Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-18
Women who Desire to be Rivals Of
Men.

writer in Temple Bar offers these plain
words as his contribution to the discussion of the
question of "wOmen's rights"
1t has been observed by Mr.. Mill, and is e.
quently pleaded by those of his admirers who
agree with his views as to the emancipation of wo-
M n, that do not find it necessary to see that
none but strong armed men are blacksmiths. and
that, therefore, there must be SomeIother reason
than that of unf tness for excluding women from
the vocations we have enumerated. But Mr..
Mill has, on this occasion, yielded to the temp
tation of saying ingenious things, since the OBJ
seryation is by no means SO pertinent or con-
elusive as is apparently supposed. Now and
then, we imagine, men not fficiently strong
armed do turn blacksmiths. and either they
or their clients will be sure to suffer in conse-
qUence. And that is precisely what would hap
pen if women were to become lawyers, doctors,
&c, though, as We shall see. even worse than
that would happen. IL women are to be the
rivals OF men in all the tough, rough, and
arduOus occupations of life, either they must
be treated by men a. perfect equals, or must be
deferred to, as they are now, at theater, In
churches, on the croquet lawn, in railway
carriages, and in conversation. On the latter
suppOsition, it is the clients who should suffer-
and we should witness the strange spectacle, to
employ Mr.. Mills comparison, of horses, being
.shod, FORCES worked, and wheels turned, accOr,
ding TO the standard attainable by the weakest
arms! How much the affairs of the world
would suffer by being conducted according to
this novel form of competition, for which a
parallel is to found only i'm the sports of those
county fairs where the last animal in a race
out.
On the other superstition, that men would
treat women on a footing of complete equality
the result would be less peculiar, perhaps, but
immeasurably more revolving. We may see by
the tussles and controversies in which the finest
and most polite natures are inevitably Involved,
in court, on the hastings, in the press, in
dialectics, how very different would have to be
the tone observed by men toward women from
what ii is now. There is nothing to be gained
by surprising this world to be Utspia, and then
making arrangements accordingly. 1t is a
world of rough work, hard knocks, accusations,
reports, reprOaches, imputatOns. jealousy
hatred, and all uncharitableness, and there is
not the smallest reason to suppose that il will
ever be anything else. Nothing is ACHE we'd i'm il
except by contest, and the irrepressible Ego
inspires tie cOmbatantS on either side.
1t is said that the introduction of women into
public life would soften its asperties, mitigate
its rudeness, and fill it with agreeable amenities
These are silly dreams. Men will be more
polite, deferential, and consderate to women
than to their own long these do not
compete with them. hut no longer; and the
treatment of women bywOmen, though no worse
than hat of men by men, is no better, and
certainly fortids us to hope that what is called
1.-THE humaniZing clement would be introduced
by them into the laboTS of ,blic life. On the
score, therefore, of manners, I'd OF the reciprO-
cal department of the sexes, society would
certainly suffer change, and change for the
worse. IL is impossible, however, for any one
who has observed women with any attention, to
doubt that quite apart from any contention as to
the nature and calibre OF their mental faculties,
they would, if left to hold their own with men
in the occupations We are considering, utterly
fail to do 50.
This is not the place in which physiological
considerations can be entered into with any
minuteness; but there can be no harm in saving
and IT is important to note that the physical in
firmities OF women are at once more constant
and recurring than those of men, and that,
whether they are married or unmarried, mothers
of families or the contrary. Even for day
their endurance is not equal to that of men, and
we cannot think that the woman ever lived who
could 60 through one half of the fatigues which
are imposed on doctor or barrister in large
practice, to say nothing Of those endured by q
man who is at once barrister in large practice
and an active member of p arliament. And when
add that, in addition to these labors, the care
of family must either be or be not neglected,
we seem to reach point at which 1t Is idle to
argue the matter any further. Taken singiy, the
objections and difficulties are considerable; taken
they are overwhelming.