
minds made up for them on all i'm
portnnt issues that when opportunity
presented itself for them to use their
own Judgment and reason out their
own preferences. the processes In
volved were both tedious and painful
It took some time for women to nn6
| themselves and their place In the new
| order OF affairs before they could de-
eide on what they ought to do and how
| to do It.
Tho first realization that came homo
to tho American woman seeking to
enter tho political field. whatever fer
object might have been, was that her
| Ignorance of American political his.
tory. past and present. had to be
| remed!ed. For American women wero
unlike those OF England and Europe
The famous Primrose League had for
years numbered in Its ranks English
women Of the highest rank and cul-
ture. thoroughly conversant with. and
at home in. the questions of the day
| discussed by them with statesmen.
whose friends and confdants they
We're. Court life and the presence of
| brilliant diplomatic circles had given
o women on tho Continent knowledge
/ end interests similar 10 those pos.
| sessed by their sisters in England
Absorbing Home Duties.
| But IN merica, and especially in
| tho Southern States, until within tho
| last two-score years women's home
duties as mistresses OF these homes
and OF plantations were so varied and
| exacting as to leave scant leisure for
| outside considerations. The education
of children was carried on mainly by
| tutors or governesses and under tho
eyes and control OF mothers or guar
dams OF the young. The first time
| that Southern women were tested In
an independent capacity was during
1 the Confederate War, from 81 TO 81,
when, being left in entire control of
| great estates, they went far beyond
expectation In helping to feed the
| Southern army from the products OF
the fields. and helping to provide 4.
with cloth. which they took part in
| spinning and weaving.
Southern women then FIRST learned
! what they could do, When the Con
| foderate War was over, many woman
left alone faced bravely and without
murmuring the struggle which meant
support for her family and education
for her children.
| Tide of Change Set In.
BY the time those children wore
! grown and ready to go out into the
world the tide of change In environ
ment for women had set in. Old plan
tation life was thing OF the past.
Women We're everywhere responding
to the demand for workers in new
fields OF occupation. AS duty In the
home had dominated their faculties
and filled their time in ante bellum
days, so the problem of fitting into
! educational. or business or profess
sionl positions for another period
proved engrossing and sutficing.
Then ensued still new phase in
womnnly evolution. Women came
OF politics as a lever they could &C
complish much good. and accomplish
it moro effectively than by indirect
methods: So they remedied their igno-.
rance through study and made them
selves intelligently acquainted with
the obligations OF citizenship. They
learned to wclk quietly but steadily.
And all tho time they looked on and
saw how the game OF politics was
played. After awhile their turn came,
and they made good. That they have
done so is matter of surprise to the
world around them.
Never Quite the Same.
But even in the South, where all
social habit tended to so place women
as to separate them from the sterner
realities Of existence. matters were
never quite the same after SO. The
formation of historic and patriotic
+ bodies throughout the country brought
out the powers of women for leader
, ship. The work accomplished by the
United Daughters Of the confederacy
enabled them to see what women anil
mated by single purpose could
achieve. All of these forces and In
fluences have had their share in shap-
ing the political education Of women.
Women are still In the kindergarten
stage of training, but they are learn
ing, and after a while, following the
natural law of progression, they will
, | graduate. THE PASSER-BY.
The Rich Mrs. Hartman.
!. Once upon time 1t was about three
5 years ago. a great and rich man who
, built railroads was returning from
California to New York, sick 1t was
inst ftar TIE tarrihla earthnua X 4 n