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MRS. PEATTIE ON JOURNALISM
The Ladies' secret society known as the P. E. O. gave an entertainment at the residence of William Loudon, No. 600 South Twenty-eighth street, last evening. This was the second of a series of entertainments the proceeds of which are to be used for charity. The main feature was a lecture delivered by Mrs. R. B. Peattie on the subject: "Some Experiences of a Journalist." She portrayed in her inimitable style some features of the life of the newspaper reporter and correspondent that were in the nature of a revelation to the majority of her audience. The lecture was preceded by some selections on the guitar, and followed by a piano solo, both of which were highly appreciated. The next entertainment of the series will be given at the residence of T. P. Bryant, but the date has not yet been announced
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So long as they can keep the question before the people to deceive and mislead them by making them believe that it is the main issue. As long as they can they will do this The tariff is thrown, every four years, to the people, as a string is thrown to a kitten, simply to engage their attention and induce them to believe that it is a blessing on the one hand and a serious evil on the other. Of course the tariff is an important question, but it is subordinate in every conceivable point to the money question. A scientific and just settlement of the latter question will dissipate [since tenths?] of the evils afflicting society. It would set industry in motion and put every man to work. There is no probability that the tariff question will be taken out of politics, or be placed in the hands of a non-partisan commission, as long as politicians can keep it in politics, and make it the subject or repeated sham batties.
Q — What is the outlook in politics, the coming political creed, and what it the result of tariff agitation?
A — I have given you my answer to the question on tariff agitation. The outlook in politics, in my judgement, is hopeful. The American people move very slowly; they are loath to believe their public servants recreant to duty, and they more are inclined to bear evils, if they are not too heavy, than to make a change in their political action, but when they do become convinced that things are going from bad to worse, and that there is no remedy but by a change in political parties, they do not hesitate to move quickly and effectually. In my judgement a political party counts for nothing when it ceases to act in the interest of the people. A political party at best is a means to an end, the end being good government; and whenever it ceases to serve this useful end, it should be thrown aside as we cast aside a wornout garment that has served its day of usefulness. Patriotism and loyalty to one’s country, to the people and their institutions, and a sincere desire to see everyone simply protected, in person, property and other rights, by the laws of the country, in my judgment constitute the highest ideals of true statesman.
The populist party is in the line of promotion: It may be subjected to much criticism and ridicule by a partisan or venal-press before it succeeds; it may be scoffed at and spit upon by those who least understand its lofty purpose, or by those who are interested in special legal privileges, and who can only retain their unjust power by the success of the political party under their control; but the people will sooner or later give us power. They are bound sooner or later to learn that the old parties are wedded to the monetary and corporation interests of the country, and have not the slightest concern for the welfare of the humble and poor. ----------------------- A Foolish Man
Smokes Inferior cigarettes, but wise men get Old Dominion every time. Photo In each pack ----------------------- A WORD WITH THE WOMEN.
There may be some women, as well as some men, who continue to be interested in the Breckinridge—Pollard breach of promise case. But women who prefer thinking about elevating things rather than degrading ones, are sick to the core of this revolting comedy. Like some of the books of the French realists, every character in the drama represents a different type of viciousness. There’s the villain-hero, Breckinridge, playing his double part; disgracing an honored name; working for places of political power; and permitting himself to be seduced by a school girl. There is heroine, mad for information, a professional coquet with enormous capabilities in financial directions, a woman willing to vaunt her private wrongs even when it involves the relation of indecencies; there are the lesser hero-villains throning the background as the pale shades of; Don Juan’s injured ladies throng the dim limpo where his spirit suffers its dire punishment. There other hero-villains are whisky-drinking, pistol-using, coarse-mannered and altogether selfish and sensual. Then there the crimes themselves; the lies, the adulteries, the treacheries, the mock marriages, the drunken carousals, the killing of unborn babes!
And these are the people that in good clothes and with fine enunciation led Sunday schools, addressed the revering populace and posed as the aristocracy! Surely we have had enough of it! We are tired of the horrible. We are sick of remembering how miserable human nature can be. Let us hope the end will be soon, and Miss Pollard will sink into the obscurity where she will be happiest; and Colonel Breckinridge will pass from the view of the public which will, accordingly, try to forget how he has disgraced a name that once stood for courage chivalry, patriotism and truth. ----------- The Working Girls’ assembly No. [3633?], Knights of Labor, will give its third annual ball, Wednesday evening, April 11, at Patterson’s hall, corner of Seventeenth and Douglass streets. The assembly prospers and the young women belonging to it feel that they have been benefited by their organization. The very fact that they are working girls is the reason why they most vigorously enjoy themselves when they have a chance to play, and they have won an enviable reputation as entertainers. A supper will be served at a nominal cost in connection with the ball. The tickets can be had for the sum of $1 from any member of the assembly, or at the door of the hall. ----------- The supper and literary and musical program which the “Noon Day Rest Girls” were to have given at the Young Women’s Christian association rooms has been postponed on account of a sudden bereavement to the young lady most active in its preparation. And the program for Monday evening, April 2 will therefore be a tea drinking and a talk by Elia W. Peattie on “How to Dress With Economy and Good Taste.” There will also be some musical numbers. The Monday night entertainments are very well attended. ----------- It is the general opinion among the women tht Miss Fairbrother’s new weekly is one of the neatest, most newsy and entertaining women’s paper that ever came from the press. It now remains to be seen whether or not they will give it their practical support. Praises are very well, but they will not keep a newspaper running. As women enter more and more into business they must learn this fact, and that they must give each other support. Whatever helps one, helps all. Some of the women have maintained rather a conservative position toward the Women’s Weekly, fearing, perhaps, that it was likely to bring into prominence the names of women who were, and who wished to remain, purely domestic. There is no cause for such apprehension. The editor of the paper is a woman who will respect such wishes. She comes of a newspaper family and understands her work. And she is ambitious to get out a paper which is at once dignified and interesting. The fear which some ladies have entertained, that it is likely to be too jocular, will not be justified. ----------------------- A YEAR AGO TODAY.
