The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-07-26
She Wouldn'
Discuss 1t
BY EDWARD K. BLUNT

! fury women nave been entering Deluh
formerly occupied by men. aud this has
changed them from dependence To in
| dependence. But so far back as his
tory speaks women have made efforts
to throw Off the yoke and act and
think for themselves. They have not
in past times grown gradually into
| power They have usually attempted
10 grasp and Use IL all at once unaided
by the experience OF men.
When, many centuries ago, King
| Policlack died he left the crown 10 his
daughter. the Princess Miranda. Queen
Miranda was one OF those women who
| by nature crave leadership. The queen.
who from an early age had been inter
| ested In the emancipation Of her sex,
| upou her accession proposed 10 keep
| the power In her own hands. She
| would not be continually consulting
| persons, as Is common with presidents
Of the United States, nor would she
| permit her heads OF departments 10 de
! bate with her. But she didn't intend
10 be autocratic. she said
What she did intend was not TO be
beaten hither and thither like ship
! without IA rudder Moreover. she prid-
ed herself upon her legal attachments
| and declared that all her acts should
be judicial
Soon after her accession while the
queen was holding an audience her
chief justice begged an interview and
stated that a certain tax that had been
| proposed at her instigatiou was uncon-
| through TO the end-with difficulty
then said to him:
Your arguments are all wrong. The
tax is an excellent one. IL will be
adopted"
I'm what respect. your majesty, are
my arguments defective?' asked the
chief Justice
Il will not discuss the una tier" re-
piled the queen.
The chief justice gave the queen one
look OF establishment and withdrew.
The minister OF foreign affairs entered.
Your majesty" he said. ''our neigh
bors, the Polyphemians. have demand
ed an indemnity for an incursion re-
Gently made by some OF your subjects
into their territory whereby much
grain and other property were de-
! stroyed"
Give me an account OF the matter"
said the queen.
The minister narrated the facts, end
ing up with the statement that the
Polyphemians were entitled to be paid
for their losses
You are all wrong" said the queen
IL am quite familiar with international
law, and in this case no indemnity
should be paid"
But. your majesty
Il will not discuss the matter"
The foreign minister. who had for
many years kept the late king at peace
with his neighbors. stood for a mo-
ment looking as II the earth had
opened before him and was about to
swallow him up; then. bowling low, left
the royal presence.
The next caller was the minister OF
state, who desired 10 dissuade the
queen from bill she had set her heart
on. Ii was TO tax bachelors. He re-
ceived the same replies as the others.
The queen said he was all wrong in the
matter.
But your majesty has not heard
the reasons why | fear a detrimental
effect from this bill II passed"
Nor do | wish to hear them. That
would involve discussion. and will
not discuss the matter"
The commander In chief OF the army
came in next The queens foreign
policy was already showing signs OF
disturbing her amicable relations with
neighboring powers. and, fearing war
he had called with view TO urge an
increase OF the army.
II am for peace" was the queens
laconic reply TO his arguments
But your majesty, there Is an ad
age In time Of peace prepare'"-
The queen cut him short with the
usual refusal to discuss the matter,
and the general got out like the rest.
1t was not long before the minister
Of internal revenue announced that
a mob had gathered 10 resist the en-
forcement OF the tax she had levied.
The minister Of foreign affairs reported
that the Polyphemians had given her
ambassador his walking papers. The
minister OF state sent word that nine
tenths of the bachelors of the kingdom
had moved across the border into that
OF the Polyphemians, thus depriving
her of their services in case OF war
and becoming an auxiliary to the king
Of Polyphemia The general in chief
Of the army reported that. war being
at hand. he would like instructions as
TO the disposition of her meager forces
The only one OF these officials the
queen replied to was the general In
chief. whom she condescended TO ask
what she had better do. He replied
that any opinion from him would be
insubordinate. inasmuch as he well
knew her majesty was not accustomed
TO discuss her measures with her heads
OF departments. Besides, since she was
for peace doubtless she had other
methods OF preserving II than by the
unholy method OF war.
There was now no time for the queen
TO discuss the matter" for the Poly.
phemians came down with a large
army. the vanguard Of which was com
80 hs.A hx.l.