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The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, September 01, 1912, Image 16

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Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85038615/1912-09-01/ed-1/seq-16/

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They Can Pull the y^^^^^^^s^ r\
Wires as Cleverly as // x
Any of the Male Veter- // '! , elP
ans of Great Campaigns it ? ; k - \ \ <=^\/
and Use the Steam H '-t;J 1I?/
Roller, Too \\ . jl^sfe //Q/
fj7* ON DER whether the male rrluc
i/i/ tancc to let women vote has htick
v of it anything like the feeling of the
world's champions in being unwilling to meet
an Unknown in the ring?
I'hi average politician may pride him?
self on knowing how to full every last wire
that connects with a job or a vole; but he has
seen so much of politics that lie is making few
bets on himself when some in (actor appears
in the political arena.
Ii '.'man is the unknown factor in modern
politics, and :: hal little politicians do know of
her is too much to her credit to leave her
popular with than.
This definition means politics, not states?
manship: practical wirc-pulliitg- not excellent
legislation. Those women whom the practical
politicians of this country have studied at close
range, whether in the suffrage cause or merely
in their own polite and silky clubdom, have
displayed so much genius in manipulating the
hidden wires of influence and proceeded with
such masterfulness in directing the cruel course
of the steam roller that the prof peel of a whole
iic-.l- electorate, made up of such dangerous
characters looks far from good to them.
Women have been making history long
enough now to give the world tests of their
mettle as politicians; and, the verdict of their
men critics is that they arc likely to prove too
good.
YOl" never used to heir of anything: so vulgar and
shot king lh woman's clubdom as politics.
Really, h course so undignified as playing
politics for office was beneath a feminine club
member. If she could be elected, say, by unanimous
consent, with the assurance that her tuMo of presi?
dency would tic hidden under American beauties and
orchids when she should take tip tlx snvi-l. she mirtht.
consent to serve, but with the privilege of resigning
wanted the presidency. p<> they slmplj made it a
matter of geography with the west. The east hadn't
" ol ? ????? They selected Mrs. Percy v. Pennybncker,
of Austin. Tex., for president, and, with the assist?
ance of the south, president she hec.ime. Mrs, Philip
Moon, of si. Louis, was the retiring president. Wo
urged that she came from n state Included In the
south, and the east, this time, certainly ought to be
represented.
the \ti) niltuui any member Bliouid presume to tjuos
lion a single solitary ruling which she might chnoao
to make iio matter If It was wrong?as It very often
swap, tl.
im roller.
nr. No more tht
; resolutions; -lit
(fended dignity
Ign plntfoi in. thf
he fight for com
very1 i Hier trleli
n tap at most ?l
women are eon
rliffi i. nee. * Thi
QUt oi 'late th'
tor
Imgilsl
n pornte
.^eallj i
from g
mainly
Comes,
men.
keep t!
POLITENESS AND PRACTICAL POLITICS
into I?gypt und t
candid opinion)! of th< <
Mrs. Brown 1, Norm poll
drnt of the Ni ?? V ?
Clubs and ili' lean
In the shape of 110 , i
make Mrs I'l Hip
president of the < 'lai
j|ew York actually mothei
H6V?- rai years ag
Brown wouW lav. met I
, era 1 convention. But < - i
of the lexicon of ? nr wo
campst Kning In th- i pi
"New York didn':
on the board," said Mi
defeat still liltti': ii. hi
women enter luined un i ?
Um* In San it.uh Isi
1 special train.); "but when
just go out and Jan
early and be out ?lei ilorn
fast.
"And the south h?d tl
i the south and the west. In
L a habit of polling toget.
mwftt?.7ttpZ?? 7&r?. ~^
" Why.' exclaimed the southern women, 'St. Louis
Is tn tho middle west."
"And tho western women said they were right.
And so they gave the presidency t? the south. It's
simply a matter "f geography. Miss Grace Strachau
jaunted this out not long ago at the National Teach?
ers' Convention in i'hlcago."
