heir career, and in this restoration of business, which is
certain, unless gross mismanagement occurs, I believe that these two
nations, America and Germany, will become more and more friendly; more
and more Commerce will weave her web uniting the two countries, and more
and more let us hope that Diplomacy may go hand in hand with Commerce in
bringing in an era of Peace which shall be lasting, and of Prosperity
which shall be substantial. [Loud applause.]

HARVEY WASHINGTON WILEY

THE IDEAL WOMAN

[Speech of Dr. Harvey W. Wiley at the banquet of the American
Chemical Society, Washington, D. C, December, 1898. Dr. Wiley
responded to the toast, "Woman."]

MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW-MEMBERS OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY:--I
propose to introduce an innovation to after-dinner speaking and stick to
my text. In my opinion, it is too late in the day to question the
Creator's purpose in making Woman. She is an accomplished fact! She is
here! She has come to stay, and we might as well accept her. She has
broken into our Society, which, until within a year or two, has remained
entirely masculine. She has not yet appeared at our annual dinners, but
I am a false prophet if she be not here to speak for herself ere long.
And why not? Chemistry is well suited to engage the attention of the
feminine mind. The jewels woman wears, the paints she uses, the hydrogen
peroxide with which she blondines her hair are all children of
chemistry. The prejudice against female chemists is purely selfish and
unworthy of a great mind. There is only enough work in the world to keep
half of humanity busy. Every time a woman gets employment a man must go
idle. But if the woman will only marry the man, all will be forgiven.

I think I know why you have called on an old bachelor to respond to this
toast. A married man could not. He would be afraid to give his fancies
full rein. Someone might tell his wife. A young man could see only one
side of the subject--the side his sweetheart is on. But the old bachelor
fears no Caudle lecture, and is free from any romantic bias. He sees
things just as they are. If he be also a true chemist, lovely woman
appeals to him in a truly scientific way. Her charms appear to him in
the crucible and the beaker:

I know a maiden, charming and true,
With beautiful eyes like the cobalt blue
Of the borax bead, and I guess she'll do
If she hasn't another reaction.

Her form is no bundle of toil