female suffrage-第6部分

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course　at　the　present　moment。　Observe　the　patience　with　which　our
legislative　bodies　are　now　considering　the　petitions　of　a　clamorous
minority　demanding　the　redress　of　a　fictitious　grievancea　minority
demanding　a　political　position　which　the　majority　of　their　sex　still
utterly　rejecta　position　repugnant　to　the　habits；　the　feelings；　the
tastes；　and　the　principles　of　that　majority。　If　men　are　willing　to　give
their　attention　to　these　querulous　demands　of　a　small　minority　of　our
sex；　how　much　more　surely　may　we　rely　on　their　sympathy；　and　their
efficient　support；　when
some　measure　in　which　the　interests　of　the　whole　sex　are　clearly
involved　shall　be　brought　before　them　by　all　their　wives　and
mothers？

And　again：　they　are　not　only　already　prepared　to　redress　grievances；
but　also　to　forward　all　needed　development　of　true　womanly　action。
Take；　in　proof　of　this；　assertion；　the　subject　of　education。　This　is；
beyond　all　doubt　the　vital　question　of　the　age；　embracing　within　its
limits　all　others。　Education　is　of　far　more　importance　than　the
suffrage；　which　is　eventually　subject　to　it；　controlled　by　it。　This　is；
indeed；　a　question　altogether　too　grave；　too　comprehensive；　and　too
complicated　in　some　of　its　bearings　to　be　more　than　briefly　alluded
to　here。　But　let　us　consider　education　for　a　moment　as　the　mere
acquirement　of　intellectual　knowledge。　This　is　but　one　of　its　phases；
and　that　one　not　the　most　important；　but　such　is　the　popular；
though　very　inadequate；　idea　of　the　subject　in　America。　Observe　how
much　has　already　been　done　in　this　sense　for　the　instruction　of　the
woman　of　our　country。　In　the　common　district　schools；　and　even　in
the　high　schools　of　the　larger　towns；　the　same　facilities　are　generally
offered　to　both　sexes；　in　the　public　schools　brother　and　sister　have；
as　a　rule；　the　same　books　and　the　same　teachers。　And　we　may　go
much　further　and　say　that　every　woman　in　the　country　may　already
IF　SHE　IS　DETERMINED　TO　DO　SOobtain　very　much　the　same
intellectual　instruction　which　her　own　brother　receives。　If　that
education　is　a　highly　advanced　one　she　will；　no　doubt；　have　some
special　difficulties　to　contend　against；　but　those　difficulties　are　not
insurmountable。　The　doors　of　most　colleges　and　universities　are
closed；　it　is　true；　against　women；　and　we　can　not　doubt　that　this
course　is　taken　for　sound　reasons；　pointed　out　by　good　sense　and
true　sagacity。　It　is　impossible　not　to　believe　that　between　the　ages
of　fifteen　and　five…and…twenty　young　men　and　young　women　will
carry　on　their　intellectual　training　far　more　thoroughly　and
successfully　apart　than　thrown　into　the　same　classes。　At　that　age　of
vivid　impressions　and　awakening　passions；　the　two　sexes　are
sufficiently　thrown　together　in　family　life　and　in　general　society　for
all　purposes　of　mutual　influence　and　improvement。　Let　them　chat；
walk；　sing；　dance　together；　at　that　period　of　their　lives；　but　if　you
wish　to　make　them　good　scholars；　let　them　study　apart。　Let　their
loves　and　jealousies　be　carried　on　elsewhere　than　in　the　college
halls。　But　already　female　colleges；　exclusively　adapted　to　young
women；　are　talked　ofnay；　here　and　there　one　or　two　such　colleges
now　exist。　There　is　nothing　in　which　American　men　more　delight；
nothing　more　congenial　to　their　usual　modes　of　thought　and　action；
than　to　advance　the　intellectual　instruction　of　the　whole　nation；
daughters　as　well　as　sons。　We　may　rest　assured　that　they　will　not
fail　to　grant　all　needful　development　in　this　direction。　One　female
college；　of　the　very　highest　intellectual　standard；　would　probably　be
found　sufficient　for　a　population　of　some　millions。　The　number　of
women　desiring　a　full　college　education　will　always；　for　many
different　reasons；　be　much　smaller　than　the　number　of　male
students。　But　there　is　no　good　reason　why　such　colleges；　when　found
desirable；　should　not　enter　into　our　future　American　civilization。
Individual　American　women　may　yet；　by　these　means；　make　high
progress　in　science；　and　render　good　service　to　the　country　and　the
race。　Every　branch　of　study　which　may　be　carried　on　thoroughly　and
successfully；　without　impairing　womanly　modesty　of　mind　and
manner；　should　be　so　far　opened　to　the　sex　as　to　allow　those
individuals　to　whom　Providence　has　given　the　ability　for　deep
research　to　carry　them　to　the　farthest　point　needed。　But　as　regards
those　studies　which　are　intended　to　open　the　way　to　professions
essentially　bold　and　masculine　in　character；　we　do　not　see　how　it　is
within　the　bounds　of　possibility　for　young　women　to　move　onward　in
that　direction　without　losing　some　of　their　most　precious　womanly
prerogativeswithout；　in　short；　unsexing　themselves。

