New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-19
The Responsibility Of Women.


Ii IS offered as an excuse for the recel
very extraordinary proceedings again
liquor sellers, that women are pecullarl
sufferers from intenperance among mel
The drinking shop, it is alleged, seduct
husbands aud sons from their homes, tempt
them to the spending of wages needed
their households, and is the fruitful caus
OF vast domestic misery. which fails heayil
upon the women OF the family.
No doubt this is true. But we accus
women of being specially responsible fc
this condition Of Things. We charge tina
men. especially young men. are seduced t
the drinking shop because it possesses al
perior attractions to their homes. We in
diet women, both as mothers and as wives
tor such neglect OF their duties that tiei
husbands and sons have been driver
abroad, IN the pursuit Of those pleasures
anu Ieilcities that women are under mora
O0ligation to provide In the household.
lnere are some men SO depraved by ma
tCre that no influence is powerful enougl
to keep them from evil These exceptiona
cases we exclude from present considefa
ton. They are morally diseased, and til,
| physician alone Can adequately deal with
them.
| But the average man ia entirely susceDti
bic to influences. His conduct is cer6ain tt
| prove definite Result OF training and edu
| Sc-eiSu' ~ 40 a EldtL.I " pure AyudHliCS
| Ii the good Influences thai surround him
are greater than the evil ones. he will
| yield TO the former; if the evil influence!
are greater than .he good ones, he will sur
| render to the latter OF course, this is lust
| as true OF women as it Is OF men. But the
| question now before US is this: How far are
women responsible for the dissipareG
courses OF men' How is it that the society
OF the dram shop is a greater social powe,
than than OF the hearrhstone.
When We hear woman complain tina,
her sons have drifted away from the domin
ION OF her influence; that, while educated at
her side, they have come to prefer the com
partnership of the vicious to that of her
then we know that this mother has been IN.
equal to the duty imposed upon her. Where
there are no distinctly inherited depravities,
there has been some fatal neglect in the
home training that has permitted this de-
plOrable result to come about
When we hear of the husband who cease
lessly seeks for his felicities abroad. who
prefers the public house, the club, or boon
companions to the society of his family.
then We are assured that in some way the
home, which ought to be first in his aztec.
tons. has failed to assert that dominion
over his heart which, if rightly conducted,
it would have been sure to do.
The average American interior is on
pressively dreary. Men eat and sleep in
their houses because it is more CONVENIENT
to sleep and eat there than elsewhere; but,
beyond this, the ordinary "roof tree" is ut
terly without attractions. 1t is without
attractions, not so much from neglect as
from perverse determination that it's
whole economy shall be of the most pinched,
stinted, harrow and cherries character.
such as only dull imagination, false econ
omy, cold sympathy and selfish tastes can
make it.
Women who have sons to rear, and dread
the demoralizing influences OF bad associ-
a1es, ought to understand the nature of
young manhood. 1t is excessively restless.
1t Is disturbed By vague ambitions, by
thirst for action, by longing for excite
ment, by irrepressible desires to touch life
in manifold ways. If you, mothers, rear
your sons so that their homes are associated
with the repression of these natural in,
st,ncts, you will be sure to throw them into
the society that in any measure can supply
the need of their hearts. They will not 90
to the public houses, at first, for love of
liquor-very few people ever really like the
taste OF liquor-they will go for the ami
mated and hilarious companionship they
lind there, which, they discover, does SO
much to repress the disturbing restless
ness in their breasts. See to it, then,
that their homes compete with public places
N attractiveness. Open your blinds by day,
AMI light bright fires at night. illuminate |
your rooms. Hang pictures upon the walls. |
Put books and newspapers upon your tables |
lave music and entertaining games. Ban |
sh those demons of dullness and apathy |
hat have 80 long ruled in your household, |
md bring in mirth and good cheer. Invent |
tor your sons. Stimulate their
Ill EDITIONS In worthy directions. While you
make home their delight, fill them with
lgher purposes than mere pleasure
Whether they shall pass happy boyhoods,
nd enter upon manhood with refined tastes
nj noble ambitions, depends upon you.
10 not blame miserable barkeepers if your
ons miscarry. Believe it possible that,
With exertion and right means. mother
lay have more control over the DESTINY of
er boys than any other influence whatsO-
ver.
The influence of the wife is ALWAYS
brldged by the facts OF the early training
her husband. He comes to her man
18th his habits formed. A woman should
sure not to marry man with depraved
astes; and, with good inclinatiOns and |
orrect habits at the beginning of married
fe, vile must have a very weak hold
pom her husband if she suffer him to slip
way into dissipation. In these cases, we
an but suspect either cooled affection, bad |
,mper, dreary cOmpaniOnship, or some !
ing IN the administration Of the domestic |
ie whereby the man ceases to find pleasure
his home.
1t will be asked if men, too, are not re-
'onsibie tor the tellci ties of home. AS
lredly. They must bring to it generous
'irlt, attectlonate regard, kindly temper, ,
'mpathetic appreciation. But, in large {
ajority OF instances, the topper Of the .
lie; her plnched economies, her fondness t
r negative lie, rest and quiet; her dis,
ste for all topics outside of domestic ones
n liability to feel interest in the doings |
the world; her general lack of intellect |
II activity-she may be as intellectual, a
richly speaking, as her husband, but she G
i'll be interested in much narrower a
nge OF subJects-lt is these things that
We to the average family circle its dead t
'ss and dullness. Women are content '
it'll calm, colorless life, while men want L
society, and. unless women can t
mprehend this masculine need, they will 9
il to exercise that influence which, right t
lily understood, might be made supreme. a
So we say to these crusading women: d
eturn to your homes! Scorn the thought D
at you can not make your households i
ore delightful than barrooms. Danish p
ur narrow asceticism. Make your religion v
source of cheer1ulness, and not of gloom. i,
nvert your houses into temples of in Il
cent pleasure Be bright and stimulating
mpanions to your husbands and sons. ! a
lderstand at once that badly kept homes e
We driven more men into irregularities | Ii
an anything else-and upon YOU mainly ii
Its the responsibility for the evils thus e
sing. Ii
We are not asserting that intemperance Il
uid end with the change in the policy of b
men that We have proposed. Intempe- Il
ice often comes of causes to subtle TOR a
man analysis. But it is asserted that II
temperance is promoted by dram-shops, v
i 1t Is this influence, this cause of intern T
,ance, that women are entirely CONNIE. II