ular raids, with their round-ups and
the subsequent laxity which allows such places to flourish in the same
spots and with no lapse of time (and profits). She abolished the
"drag-net system" by ignoring it; but she broke up gambling, closed the
wine-rooms, and the other questionable resorts, simply by stationing a
trusty policeman in uniform on the steps of every one of these places,
whose duty it was to take the name and address of every person who
entered them; and to turn this list into the City Hall every morning and
every night. As a consequence, some of these property owners and
"managers" had found their income vanishing. The latter were leaving
town in bevies; but the former were nursing their grievances and were
fast getting into line as open or secret enemies of the reform
administration which the "woman's movement" had now fairly inaugurated.

It must not be thought, either, that the women of Roma stood solid for
the woman-mayor. As long as there are husbands and wives, the latter
will be guided, in greater or less degree, by the opinions of the
former. The women who do not read, the women who do not care, the women
who do not think, invariably take the opinions of the men nearest them,
no matter how ignorant and unintelligent these men may be; and the women
who do read and care and think,--but it may be as well to carry the
argument no farther.

So it happened that the women of Roma were as divided as the men on the
subject of city reform; although, as Gertrude noted with pride, most of
the educated, thinking women could be counted on to support her in every
effort she was making for the betterment of their civic conditions. It
was the women like Mrs. Bella's "wash-lady" who were most opposed to
her; and those other women of the underworld who do not recognize the
friend of her own sex when she appears clothed in the garb of a
reformer.

Thus it came about when the investigation was actually begun and
occupied the most prominent place in the public interest at Roma, there
were almost as many against the new mayor as there were actively or
passively for her. Because, too, there was the large contingent of
citizens who cannot make up their minds in a hurry, but must wait for
popular opinion to crystallize before they can adopt it.

As always, the _Atlas_ came out strongly for the administration of
justice:

"At last" it proclaimed editorially, "Roma has a Mayor with the
courage of conviction. At last, co