Edmund Kirby Smith, the last rebel general, dies in Swansee, Teun.
Councilman Hensel is accused of accepting $500 as a bribe from a contractor.
Baron de Anglar de Andrada, the special Brazilian envoy, dies in Washington.
White cape, who assaulted Bernard Zelling of Schuyler, Neb., receive severe sentences.
The Lincoln hotel is disposed of at sheriff’s sale to satisfy a claim of T. H. Harte of Omaha.
A conflict occurs at Antlers, Tex., between the militia force of Governor Jones and the citizens headed by V. M. Locke.
The Russian treaty comes before the senate and the clause concerning the extradition of criminals meets with strong objections.
Peter W. Person, a South Omaha liveryman, is found in bed with a fractured skull. And Dick Gifford, a former employe of the deceased, is arrested on suspicion.
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OH WHITMAN, THE GRAY BARD
Mrs. Peattie Lectures on the Good Poet Before the Unity Club.
Considers Him Greater Than a [?] in That He Deals With Higher and Nobler Themes.
The lecture room of the Unitarian church was crowded last evening to hear Mrs. Elia W. Peattie speak on Walt Whitman. The much discussed yet really little read good gray poet was handled by Mrs. Peattie in a masterly manner; his faults of coarseness, ultra radicalism and egotism a vigorous defense of the man as a man and a poet. Mrs. Peattie quoted freely from both Whitman's prose and poetry to prove her estimate of and assertions regarding him, interpreting all in a manner to make understood probably the least understood of all American writers.
One reason, Mrs. Peattie said, that Walt Whitman has been so generally misunderstood was because thoughtless or shallow persons could not keep pace with the largeness of the man's ideas; because he accepted and taught what to [?] were strange doctrines. He could, the speaker said, be correctly compared with Milton, and though the comparison might be resented, he was, she thought, the greater poet in that he dealt with greater themes for in place of concerning himself with a mythical revolt of angels in heaven he tried with righteous hand to stay the revolt of man on earth; he preached the brotherhood of man in place of the wrath of God; of the harmonies of earth in place of the discords of heaven.
The statement that Whitman was not original, but simply eccentric, was, Mrs. Peattie said, not only an arrogant but an ignorant criticism, and in substantiation his passionate and lofty invocation and invitation to death was quoted as standing solitary and alone in literature. His relation to the Civil war, both as man and poet, was considered briefly by Mrs. Peattie, who said that to him the rebellion meant not a small question of states' rights nor the episode of freeing a million slaves, but that it was to him a grand art in the great drama of human liberty, a part of the sequence of evolution in the development of the democracy in which he believed as surely as he did in the existence of his soul.
Mrs. Peattie then took up the criticism that Whitman was indecent in that he close unbeautiful subjects and took subjects avoided by other writers. But to Whitman, she declared, nothing human or natural was unbeautiful; he accepted that strange paradox in the law of the universe that is natural for man to sin; he saw the reasons for things and forgave men their faults; he was not a discourager or complainer, but saw the truth in men and was willing to cheer them with words of high comfort. His largo friendship for man and his absolute disregard of persons and environments in that friendship was defended by the speaker, who said he could not see why man should apologize to him who made him for his existence, or why he should humiliate himself or be object or fearful; instead he could look straight at God and smile in conscious friendship; that he appreciated God, which is more than most men do, and trusted God to appreciate him, which was also above the average of courage and trust to which men are habituated.
Of the most common criticism of Whitman, that he is too plain. Mrs. Peattie said that people are satisfied to read plain words from men of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries about things which are in themselves unholy and against the laws of nature, yet would not read the words of Whitman, who treated all things with respect, and if he offended with plain speaking, did so from motives essentially good and which were full of charity and kindliness to all living things. Americans were taken to task for not appreciating Whitman by Mrs. Peattie, who said that had he written in Germany, or Italy, or some foreign land translations of his works would have been followed with curious interest, and some day another generation will recognize, as this one does not, both the poet and man.
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MRS. PEATTIE LECTURE.
Mrs. Ella W. Peattie will lecture at the Unitarian church this evening at 8 o'clock before the Unity club on "Walt Whitman."
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Poor Little Clementine.
OMAHA, Jun. [13?]---(To the Editor of the WORLD-HERALD)---Mr. Clement Chase, editor of the society journal of this city pays me the compliment in yesterday's issue of defending society against my "arraignment" and "[anathemas?]." I can only reply to this that I am glad society has found a champion--for it needed one. ELIA W. PEATTIE.