The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-11-28

our tliAnuslaolnf hOA NcalAONtu Ono lOla
Of confidence in our ultimate triumph.
Indeed, we are stronger now than before
the battle, as the increasing interest i'm
our cause exhibited by this large attend
ance abundantly testifies.
AS we have been unable thus far TO
arouse any opposition in these meetings,
and / fear that our opponents are be-
coming demoralized for the want Of
champion to espouse their side of the
question, and as have the reputation
Of being somewhat Of a philanthropist
because my sympathies are always
with the party that gets the worst of the
argument, allow me, for the nonce, to as
sist our enemies in making out case.
In rummaging among some old news
papers, at the house of lady friend,
we to-day found poem entitled "What
are Woman's Rights ?" This poem
originally appeared in the Pacific Iri-
6une, and was suggested, as the intro
duction states, by the Woman Suffrage
Convention held in Olympia two years
ago. The author is unknown to me,
but the poem reads, in part, as follows:
What are woman's rights? you ask me;
would ask, what are her wrongs
Does she seek for a position
Which TO man alone belongs?
Does she mourning and complaining)
Tread this beautiful green earth,
Thinking she is right in claiming
Things which ne'er for her had births
No true woman seeks TO bluster
All her rights or wrongs about
Something meeker, nobler, higher,
Marks her quiet life throughout.
She Will ne'er neglect the blessing
Which VIII give her greatest joy
That for which she has her being,
Watching DER her infant boy.
Ladies, would not abate one jot or
little Of the sentiment contained in this
very sentimental effusion. There is a
great deal more truth than poetry in it.
Watching DER her infant boy" is a
a very great joy to any true mother; but
our friend forgot to add that these boys
will grow; that they are not always Sim
fants;" but after they have been
watched over'i till cher beings" mis-
sion is accomplished, what is the
mother to do next? All capable moth
ers have watched" their "infant bOysn
out of pinafOres and into trowsers by
the time that they (the mothers) each
the age that most men attain before
they are safely launched into the public
arena. But forget myself. lam max
ing an opposition speech. Here is some
thing splendid:
Hers Il IS 10 guard each fOOtstep
From his boyhoOd up 10 man;
Training him for life's great conflict,
Teaching him 20 work and plan.
Man never uttered grander, truer,
or more noble sentiment than this.
Who but woman has intellect and intu-
ition sufficient to train the offspring OF
her existence "for life's great conflict?''
Who but she can rightly "teach him ia
work and plan?" Certainly his politi,
cal life has proved that he is not capable
of training" himself
Here is another idea that woman can,
not commend too strongly:
II more mothers knew their mission,
Greater would the Nation be,
Less OF sin and degradation,
More OF truth and honesty.
o, If mothers who live but for fashion
folly and display, neglecting, as they
too often do, the immortal waits entrusteC
to their care by the great All Father
mothers who "have all the rights they
wantn while rum and licentiousnesi
run riot-could but realize the power oi
this idea; could they more fully Rppre
ciate their individual responsibility an,
inalienable obligations to the common
wealth, there would then indeed be '9es
of sin and degration."
Not by voting for the Nation
Does she strive 10 keep itup,
But in her household avocations,
There she helps TO be its prop.
Here 1 am little puzzled. Just hOu
it is, and 10hyit is, that woman ''has he
oeing' merely "to watch and guide he
infant boy" hour it is, or sChy it is tina
she must "train him for life's great con
fiict," and "tedch him to work and plan
merely that she may have a ruler Z
make and enforce laws that she is take,
to sustain, while her "household avoca
tions" are added, merely as a "propu Z
= keep mans "Nationr up, l cauno
clearly comprehend. There must b
logic in it somewhere, but 1 confes,
cannot find It,
Maybe this will give me light:
Gods word tells them, very plainly.
To be ehaste and keep at home.
But how OfIen they reject Il.
Making preceptS OF their own.
, And we often find il written,
, That, as Christ is 10 the Churrh
The head, so man is 10 woman.
1--we diligently search.
OF course, men implicitly obey fla
word OF God, as they interpret it. Bu
| as women have no right to make intel
r pretations for themselves, seeing tbs
they shave their being merely |
strain their infant boys" to do it, it
| doubtless very presumptive in one
these same mothers to 'diligentl
search" into these things for herse
while Teaching her boys to work al
PLAN" but wicked as it is, o men an