Those Ware surely hot times at th* National To.ich?
ors" Convention, nnd Miss Strachau, ever since they
happened, has been eligible to election In the.Steam
Roller Candidates' Club. She expected to bo presl
dent. This nominating committee had flattened hci
out; luit she had her delegation with her, and they
carried the tlnht lo the convention floor. Meanwhile
the report had been Industriously circulated that Mlsa
Strachau was a tool of the book trust, and that she
had called Chicago's mayor. Mr. Harrison, to per?
suade him to whip into line Mrs. Klla l-'lngg Vouh'g,
who had shown admirable skill as the steam roller's
chauffeur. When the New York delegates went to mo
conference called at the rooms of the Chicago Prln
elpnls' Association they learned that the conference
had been called off and held elsewhere.
Incidents too numerous to
tmntlon In n Sunday paper of ? rdfhar. . . .. .. i In
n convention speech, moved Miss Strac Ian to take the
platform and express her frank but critical opinion of
the political skill of the women of Chicago; anil those
who have heart! Ccrlolarios ami Spartacus say what
they thought of Home through a phonograph, were
unanimous in their opinion that Miss Strnchan Is some
orator, although Mrs Young has It on her In piaciieal
vote-getting. There have been more thrilling con?
ventions among oM-iine Democrats ami Republicans:
hut Chicago still fe.-is that Its Tea.?hers' Convention
must ever remain n ereilt to Its record of conven?
tions without i tiresome moment.
Hut the woman "who has been awarded the pilm
for political ability. In and out of office. Is .Mrs.
Donald McLean, of Mew York: and the tlehl of her
endeavors hau been the Daughters of the American
Revolution They say She was the most perennial
presidential candidate before she whs elected since
the time of the late and popular Ilehrj ?"!a>. and the
most emphatic executive afterward since one N.
Bonaparte tackled the Job of u?letlrig the lively
French temperament W ithal, sin- itr * remained tho
woman polltl flan Of this hearty laugh and the glad
hand, which Is so conitplcuously Ann.clean that you
can recognize It fr? m a meeting of the vestry to the
Likt.. They used to hive to push her off from the
platforms she tried to take by storm when she ???<
campaigning for election; and they couldn't get within
a mile of It after she was installed there as presi?
dent.
Very different from her in alms-for Mrs. McLean
i? far from an enthusiast on file ballot for women,
brilliant exemplar as slo Is of their skill in politics?
is Mis. IIa: in it Stanton ?latch, of New York, who
has been termed the state- boss ..f the suffragists She
Is one of tho most forceful characters In the ruff rage
movement In tho east, and to her persistent campaign?
ing was dub the progress mode at Albany last spring,
when a report on a proposed suffrage amendment to
the state constitution was seeurod from the rules
1" I IS 01.1 lh< greintest beneficences of niod
R re po abused by inodorn
.4 ctifioiiH little customs of
ptiiiislitlionl iim-.I |,v ??m niiWHtorft hnvo boon
gradually .abandoned, while the biggest of nil of
tlnt'tn- for inurilt r .- b< in? inmlu :in merciful as*
And n..t i men i illy Women have cnuso
atj grout to offer prayers of thankfulness tbnt their
arc lui<i in tin tuontietl.ntttry instead.of
Iht fdghteontH; and the lament? some of them have
been tiltei t. tliti prompt hnd effective
p?nihl ?.. ?? . .?? ilndrcrl .-cars Ago .would change
to shrii - of terror il the whole, joyous round
I In . - ii? i rospeel of bilkers, en tight, cheat?
ing, of lititflid'r? who -ell bad meal or poultry, of
till doubtful IC?, bttss, nil parad
? n >f (he public pillory with their
tainted foods Imnir around their necks and in?
dignant housewives i" i u? Iheni with rotten ap?
ples, may I1?' cheeriiiji in think "I. Bui it i.- well
to remember that women have ~tin the pillory;
and also tlmt there whs such a Variety of stool'* <>f
repentance, expressly designed for (heir sex's
tise, that torture was n mild word with \vhich to
describe tliein.
'I'lio good ohl days arc very much Ikjtier <\< nd,
especially for woman's sake.
