The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-12-06
ALL THE RIGHTS THEY WANT"

Women who have never been accus- /
toned to providing wholly for them
selves, and consequently know nothing
of the hard battle Of life as it is often too
sadly realized by their less fortunate
sisters, very naturally feel that they do
not care to possess the ballot; and such
women, accustomed to lead of in what
ever they consider really commendable,
imagine that because they have not de-
manded equal rights no woman should
desire to possess them. But let misfor-
tune suddenly overtake these women
who have always had "all the rights
they want" and let them, with all
the disadvantages of woman's disen-
franchised position, undertake to find
employment to keep the wolf from the
door, and the inequality of their position
soon brings them to their senses.
An estimable and accomplished young
lady of this city, who had been for some
time employed as teacher in one Of our
public schools, suddenly lost her voice.
The affliction came upon her in conse-
quence of over exertion in the discharge
of her duties. OF course there were
gentlemen teachers in the same school,
but, though they commanded twice her
pay, because of their sex, they failed to
do their half of the work, hence the
protected(?) woman became victim OF
overwork on half pay. The loss OF her
voice was of course followed by the loss
of her situation. Being wholly depend
ent upon her own exertiOns for her live
lihood, she sought the office of one OF
our city lawyers, who had told her in
the days of her prosperity to come to him
if she should ever need friend. Made
brave by the remembrance of this as
surance, she applied to him for copying,
but her petition for work was evasively
answered, and the interview ended by
an Indifferent invitation to "call again" "
After few days the lady again called,
and her application for copying being
again evaded, assured the lawyer that
she knew he had been giving such work
W AAlGn hllOoC uECuS hCAC hOlAAh7 Inv
so great as her own. ''True," said the
honest lawyer, ''but we can't afford to
help a woman, for if we do she becomes
a dead weight upon our hands at once.
II is different with men. II we assist
them we have assurance that they can
some time return our favors with their
votes; but woman's a dead weight
upon our hands, madam dead
weight" This assurance was conclusive
to the mind of our disenfranchised but
/ protected(?) friend, and she emerged
from that Office a sadder but wiser wom-
an. But how could she help herself?
Often as wehurry past the residences oi
our wealthy neighbors, whose carriages
are waiting for them at their gates, oil
note their transparent look of 'I an
better than you," as they bowl along the
pavement past our plebian self, W.
think half audibly, mo wonder yol
dom t want your rights. You have NOR
than equal rights now. Our sympathie
+ are with your husbands, whose brain
are over-taxed that you may live il
splendor. When the great levelin;
p comes, as come it must, here or here
4 after, you'll learn how little is the shar
n of life's burdens that you have borne
q and this knowledge will enlarge you
4 understanding. But you ought evel
q now, to know that if you do have all tn
t rights you want, the right to eensur
i those who have them not is not one o
o them.n