New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-14
THE WOMAN PROBLEM.



| interesting and remarkable volume ju,
completed by the greatest English phi
| losopher:
One further instance of the need for ps,
Geological inquiries as guides to sociological
conclusions may be named-an instance
quite different kind, but one no less rel.
want to questions of the time. refer t
the comparative psychology of the sexet
Women as well as men are units in
society, and tend by their natures to Civ
that society certain traits of structure an
action. Hence the question, are the ments
natures OF men and women the same is a
important one to the sociologist. Ii the,
are, an increase of feminine influence is No
likely to affect the social type in marke,
manner. If they are not, the social typ
will inevitably be changed by increase y
feminine influence.
That men and women are mentally alik,
is as untrue as that they are alike bodily
Just as certainly as they have physical diff
ferences which are related t. the RESPECTIVE,
parts they play in the maintenance of til,
race, 80 certainly have they psychical d FIR
ences, similarly related 10 their respectiv,
shares in the rearing and protection of of
spring. To suppose that along with the un
likeness between their parental activities
there do not 60 unlikenesses of mental fac
nature there is no adjustment OF speoia
powers to special functions.
Two classes of differences exist between
the psychical, as between the physical
structure Of men and women, which are
both determined by this same Fundamental
need-adaptation to the paterDal and ma
ternal duties. The first set OF differences
is that which results from a some II al
earlier arrest OF individual evolution in
women than in men, necessitattd by the
reservation of vital power to meet the cost
of reproduction. Whereas, in Man individ-
ual evolution continues until the ply siologi-
cal cost of sel!-maintenance very nearly
balances what nutrition supplies, in woman
an arrest of individual development takes
place while there is yet p considerable mar
gin of nutrition; otherwise there could be
no offspring. Hence the fact that girls
come earlier to maturity than boys. Hence,
too, the chief contrasts in bodily forms, the
masculise figure being distinguished from
the feminine by the greater relative sizes
of the parts which carry on ext rnal
actions and entail physiological cost-ths
limbs, and those uhOracic viscera which
their ACTIVITY Immediately taxes. And
hence, too, the physiological truth that
their lives, but espe cially during
the child bearing age, women exhale smaller
their weights, than men do, showing that
the evolution of energy is r. latively less as
we'll as absolutely less. This rather early
of individual evolution thus me-
showing list If in a rather smaller
growth OF the nerve muscular system. so
that both the limbs which act and the brsin
" bich makes them act are somewhat iess,
has two results on the mind The mental
have somewhat less of gen
Aral power or massiveness, and beyond this
there is percephble falling short in those
.wo faculties, Intellectual and emotional,
which are the latest products Of human
power OF abstract reaso ming
md that most abstract of the emotions,
he sentiment of jus'i:e-the sep-
iment which regulates conduct irresprc-
i've of personal attachments and the likes
n dislikes felt for individuals.
After this quantitative mental distinc-
ion, which becomes incidentally quaiita
i've BY telling most upon the most recent
md most complex faculties, there comes
he qualitative mental distinctions cnnse-
uent on the relations of men and women
o their children and to one ano her.
though the parental instinct. which, con-
ide,ed in it's essential nature. is d love of
he helpless, is common to the two, yet it is
bviousIy not identical in the two. That
be particular term of it which responds to
,tantine belpltssness is more dominant in
Vom n than in men can not be questioned.
u man the instinct is not 80 babltually eX
tied by the very helpless, but has more
eneraiized relation ~ all tho relatively
'eak who are depend. mt upon him. Doubt i
,ss along with this more specialized liz |
tinct in women, then, GO specialized atp'i-
ldes for dealing with infantine ite-an
da pted power OF intui Ion and tt adjust |
rent Of behavior. That there is here q
Iental specialization joined with the body |
is unli+niable, and this m-ntal |
though primarily related t,
10 rearing of .ffspring, affects in some de- |
res the conduct at large.
The remaining qualitative distinctions |
atween the minds of men and women are
lose which have gr0an oft of their mn
lal relation as stronger and weaker. If !
9 trace the genesis of human character.
' considering the cundil ions OF existence
trough which the human race passed IN
.rly barbara times and during civiliz T.
On, we shall See that tho ~edker sex has
sturally acquired certain mental traits by
3 dealings with the stro, ger. 1u The
'urse Of the struggles for existence among
lid tribes. those tribes survived in " Inch
g men were not only powerful and c"ura-
,oua, but aggressive, interruptions. IT,
nsely egotistlc. Necessarily, then. the
EN- OF the conquering race, which gave
igin to the civilized races were men IN
HON the mutual characteristics were
,minant; and necessarily the women of
Oh races, having to d. al with brutal men,
oepered in proportion as they possessed
acquired fit adjustments of nature. How
re women, un thle by strength 10 bold
cir own, otherwise ems BLEED TO hold their
,ns Several mental traits helped them to
this.
We may set down, first, the ability to
ease and the concomitaDt love of appr'-
ton. Clearly, other things equal, an'ng
,men living at the mercy OF men, tn 81
10 sue. =, Gcd most IN pleasing woul.i be
) most likely To surviv. ami leave pos
'ity. And trtcogniziug the predominant
scent uf qualities IN the ~ sid J this,
ing ON successive generations, 'euued to
abiisb as feminine trait u sp, cial su-
itude to be approved aud an aptl' ud-
manner to this end
Similarly the wives of merciless savagrs
~, other things equal. have prusperrd IN
,poi ton to their powers vi disg ni-ii,g |
.ir feelings Women who betrayed sh.
te of antagonsm produced in them Ivy |
atment would be less likely to sur>rvr
leave off ,pring than 'hse wno en-
lied their antagonis,u, aud nenre. ny il
'itance and selection, y gr"wth ~ TINS
it proportiouate 80 the require mrnt l
ue Gases again, the ar 3 ot p+r-uasion en-
ed women to protect theinselvs. and b.
JiicAtiou their offs ring, where, 10 h {
euce Of such arts they would have d. :
reared early or would have reared fl w-r ]
dIen.
me further ability may be named as
,ly to be cultivated and esIa bli>h-d-the
|ity to distinguish quickly the Passing 4
ings OF those around. In bxroarous
es . woman who could from y M W. +
ut, tone of voice or expression of lace, Il
.sntiy detect in her savage husband the | 1
sion that was rising. WealA b likely 70 ! =