Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-12-09


to hear them making pathways for
themselves over mountains of Difficult
ties and through lodges of prejudice !;
to hear them criticisiug the institutions
and methods which men had believed
invulnerable.
Formerly, women had so little in
fuence, and knew so little Of the needs
and interests of society, that the
void would have laughed OR sneered
if IL woman had d, red to crlticise es-
tablished methods-as did it not laugh
at and insult and kill Mary Woolstole-
craft, whose nonsense of hundred
years ago is acknowledged wisdom to-
day
1t would have laughed if woman
had suggested that a law was unjust,
and should be changed or that the
public money should be used to better
advantage or that criminals and un-
fortunates should be more wisely treat
ed. 1t would have insultingly remain
ded such a woman back to the kitchen
aud nursery, for which place she was
created But to-day the world does
not auyh when women suggest such
ideas. day the world pays heed
to the opinions Of such women as
Dorotha Dix, Harriet Martinez, Mrs,
Livermore, Maria Mitchell, Lueretil
Mott, and Frances Power Cobbe.
Already the education Of youth has
passed almost entirely into the hands
of women, in this country.
Already women are preaching from
pulpits, practicing medicine and law !;
already they are editing journals and
lecturing, and occupying school-boards;
and now, as another evidence Of wo-
mans advancement, here looms up
this woman S ccnrgess, an assemblage
of women from all parts of the nation
to consider, not a single question, but
all questions which concern the ad-
vancement of the sex to deliberate
upon the entire work which has been
accomplished in this country and in
Europe, and to concentrate their wis
dom i'll planning for the future.
What do these phenomena indicate? :?
Are they Of any significance among
the events of the world, or are they
something to be smiled at. like an ab-
surd fashion, and forgotten [ do not
think more significant class of events
has occurred within the Christian era
than this uprising of women all through
the world, demanding knowledge, lib
erty, justice-not only demanding
them. but toil.ng and struggling for
them, making sacrifices for them, as
men have toiied and struggled and
sacrificed for the same principles. 1t
reaches down as deep and up as
nigh as Christianity itself, for it means
the salvation Of the race. No race Of
men can climb far up out Of darkness
so long as its women arc cramped and
ignorant and ignored.
The work that is to be done must be
done hand III hand, for men and wo-
men are ingredients in human civiliza-
tion and cannot be separated.
Doubtless some will say: "The
world does well enoLg Oh now it is not
bad wofld, aud there is no need for
women to leave the old domestic
paths. Put the world is not we'll
enough now. When | think of the
want and sickness and suffering, Of the
ignorance and cruelty and depravity
everywhere about us; when [ think Of
the wrangling ard hating; of the
strikes because men and women cannot
earn enough for comfortable living
when | think OF the beggars and the
vicious wallowing unconseiously and
helplessly in wretchedness and sin {;
when | think of the lying and thiev-
ing and hypocrisy and intolerance and
unhappiness even in respectable quar-
ters, L say the world is not '.well
enough now, and if [ did not believe
thai a better era were approaching |
would feel that the human race was a
failure; but [ do believe a better civil
ization is awaiting the race But in
reaching it woman s thought and wis
dom and work are as necessary as
mans. Indeed | am not sure but they
are more impoltant--that while men
will drive on the material progress OF
the race, it will devolve upon women
to push on the moral and spiritual.
Believing that there is such important
work for women to do for thems Ives
and for the race, | hail with rejoicing
every sign that women are recognizing
the situation and preparing themselves
for this work. And this is why Eo-
mans congress is one of the most
significant of events.
1t is not only proof Of growth,
but it is prophesy. From these de-
liberations will come not only added
wisdom, but an electric fire which will
arouse women in our own country and
across the seas. many of whom will dc
nobler work because of what their
sisters have said and done.
And [ wish here to say that it Is