The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-08-15
PROTECTION FOR WOMAN.

OuA olOeueI vi the DdHetpi, IN re-
sponse to our question of last week, ask
ing him If it would not be better TO give
woman political and consequent pecun-
iary independence, rather than keep
her an impecunious vassal at the mercy
Of man, says:
Political rights don't bling pecuniarv inde-
Pendenee 70 man or woman; and IN woman
nao luii power over legislation she could not
PnOtect herself against bad men into whose
power she had foolishly placed herself as the
woman King placed herself In the power OF
Soodrleh; Woman has now all the protection
Ill, Is possible Tor law TO TO give her in such cases
when she consents TO a secret marriage she
tnroWs away the protection of law and of So
elety. II Is not the law that places her al tho
mercy OF Nillainous men In such cases as this.
II IS herself that does it, No law can help IT,
NO law can protect men or women against the
results OF their own mistakes or follles.
Now, friend Bulletin, let's look at
this for moment. How is it, if"polit-
ical rights don't bring pecuniary indie
pendence to man." that he so often
draws fat pay, as President, Attorney
General, Cabinet officer, Senator, Rep
resentative, Governor, Secretary of
State, Revenue Collector, Custom House
officer, Postmester-Ge Superin-
tendent Of Indian affairs, School Super
intendent, Minister Plenipotentiary,
etc, ETC., Gd infnitIiDl, with the dis
bursting power from any of these lucra-
tive positions that brings "pecuniary
independence" to thousands and tens of
thousands of other men through his
political rights ?''
"Woman has" not ''all the protection
it is possible for law to give her." even
in such cases as Elizabeth Kings"
She has no power except by such extra
ordinary exertions as no ordinary man
can surmount, to engage in lucrative
occupations such as are everywhere
open to men without protest. Law and
custom alike protected Elizabeth
Kings betrayer, Goodrich. He was
free to go where he pleased and marry
whom he pleased, casting her off like a
worn-out toy. His ser, and the politi-
cal and consequent pecuniary and social
privileges accompanying it, opened the
doors Of respectable soeiety-the same
society that slammed them in her face
because she was powerless to protect
herself.
If the laws were equal, men, as well
as women, when 'consenting to secret
marriage would throw away the protec-
tion of law and society" 1t is the
law that indirectly, but surely "places"
woman Sat the mercy of villainous men
In such cases as this" ''It is'' not
''herself' but her circumstances and
mans power "that does it," "Law can
help it." Women's mistakes or fol-
lies" of this class are the direct result of
their political, and consequent pecun-
iary subjugation.
Women, as a class, are naturally vir-
tuous, law-abiding and moral. If they
were not thus, thousands and tens of
thousands, who struggle with poverty
all their lives, would yield themselves
to the only way for a luxurious liveli-
hood which man has left them, and
thus, through their own downfall, sur
round themselves with such creature
comforts as their natures demand.
Law says that woman is ICeaE and
must be protected" Custom, the di-
rect outgrowth Of law, says that weak
woman must be stronger in her weak
ness, without the advantages of ''politi-
cal rights" which men possess, than
man is or can be with all his boasted
strength, and with his political rights,
as the basis of all other rights, thrown
In. Then, when women occasionally
fall, trusting at their peril their boasted
protector" man, this same law-giver,
says "no law can help it," when the
fact is that the only wonder is that
women are virtuous at all under man.
made legislation which recognizes no
peeuniary compensation for their labors
and remunerates only the services of
their sex. Law can help this. LdW
must be made to help Il. All doors for
honorable Independence, political and
pecuniary, must be thrown open alike
to men and women; then we shall see
whether claw can help" woman or not,
since it everywhere does so much for
man,