The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-08-28
EXISTENCE VS.. LIFE.

To develop aud turn TO the best &c
count the resources and possibilities IN
herent in their nature, Is manifestiy the
highest duty of all persons. It's read
lily conceded by all hands that men should
make the most of themselves, their op-
portunities and surroundings. And
those who thus grapple with and indus
triously work out the great life problem,
are, and justly, commended therefor.
Yet there are many persons who honor
and encourage men, in the praiseworthy
endeavor to rise above adverse surround-
ings, and still insist that woman's du-
ties and efforts should, without regard
to her capabilities, be completely
bounded by the four walls of her home
The same exertion of faculties that
brings to her brother the highest need
of praise, subjects her to misrepresenta-
tion, contumely and ridieule. y timid-
ity about facing this last has, times
without number, condensed what would
have been large, true and beautiful
life, into starved, meager existence,
barren of pleasure to self or profit to pos
terity.
a great and good poet has declared
that "Time wasted is existence, used is
life" We all know the prodigal waste
Of time that is charged TO the hundreds
of women, whose circumstances in life
life render it unnecessary for them to
give personal labor to the management
of their households. How, pray, are
they to avoid the criminal waste of time
of which we hear SO much, unless al
lowed and encouraged TO work outside
the charmed circle of home? To al
tempt to perform personally the labors
/ of the household would be as total 9
waste of time, as though the hours were
spent in making fashionable calls
working nondes:ript and unnatural cats
and dogs in green and scarlet worsted
or doing over the latest novel AnI
! for this reason: that neither by nature
are they fitted, nor by inclination led tC
the performance Of household labors
/ To do anything well involves a choice
of employment, and if there is any rea-
son why women should be prohibitet
from making such choice, We utterly
fail to perceive it, and our opponenti
thus far have signally failed to make il
plain. sls.t-..
To insist that all womankind sbal
devote time and ability exclusively t'
home work, is to condemn hundreds o
women to existence merely, closing Il
them forever golden portals of life. AnC
this at the bidding of whom? OF thos'
who have no right to plan life work 70
other than themselves; no right to sc
with mete and bound the capabilities 0
woman; no right to dwarf her mentality
and restrain her voice, her work, he
influence from the effort she longs L
make, and is able to make for the goo,
OF humanity. .a -sa.
The first step towards living life tha
will ''answer life's great end" is to thor
oughly comprehend life, its resources, it
possibilities, its trials, its triumphs
After n careful and thoughtful survey Q
these, it should be the highest duty G
all TO so shape their course so as to brin
into active employment the best faeul
ties of their being. And having deter
mined upon n course, allow neither Gus
tom nor the opinions of others to eaus
them to deviate therefrom. Instead Q
tile time allotted TO them being waste
in purposeless existence, it will b
used for noble life purpose. tsrs.-