-w- j R THINK "f England hnhllually as tho
\^,/ home ot these horrors. Hut her colonies
y y wi r.- daughters i>\ no means unworthy, and
the nenriei letter, for tin Woman who woiild
now have the nerve to sue for damages, was then
among tho mil.lest of rebukes for losing decent
reputation. And It was this country that most
famously used II.
The most familiar feminine punishment of ihn
olden times was the liranks; and When any woman
nowadays Is told that she had hotter hridlo her
tongue, the expression comes pretty close to the
" >i<> ' "?? U.--.-.I t-, put on hor In Kngl.md. about
the tlu.i i! e Mayflower Immigrants were getting
? 1 ' ! '>V< i Ii -n: In the initiate of the seventeenth
ntury. Itiilph Gardner, of Chlrton, Gent, dedicated
his I.k < n evils In the coal trade to ?'romwell. as
lord protector; and he printed the deposition u'f .lohn
Willis, ?., Ipswich, who.
"Upon his oath said, that he, and this deponant,
was in Ncwcngtlo fix months ago. and there ho saw
one Ann Bridlestone drove through the street by
nit ofllcet <>f the same corporation, holding a rop<i
in his hand, the other end fastened to an engine
railed the blanks, which is like a crown, it being of
iron, which was inusled over the head and faee. with
a great . gag or tongue of Iron, forced Into her
n"'ith. Which forced the blood out; and that Is the
punishment which the magistrates do inflict upon
'chiding or scolding women; and he h.ath often seen
(he like done to others."
Tli" Pilgrim Fathers, while they brought over
many other such harsh punishments, and applied
thfin as harshly, left the blanks at home. They used
a cleft stick for their common scolds; and that,
clipped on the tongue, silenced them as effectually,
although there's no iccord of the stick being much
more merciful
The drunkard's,cloak, an open barrel, reversed to
let the culprit walk freely, and with apertures above
for head and arms, was last used In the t'nlon army
5C committee. She Is <>r the hustler lype In suf?
frage politics, and she ?;?t? use, tho metaphorical
brass band of the male politician with us much
tU'cct as i;:.s ever been given it In any state or national
campaign In her own territory she has shown she can
make an impress 01 regular politics, however antagonistic
to her cause may bo the party in power. If sho were to
appear a:, delegate lo a national convention, Ilk'- Mrs
Isabel;? \v. Bla'ney, of California, the enuntry would
probably hear mo.i her than it did or any two
women delegates to national nominating conventions
this summer, she. like Mrs. McLean', Is ono of those
women who ure at t h? 1:- b> st before a big throng,
til httng with all her might.
Perhaps the littest example of the woman politician.
? ?id the one to enlist most ready sympathy, is that ot
? imple hea rted. plain, Unassuming, unambitious Mrs.
cilia ivn "Ii, who consented to become major of Hun.
newel!. Ken, because the town was so tough thnt no
man mayor hol .vor been able to hold It down to
decehcy. She was only an anxious mother, who feared
to see her children grow up In an atmosphere of boot?
leg whisky and hilarious rough riding. She fought,
single-handed, against a ita' tiotiaiy set of council
men who blocked bei efforts at every turn; and run
made such a light for civic decency and law and
order enlisted the hearty co-operation of the
governor of her state, .-'he en. ountercd political evils
that were too great for her small strength and ex?
perience; but she made one of the most gallant fights
In the history of civic reform, and through it all. even
In her worst rebuff*, alle was accorded n steadily
growing rbspect. Her victory In compelling the resig?
nation o! tii ee among thi recalcitrant councilman was
really as great a triumph as If She had won some
national Struggle on a national Issue.
This was by no means n woman politician In the
sense of the word that implies anv knowledge what?
ever of lite machinery of politics; and It la Just be?
cause she was only a mother fighting for hci Chil?
dren's welfare that she represents, within the meas?
ure of her achievement, the latent power of her sex
to h.'rolle politics successful)) when once they uro
admitted to Its practical appllrutlun.
In IS62, when It served n3 punishment drill for a
delinquent Soldler. Ir. nil l.ngiish history it was
regarded as a man's punishment; '"'t originally, in
Holland, it appeared in the form Of a butler churn,
ai d it was applied publicly to women wi... preferred
to have two husbands instead of one Considering
the decline ,.f the o'.d-fauhtoned wa\ of making
butter. It might be hard to find enough chums to go
around, if .ill the female bigamists were punished
itownda y s.
