ow? I am willing to concede that she may have
been courted more assiduously, but that does not mean that she was more
respected. Do you understand by respect and consideration those empty
forms of etiquette which make a man bow down to the ground to a woman
and regale her with a few hollow compliments, designed to tickle the
vanity or turn the head of a credulous and frivolous being? Do you
call respect the singular habit of certain men to always find the
eyes of the woman to whom they are speaking divine, to compare her
mouth to a rosebud, her teeth to a string of beautiful pearls, and
her form to the slender willow, and other stupidities of that kind? If
that is the sort of respect and consideration that woman will lose if
she goes into politics, she ought to be very glad to get rid of it,
because all these empty phrases of gallantry are like the crowing of
the rooster who wishes to dazzle a silly hen on which he has designs.

And, tell me, how is it possible for weakness and ignorance to inspire
respect? As a matter of fact, when a little cooking, embroidering, and
music, and the knowledge of the catechism were deemed sufficient to
prepare a girl for married life, which was then the only career open
to woman, she was the recipient of great consideration and courtesy
from man. These, however, were not inspired by real respect, but
rather by a sentiment of chivalry, because man thought woman so weak
and ignorant that he deemed it his duty to show her that protection,
consideration, and courtesy which are due to weakness and ignorance. Is
this the opinion that our women want us to have of them? Respect is
a sentiment engendered by the idea of equality, and unless woman is
placed on the same level with man in the field of politics, we shall
continue to hear ignominious phrases such as "But, woman, what do
you know about these things! You go and mind your own business!"

Our women need not worry that if they are allowed to vote, they will
necessarily forfeit the consideration and courtesy accorded to them
at present, when they do not come into direct collision with man on
the field of politics, and that the men will then consider themselves
free to attack them as a rival whom they must overcome and destroy
for their own preservation. In the first place it is a mistake to
conclude that the participation of woman in public life will result
in rivalry between the sexes. The attraction and sympathy between man
and woman spri