women were honoured in the public histories of monarchies.

Then you might run over to Washington to see a President inaugurated into office. As he passed through the streets, honoured and viewed by hundreds of thousands of citizens, you would notice to your amazement that there was no woman at his side, no women in the escort, but only men, MEN, MEN. Then you would think of the coronation of your own Sovereign, as he passed through the streets with a woman who was crowned at his side and ladies in his escort; or of Queen Wilhelmina, as she lately passed through the streets of Holland amid the cheers of thousands of her subjects, with ladies in her escort. Then, on reflection, you would see it would be ridiculous for the President's wife or any woman in the Republic to escort the President, for women can not be leaders there in any civic function, because they have no official rank -they are not honorary Admirals, or Colonels of regiments like the Empress of Germany and many titled ladies; or Governors, like Princess Henry of Battenberg, and do not receive

many like honours such as ladies have in aristocracies.*

You would listen to the President's inaugural address (or the taking of his oath of office) and would see no woman was near, as an attendant, and that the President made no reference to women,-no woman's name has ever been mentioned in any inaugural address of any President in the Republic since the beginning of the government. Then, you would think of the coronation speech lately uttered by King Vic

*I will here illustrate for my readers by referring to the visit of Prince Henry of Prussia to America, which has occurred since this speech was made. This Imperial personage was not received officially by any woman anywhere in the Republic, no woman having a sufficient public rank to receive him officially. When he dined officially at the White House (the President's official residence) no woman was present. (Even if the President's wife had been present, it would have been only as a private individual). When he attended the opera officially, no woman was in his box. At the official banquets which were tendered to him by cities, States or by the nation, no woman was present. This could not have occurred in any aristocracy, for the year previous, even when visiting China, the chief personage to give him official recognition was the Empress.

tor Emmanuel III. of Italy, which teems with thanks and gratitude to women-recognition of the Queen-Mother and Queen-Wife.

You would find (and it would surprise you beyond belief) that it is illegal for the American Government—against its very National Constitution—even to tender thanks to a woman however great her service may be to it; that on the very day that its Congress refused to vote a message of thanks to a noble young woman* who had given a fortune to its Army, three aristocracies had conferred distinguished favours upon women, the Czar of Russia even appointing one an honorary Admiral in his Navy.

You would find that no woman, in recognition of her own individual ability or merit has ever been entertained at dinner at the White House. Then you would involuntarily think of the many women who had been publicly fêted in the palaces of your rulers. (There is no other country where women of ability receive so little recognition or encouragement from "the powers that be" as in America-"the powers that be"

*Helen Gould.

including the Presidents, Governors of States and officialdom generally.)

You would find that no woman was ever granted a National or State funeral in the Republic; even the funeral of a President's wife is always private, the time of her burial or evidences of mourning being unobserved throughout the land. Then you would think of all Austria lately stricken in grief and clad in mourning for their beloved Empress Elizabeth.

Then you would notice that a President's wife is not a Presidentess, and that political history does not of necessity make mention of the fact that he had a wife. An Emperor's wife is an Empress, a King's is a Queen, a Duke's is a Duchess, the wife of a Marquis is a Marchioness and so on. But American titles (and they are legion) belong exclusively to males, and every wife is simply a plain "Mrs." An aristocrat shares his titles and honours with his wife, but in a democracy the men wear "all the mantles," and all the "plums" fall into masculine laps.

You would find that the personal or individual face of no American woman has ever been

upon the bills or upon the coins of the Republic, but only those of men, MEN, MEN.* Then you would think of Queen Victoria's beloved countenance, during the greater part of the century, and of the beautiful image of Queen Wilhelmina, upon the coins and bills of their respective countries.

Then you would recall the fact that in an aristocracy married women often keep their maiden titles or name, but that the only couple of cases you would find here of married women who kept their maiden name were those who were ridiculed or censured therefor. (In aristocracies the husband and the children sometimes take the wife's names, and no adverse comments are caused thereby.) In fact, married ladies are not deemed of enough importance to have their names in any public directory of any city in the Republic.

You would find that cultured ladies in the Republic are also at a terrible disadvantage and that they never can create Salons-that there *Wherever women's faces are used they are imper

sonal.