The　really　critical　point　with　regard　to　the　present　position　of　women
in　America　is　the　question　of　work　and　wages。　Here　the　pocket　of
man　is　touched。　And　the　pocket　is　the　most　sensitive　point　with
many　men；　not　only　in　America；　but　all　the　world　over。　There　can　be
no　doubt　whatever　that　women　are　now　driven　away　from　certain
occupations；　to　which　they　are　well　adapted；　by　the　selfishness　of
some　men。　And　in　many　departments　where　they　are　day…laborers　for
commercial　firms　they　are　inadequately　paid；　and　compelled　to
provide　food；　lodging；　fuel；　and　light　out　of　scanty　wages。　Yes；　we
have　here　one　of　the　few　real　grievances　of　which　American　women
have　a　just　right　to　complain。　But　even　hereeven　where　the　pocket
is　directly　touched；　we　still　believe　that　women　may　obtain　full
justice　in　the　end；　by　pursuing　the　right　course。　Only　let　the　reality
of　the　grievance　be　clearly　proved；　and　redress　will　follow；　ere　long。
Providence　has　the　power　of　bringing　good　out　of　evil；　and　therefore
we　believe　that　the　movement　now　going　on　will　here；　at　least；　show
some　lasting　results　for　good。　The　〃Song　of　the　Shirt〃　shall；　we　trust；
ere　long　become　an　obsolete　lay　in　our　country。　Our　women；　twenty
years　hence；　shall　be　better　paid　in　some　of　their　old　fields　of　labor；
and　new　openings；　appropriate　to　their　abilities；　mental　and
physical；　shall　also　be　made　for　them。　And　here　they　are　much　more
likely　to　succeed　without　the　suffrage　than　with　it。　It　is　not　by
general　law…making　that　they　can　better　themselves　in　these
particulars。　Individual　fitness　for　this　or　that　branch　of　work　is　what
is　required　for　success。　And　if；　by　thorough　preparation；　women　can
discharge　this　or　that　task；　not　essentially　masculine　in　its
requirements；　as　well　as　men；　they　may　rest　assured　that　in　the　end
their　wages　will　be　the　same　as　those　of　their　fathers　and　brothers
in　the　same　field　of　work。

And　how　is　it　with　our　homeshow　fares　it　with　American　women　in
the　family　circle？　To　all　right…minded　women　the　duties　connected
with　home　are　most　imperative；　most　precious；　most　blessed　of　all；
partaking　as　they　do　of　the　spirit　of　religious　duty。　To　women　this
class　of　duties　is　by　choice；　and　by　necessity；　much　more　absorbing
than　it　is　to　men。　It　is　the　especial　field　of　activity　to　which
Providence　has　called　them；　for　which　their　Maker　has　qualified　them
by　peculiar　adaptation　of　body　and　mind。　To　the　great　majority　of
American　women　these　duties　are　especially　absorbing；　owing　to　the
difficulty　of　procuring　paid　subordinates；　well　qualified　for　the　tasks
they　undertake。　The　task　of　positive　labor；　and　the　task　of　close
supervision；　are　both　particularly　burdensome　to　American　wives　and
mothers。　Thus　far；　or　at　least　until　very　recently；　those　duties　of　wife
and　mother　have　been　generally　performed　conscientiously。　The
heart　of　every　worthy　American　woman　is　in　her　home。　That　home；
with　its　manifold　interests；　is　especially　under　her　government。　The
good　order；　the　convenience；　the　comfort；　the　pleasantness；　the
whole　economy　of　the　house；　in　short；　depend　in　a　very　great
measure　on　her。　The　food　of　the　family　is　prepared　by　her；　either
directly　or　by　close　supervision。　The　clothing　of　the　family　passes
through　her　hands　or　under　her　eye。　The　health　of　the　family　is
included　within　the　same　tender；　watchful；　loving　oversight。　The
education　of　the　children　is　chiefly　directed　by　herin　many　families
almost　exclusively　so。　Whether　for　evil　or　for　good；　by　careless
neglect　or　by　patient；　thoughtful；　prayerful　guidance；　she　marks　out
their　future　course。　This　is　even　too　much　the　case。　American　fathers
love　their　children　fondly；　no　fathers　more　affectionate　than　they
are；　they　pet　their　children；　they　toil　ceaselessly　for　them；　but　their
education　they　leave　almost　entirely　to　the　mother。　It　may　be　said；
with　perfect　truth；　that　in　the　great　majority　of　American　families　the
educational　influences　come　chiefly　from　the　mother；　they　are　tacitly
made　over　to　her　as　a　matter　of　course。　The　father　has　too　often
very　little　to　do　with　them。　His　work　lies　abroad；　in　the　world　of
business　or　politics；　where　all　his　time　and　attention　are　fully
absorbed。　In　this　way　the　American　mother　rules　the　very　heart　of
her　family。　If　at　all　worthy　she　has　great　influence　with　her　husband；
she　has　great　influence　over　her　daughters；　and　as　regards　her　sons；
there　are　too　many　cases　in　which　hers　is　the　only　influence　for　good
to　which　they　yield。　Is　there　so　little　of　true　elevation　and　dignity　in
this　position　that　American　women　should　be　in　such　hot　haste　to
abandon　it　for　a　position　as　yet　wholly　untried；　entirely　theoretical
and　visionary？

It　will　be　said　that　all　women　are　not　married；　that　all　wives　are　not
mothers；　that　there　are　childless　widows　and　many　single　women　in
the　country。　Quite　true；　but　in　a　rapid　sketch　one　looks　at　the　chief
features　only；　and　home　life；　with　its　varied　duties；　is；　of　course；　the
principal　point　in　every　Christian　country。　The　picture　is　essentially
correct；　without　touching　on　lesser　details。　We　pause　here　to
observe　also　that　almost　every　single　woman　has　a　home
somewhere。　She　makes　a　home　for　herself；　or　she　is　ingrafted　on　the
home　of　others；　and　wherever　she　may　beeven　in　that　wretched
kind　of　existence；　boarding…house　lifeshe　may；　if　she　choose；　carry
something　of　the　home　spirit　with　her。　In　fact；　every　true　woman
instinctively　does　so；　whatever　be　the　roof　that　covers　her　head。　She
thinks　for　others；　she　plans　for　others；　she　serves