The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-04-29

riet Bcecher Stoves labors in behalf of a
freedom. Witness the closing scenes of !
the life of Mrs. Ann Hutchinson, stand
ing side by side with Roger Williams, y
battling against the narrow bigotry Of t
the strict churchmen Of New England. I
Witness the woman missionaries and I
wives of missionaries who are to-day in
foreign lands, denying themselves of all
the pleasures of life to promote the wei.
fare of humanity. Witness the labors Of
Mary A. Livermore, Julia Ward Howe,
Mrs. Somerville. Mrs. Browning, Grace
Greenwood, Gail Hamilton, the Cary
sisters, Mrs. Alcott, and hun
dreds, yea thousands. of others
and then attempt if you can to mar
row down woman's sphere Of useful
ness to washing, ironing, hopping and
baking!
In ancient times, when the feet of foot,
the strong in muscle, we're made rulers;
when might made right and the weak
were the slaves of the strong, and women
were bought and sold as chattels, they
naturally occupied the positions OF SER
wants, and could only improve their con-
dition with the progression of enlighten-
ment. In those days and in heather
lands John C. Heenan might have been
king, while Horace Greeley would have
been compelled to furnish his own straw
and make bricks. Brooks would have
been honored and Sumner disgraced; but
in our day and in our land, we are fast
learning to substitute the power Of rea-
son for the power Of force. We need look
back but . short space to fully compre-
bend the progression we are making. A
few years ago, laboring under the i'm
preston that brute force was the only
power that could govern, and that wo-
mans only sphere was in the household,
our schools and almost every depart
ment of business WIS filled almost
exclusively by men, while women, who
, were not fortunate enough to get hus'
bands, were compelled to exc out SUBJ
sistance at the rate Of fifty cents per
week. But careful Investigation and ex-
perience soon began TO demonstrate the
fact that there was higher, nobler sys.
E tenn of government, which taught men to
govern the nselves, and in the exercise Of
the principles of this government woman
has demonstrated herself to be very pro-
/. ficient. This, in connection with her
4 natural ability to lead and instruct. is
;. fast awarding to her the first place at the
head of our schools and if she has power
there to govern the young minds and
!. teach them to govern themselves, may
Y she not be able to continue to guide those
r minds in the proper channels Of self-gov'
# eminent! 1t is true there may be some
o danger Of war when the superior physical
force of man would be call,d upou to as
IS sert itself, but that danger is fast reced
a ing. When we look at the amicable Sc:
IS Element between England and the United
+ States Of the Alabama Claims, we ART
D. confirmed in the hope that the day is no
N distant when wars will be counted
as evils of the past, and nation
r. will settle difficulties in the same manne
70 as their individual subjects; when, il
pr fact. all nations will be united under on
n. system OF government founded upon tn
e. consent of the governed, and the NOR
Justly and honorably We treat all our sui
id jects, the nearer may we hope to approx
er mate to that goal. parent owes 1t 7
n. his children, that he should treat them a
" alike, granting to each the same right
an and privileges. Agovernment owes to il
ed subjects the same consideration to oil
m. rich or poor, high or lew, man or woman
cd This we cannot claim so long as one-ha
,er of our subjects are DISTINGUISHED. An
IRE the evil does not stop here. The Law
CIV are partial, in behalf Of the men, an
lot will continue so As long IS they arroga
to themselves the exclusive right to lie
~, islate. Look for moment 1T the la
mf' which so long disgraced the statutes
- Minnesota. To illustrate A man al
I .hs his wife commence life without propert
10 and, after years Of patient labor, sa
- CROUCH to purchase farm. If the won
'rd dies the property, by law, belongs to I
- man; but if the man dies, leaving
The children, no matter how II
'.s gal the woman may ha
~ been, even though her han
~; ~, may have earned all the money to ps
.cs chase the property, the law enacted
80 men and by them kept in force for ma
years magnanimously grants to her
20 use Of one-third Of the property VIII
she lives. the balance to go to his fathe
-. heirs upon his death and the widov
s. third to follow in the same channel WI
~ she dies, even though she may have N
Ell Ell ried again and raised children to be robt
~. Of their just inheritance.
ago, Again, no matter how deeply invos,
cas- q man might be, while he stayed With
con- family to assume the guise Of protect
the the law protected them against want
Gov. prescribing long list Of exemptions #
E be. seizure for debt. But if the man sho
un- desert his family, stealing away eve
thing movable so that he would no 10
est. er need the protection Of the Law,
ana wife and children would become pro
She subjects for plumber. and the sh'
ID an would step in and sell the home and d
cart, away the last COW to hquidate d
, She leaving them to starve. when there is
truc- man 10 suffer by the seizures Graci
her laws these were, to Be enacted by I
ne is who feel called upon to point out to
As . man her proper sphere and to 81
the these wrongs, WAS. / suppose. one Of
good spheres"
to Again, We have still another beau
ssion instance Of woman's sphere, as aliotte
here. her by man, in the case that IS now
- r - L. 81 nal .