Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-11-09
WnMAN,S SPHERE.
Remarks In Debate by Miss Edith Goodrich, OF
the Lancaster High School.


with because, as women so often do,
thinking 1t sufficient that they have
a reason without troubling them
selves 10 give it. And the question
which we hope satisfactorily to an
swer. is, why should not the sphere
of women be enlarged?
First, then, because it as sphere.
That much-abused word has a sig
nifieance which perhaps has not oc-
cured to any of you. Try charging
sphere by giving the circumference
jerk from the outside, to make it
include some particular pont-the
right to vote or to practice law for
example, and where is your sphere !?
or try charging from the inside as a
soap-bubble is enlarged, growing
more beautiful, perhaps, but more
frail, until the pressure exceeds the
resistan ce-and presto, change; again,
whore is your sphere? This you say
ia fancifuI perhaps so, but it is not
without meaning.
In order, however, to bring the
discussion out from the vague haze
of indefinite rights and cloudy shapes
called wrongs, into the clear light of
reason ana undisputed fact, let us
clearly understand what is meant by
the hackneyed phrase, "woman's
rights" | take il, that whatsoever
woman at the present day rightfully
does or may do, is part OF her sphere;
and propose to prove to you that
whatever lies beyond is something
she cannot do (for much as | love
my own sex [ must admit even a a0o-
man can't do everything something
she should not do, or something
which, if she is reasonable being,
she would much rather not do. The
boundaries, then, are arbitrary and
set down by the ''tyrant man" with
"thus far and no farther?" Or shall
we find in the nature of things abund-
ant reason for there being boundaries
and for their being where they are?
Let it be understood then we are
not debating the question, has wo-
man the right to be as much of NO.
man as she can-educsted, well-read,
self-supporting? No one will deny
that The question, as we see it is
simply "should the prohibitions, le-
gal or social, which at present keep
women from doing some things which
men do, be removed ?
do not come here tonight to re-
prove man, or to shift responsibilities
upon him. Whatever is wrong in
woman's condition is chiefly her
fault and for her to remedy. Here
let me say, shall consider no vul-
gar cant about the equality of the
sexes. 1t seems a tacit confession of
a smarting sense of inferiorlty TO
open that discussion. A perfect wo-
man is as perfect as a perfect man,
and as rare but BY. no means to be
considered as either Of an inferior or
superior order Of being. Man and
woman are both human; each hav-
ing in a normal condition differing
powers and methods according TO
different results to be obtained. And
while there are many things done
with equal success by man or woman,
it is not on these common grounds
that either brings out the best that
is in him. No fact makes me so sure
of human progress as the improve
ment Of woman's condition. The
slave, the toy, the craven image Ct
worship, the treasure to be gained
uuu uusosseu, Gil these enc has been
by turns in relation to man. Now,
for the first time she has her proper
place she is first of all herself; has
an Independent existence, aud 10 re-
Iation to man is companiou-help-
meet. Earnestly would | now utter
my voice of warning to woman on
the rampage and clsmoling for more
What would you, oh my sister p? Be-
ware Learn from history that as
the pendulum vibrates from one ex-
IRENE to the other, SO does the
human race rush madly past the
golden mean, only 10 be hurled back,
never considering that extremes are
dangerous.
What would you? Your rights ?
Rights to what? Self support? Sure
ly, every way in which modest wo
man would care IT, support herself is
open to you. Tho trouhle hero lies
with woman herself Having the
false idea that some ways of support
are in better repute than others
equally honorable, those so.called
genteel roads TO independence are
crowded by those who have no fit
ness for the work and wages are low
cred in consequence. 1t is not girls
who teach year after year for SIS or
$40 per month and girls who kill
themselves sewing for fifty cents per
day, it is not that your sphere is too
narrow, but that you need to leave
the over populated Greece of school
teachers or England Of sewing-wo-
men, and go with steady hand, clear
brain and brave heart TO the New
World of work for which you are
best fitted. There are plenty of &C.
equations, respectable and remuner-
alive, if we will but have the courage
to fit ourselves for them and work
patiently and honestly ; and few of
us, imagine, feel called to make
stump speeches or defend a thief
Woman may inveigh against the
"tyrant man" or call philanthropy to
her aid, but the memorable law of
supply and demand will control
wages, Notwithstanding. Are not
the legal and medical professions
crowded :? There is "room only at
the top" in any profession or occupa-
ton. They WORK, not from love of
their calling; trying to rise, fitting
themselves for good position snd
then demanding that position, but
merely to get little money for
bread and butter and calico till they
shall be married to man who makes
it bis business to provide those arti-
cles. Just so long then as we women
aro noutont m fit onrsalyas IN do in