The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-08
WHO SAYS SO 2n

the fair grounds near Hillsboro talking
to faded little woman, whom a score
of years ago we called by a. familiar name
in the recitation-rooms of Pacific Uni
versity. A restless little boy clung to
her dress, a nervous baby fidgeted in her
arms, and her hands, that used to be the
admiration and envy of her schoolmates
because of their plump and plant
beauty, were brown and hardened, her
hair was thickIy sown with silver, her
! teeth, erewhiIe so white and even, were
broken and discolored-in short, she
was an average specimen of a protected
and supported wife of thriftless farmer.
We had parted on a commencement
day, in the golden long ago, and our
paths in all those years had not con-
verged until now; so we drew little
apart from the throng to talk over the
by-gones, each perhaps 'in the others
countenance reading her own dismay,"
astonished at the changes passing years
had wrought. Coming down at length
to the present, patting the cheeks of her
little ones, inquiring concerning the
other children and telling names and
ages of our own, and from thence gliding
almost imperceptibly into talk concern
ing matters of passing interest, we cas-
ually remarked that it was because of
outraged conditions and adverse circum-
stances that might easily be remedied
that women faded, and as she expressed
it, "broke down so early"
'Perhaps," {" she answered hesitatingly;
"but if women once begin to talk of and
agitate these things, they will lead to
disturbances in the family, to divorces,
and many other evils. Women must be
content with their lot"
''To be content with a lot that wrecks
them in body and dwarfs them in mind,
they must first be scarcely more than
idiots" we replied.
"Oh," she answered, half frightened
at the unsteady ground upon which
she was venturing, "woman's rights
will lead to free love-"
Then came the question that heads
this recital, "Who says so ?''
"That's what he says" she answered
"and the very thought of such abomina-
tions are revolving to me beyond ex-
preston"
''Do you really believe, my dear
! friend" we inquired, "that women are
only kept chaste and pure by the laws
that men make?"
"Oh, of course not; but he-that is
! the whole thing is terrible" she re-
piled confusedly.
awe should think So" was our men,
tai comment as we again surveyed the
form of our friend, and marked the raw.
ages that the constant violation of ma.
ture's laws had wrought. Just at thi:
juncture he appeared, and was duly pre-.
sented. Expecting of course that the
oracle quoted as one of the conservators
. of woman's morals was of imposing
presence, kingly form, humane counte-
nance and bland manners, we were
hardly prepared to recognize in the
, short, fiorid-faced little animal, who
= pulled his forelock and eyed US askance
the all-powerful he "who said sou
HE said So" Yes, because he know!
: full well that the only hold he has upon
the woman who has early grown old il
his service is that which the law gives
him. Conscious of his deficiency il
moral and intellectual worth, it is to hi
interest to say that it is necessary tx
keep women in political bondage-tC
narrow their opportunities, to assigr
to them subordinate positions in family
state and nation; and to do this, he anC
/ all others of his class hold in terror owe
: the heads of women this horrid bug
bear, the last that will overtake them
1 'free love-"
"He says So" Yes, from the depth
of his own depraved nature he frame
o this insult to womanhood, not becaus
s he believes it, but because he believes
= will serve his purpose. He belongs t
q that class of men who break the seals G
S letters directed to their wives; who re
: fuse to take papers that they subserib
: and pay for, from the Office, and orde
! them returned to the publisher lest th
e protected creatures get them by som
IS other means; who spend money withou
stint on secret societies and clubs, bu
look black and talk of retrenchmen
when Johnnie's shoes must be replaced
n or Jennie needs new hat, or wife a me-
,e dress. His life is one of unmitigate
IS selfishness, and. upon every lineamer
If of his countenanee is written HE sal
h So" when any disreputable story
n abroad.
IS Suppose he does say SO. He wi
J. never be able to make the mass of mar
ID kind believe the foul imputation againi
re the honor and chastity of woman, an
is ere long the women themselves wi
le cease to regard with dread anything I
N says. In the meantime, the mills
e, public opinion go steadily round an
v round, crushing daily old errors an
<. turning out new truths, and before v
st alize it, he will be found denying tbs
he ever 'tsaid So"
s. PROHIBITION.
~ The friends of prohibition will |
:, pleased to learn that q prohibition col