The ducking stool was pre-eminently t)u penalty
for scolding women and for those whoso reputation
offended decency. The one at Ipswich, frequently
made use of. la still preserved In ihe local museum.
Unless managed with the utmost care, tnest du .
tugs were liable to mi.tu death. Instead of mere dis?
comfort and public disgrace. The dm lung stool of
Nottingham was destroyed In 17.".! because the
major, when lie placed an Immoral townswomnn In
It. left her to the mercy of the mob, which dueki 1
the helpless creature t" death. Nowadays, thev lady
simply get.s a divorce, several columns in the paporS,
ajsirtr engagement on the Mage and a rich husband.
Times have vastly Improved,
QUEER TOWN ORNAMENTS
The American colonists wer? strong on ducking
stools Thev used to pass resolutions eivery week
demanding the erection of stools, plain iind fancy;
they regarded them as town ornamonts. But, when
they got theni It was rarely Indeed that any com?
munity hud the hardihood to use them, at l<--a.-,t
among the Puritan communities. Kurther south, in
Pennsylvania and Virginia, ducking went on right
merrily, and whon there wasn't any utool bandy
they towed the sinners through the water from the
stern of a boat.
"The day afore yesterday, ot ; o'clock of tho
afternoon." wrote Thomas Hartley, from Hungurs
Parish. Virginia, In 1G3I. to Governor Bndicott, of
Massachusetts, "I saw th.- punishment given to one
Betsey, wife of John Tucker, who by ye violence of
he r tongue has made his house and ye neighborhood
uncomfortable She was taken to ye pond. They
had a machine for ye purpose yt belongs to ye
Parish, which l was bo told had been so used three
times this Summer. At ye end of ye longer arm Is
tixed n stool upon which sd Betsey was fastened by
cords, her gown tle<; fast around her fcete. Tho
Machine was then moved up to ye odgo ot ve pond,
ye Rope was slackened by ye officer and ye woman
v rr allowed lo go down tinder ye water for ye spues
of half a minute. Betsey had n stout stomach, and
would not yield until she had allowed herself to bo
ducked ? several times. At length she cried plte
ou'sly, T.'-'t mo go. let mo go. by God's help I'll sin
no More.' Then they drew back ye Machine, untied
ye Hopes and let her walk home in her wetted clothes
a hopefully penitent woman."
CHURCH "CUTTYS TOOLS"
The stool of repentance Is no mere figure of
speech, hut the real name of a very much-dreaded
punishment; known to Scotland as late as is'.'}. Tie?
churches had their "cuttystools," for public peni?
tence. ;.nd men and women who were guilty of Itn
morality were eifton compelled to sit tliero during
divlr.e service, objects of reproach hy the entire con
s rcgutloh.
Hut what will strike moderns as the mo.st un?
just punishment of all was the practice of flogging
at Hie whipping post lovers who wooed fair maids
without the consent of parents or employer.
? V.'l-.e i <??! s " declared the Plymouth lows of 1638,
undrr Governor Winthrop, "divers persona until for
marriage both in regard of their yeong yeares, as
also in regards of their wenke estate, some practis?
ing the InvOagllng of men's daughters anrl maldes
under guardians contrary lo their parents and guard?
ians llkelng, and of mnlde servants, without the
leive snd iikeing of their masters: it Is therefore
enacted hv the Court that If any shall make a mo?
tion Of muri lagi' to any man's daughter or moydo
servant, not having first obtnyned leaye and consent
of the parents or master sue to doe. shall bo pun?
ished either by line or corpornll punishment, or both,
at the discretions of the bench, and according to tho
nature of the offense."
Tills looks pretty comprehensive, but the New
Haven colony found it necessary lo be specific about
the "invengllng." So, in it;: jnw, It Itemized the
arts of love, forbidden es "speech, wi lting, message,
company-keeping^ unnecessary familiarity', dlsordo'rlj
night meetings, slnfull dalliance, gifts, or In any
other way."
A woman certainly rnn be glad she's nllve now.

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