AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 716, 15 January 1910, Page 12

AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

/WHT'SCME'PINE. WOMEN' 'ARE 'NOT /;:'.',';:'7/ ■:-/:; -.'MARRIED'/;,/''/ : : : //':>:./;i;i /_/A,questibn of deep human- interest.has ,beeh>raised :by-the .''lhdependeii^'/when it asked: "Why do 'so'niany, fine, women remain -12,;;,./-. /,"":" ./ 'To- be successful■:.in 'the: cultivationof :bulture' a; country:.must: ; .have a-lei-sure class," says'the - editor.;;-"Wo Ameri--"cans/recognise this fact, but we'are going about,- the" ; - getting:. of; this leisure; class :in''a'new,;'way.' (,•.::::■' ■ ;,"■:/..;:- v;;:,;/:.y,,' .'Tn/Europe,the aristocracy is largely , relieved /-from -/drudgery: in - order,>. that /they may oultivate/the;graces of ,Hfe;; In •America the; attempt;; is' being: made -to: relieve -the : .women : of 'all' classes '"from drudgerjr; 'and- we are 'gla'd.to.-.see-that some of-them at'least are making "good use,jof^thoVleisure-thus-afforded, them; It.is a;:ptbject''ihvolving,'unprecendented :daring':- and/ self-sacrifice on ;■ the'./part /of American' men," this';making an" aristo:oracy of half therace. ,That it'is'possible 1 yet;remains to be proved.. 'Whether it-Is .desirable..depends upoh/whetherrthis new .feminine''aristocracy. avoids ■ the faults' of' ;the.;aristbcraoy',of .the./Old/World,; such' as: its; 'frivploushess; and 'snobbishness;'.' Of'" one J. cbhtributor-: the '-"says : "she, belongs:td: the;self-siipporting 'class as-much.as the'American-meri/with whom she -associates,;'' and /she has a/fright espect/.themito.'bo /her., equals/in 'taste' :and [accomplishments.'; /Although in: bur, 1 opinion 'she -attaches .'-too'--^^much''import-ance ; to. the: conventional stigma 'of < cul-. .ture, we ; ;must'-j.acknowledge'- the "justice I/of' her:'indictment..:,: : :-;In-'. the/-'■ educated: classes.the- American' man.is.'iindeniably' inferior to the. American; woman in range ■ |.°* , Int^ r ?? ts > ih ; ircfihement'/pf:~taste',.,in mahhers,/:and;' in.'conversational: ability, and' his deficiencies .cannot be altogether accounted "for. by, his: absorption in business:. ' ;•: .They'■•■ are.- due -rather, to -mental laziness-and lack of-ambition...: ■': "That the American: man-prefers''to liold ._his; religion • in. his wife's. name' ; is an old,joke;' 'He-is.'also cbntent/tb turn over/to, his,: better ' half : 'his literature,' I his art,; and 'his music,:' and she is : likely in-the, future,to' have a monopoly, of his ;.Bciencß t. /and'/-his:'',, political J ,•'economy." ' Wqmen ; 'are,:in'..the.majority, not only:in .concerts,;; operas,..theatres, art/galleries,, the; churches",'-but also .at the lectures, libraries; and study; clubs'; that-is, in all' ■■ fp r . m ?. of tho; collective -'pursuits: of' religious, intellectual, ;and:'artistio; culture. ThiSi.is;partly duo/ to the 'greater gr'e- ' gariousness of women, :but, the number •' of '.men who_ privately culti'vato the fine -arts is; insignificant; -The; qualitative dispa'rityw greater than"the'quantitative.' The better the .music '. or the':pictures' or; the : play, the^; fewer .the/men. ": The -lowest' and,; worst: concerts:and:'operas' are- attended : .only. by, men. "At those 'of: mediocre quality/the/ 'audience, is -about' half andhalf. - And the'music' that/requires the. closest .attention and .the highest In- . telligehoe. for'; its.' appreciation 1 has chiefly women ,for,,its.iauditors.:;'■;-, :',:. ; '■;; ( ' /; -"The .^present:' trehd in' :,education„:increas.es this-difference:,between the: seiee. Ihere are more women .being educated than' ; men, and- they: are receiving a wider'cul.™e-,: They .are .in-overwhelming: major-' ;ity, in the, graduating classes of the high schools,.and'wherever they are":allowed to/t.hoy .predominate:,iri, the/department of liberal arts of. ,the;universities. ■ That is,; the .men, are. being more ' narrowly. :trained for .their v'beatiohs'and the'womenare gaining a broader; outlook and a cultivated aesthetic "taste." ,' , '"': "