The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-06-07
She Wouldn't
Discuss It
BY EDWARD K. BLUNT


we are apt to consider the suffra.
gist movement new thing. It's pres
emit incentive is new. For half cen
fury women have been entering fields
formerly occupied by men. and this has
changed them from dependencies to In
dependence. But so, far back AS his
tory speaks women have made efforts
to throw OF the yoke and act and
think-for themselves. ( They have not
in past times grown gradually into
power. They have usually attempted
TO grasp and use it MI at once unaided
by. the experience of men. 400
When, many { centuries ago. King
,PolicIack died he left the crown to his
daughter the Princess Miranda. Queenl
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,
upon her accession proposed to 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 to de
bate with her. But she didn't intend
to be autocratic. she said.
What she did intend was not to be
beaten hither and thither like ship
without a rudder. Moreover. she prtd-
ed herself upon her legal attachments
and declared that all her acts should
be judicial. 80 g.,,7ue " tx
Soon after her accession while. the
queen was holding en audience her
chief Justice begged an interview and
stated that a certain tax that had been
proposed at her instigation was uncon-
stitutional. The queen heard him
through to the end-with difficulty
then said to him:
"Your arguments are all wrong. The,
tax is an excellent one. 1t will be-
adopted"
"1n what respect. your majesty. are
my arguments defective?' asked the
chief Justice.
Il will not discuss the matter" re-
piled the queen.
The chief justice gave the queen one
look of astonishment 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
Polyphcmians were entitled to be paid
for their losses.
You are all wrong" said the queen
| II am quite familiar with international
law. and in this case no indemnity
should be paidr".7a
But, yout 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 q mo-
I ment looking as If the earth had
| opened before him and was about to
/ swallow him up: then. bowling low, left
| the royal presence.
The next caller vas the minister of
| state who desired to dissuade the
queen from a bill she had set her heart
| on. 1t 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 l fear detrimental
effect from this bin if 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.
ST am for peace" was the queens
! laconic reply to his arguments.
i "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
mob had gathered to resist the en-
forcement of the tax she had levied
The minister of foreign affairs reported
that the Polyphemiaus 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