The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-11
What Do You Think About 1t ?

.
It is impossible to decide which sex
was created superior, or which inferior,
while the condition of the two remains
as mixed as at present. DR.. NJ, who is
female, would weigh fifty pounds more
than DR.. H., who is male, and could lift
him in her arms out of any difficulty
that his littleness might fall into. His
eyes are blue, hers are black. His hair
is f1ax-color, hers, like midnight. His
voice is piping and child-like, hers, q
| full, round bass. He passed into his
profession honestly, she, with great
ecLdt. He has a small practice, she, one
that is overwhelming. He is soft, do
cile, amiable, smiling, has pretty white
hands and little decision of character,
while she is stern, decided, resolute and
independent. He would turn white
while amputating a limb; she would
not blanch.
But what does it all prove2 Moth
ing. She is woman, he, man. She
is superior in some things, he, in 9TH
ers. Why should he be granted rights
and immunities denied to her? Which
is superior?
Bessie sings soprano, and Willie sings
alto. Which is superior? Tom can
! plough, and Hattie can cook and weave.
He might cook and she might plough;
would it prove anything? A woman
may run farm or drive cattle; she
may take charge of a saw-mill or learn
the blacksmith's trade, and may be
perfect in her art in each and all; yet,
it would only prove that woman could
do those things-nothing more. Not
her superiority, or inferiority, or equal
| ity. Nor does it prove that woman,
/ in fOllnvTrirc fhacn IlaH EGFOno ira
employments,n needs, or can use, for
for her own benefit, the right of suffrage
or the privileges of equality before the
law, any more than she can so use them
as a maker of biscuits or of dresses.
Old Billy Lamb was declared by the
proper authorities of Morgan county,
Ohio, to be non con1pOs mentis, and en-
titled to board and lodging in the poor
house; while his wife, who was so much
| his superior that she could scrub and
sweep, was denied the same favor.
Every woman in the country whose la
Dor enriched the nation by making a
web of cloth or pound of butter, or by
cooking a meal of victuals for hungry
labOrers, in just so much helped to pay
the taxes, in an indirect way, which
gave this superior" man his board,
lodging and clothes. And yet, on every
election day for fifteen years, this pau
per was brought to the polls to give his
vote for every county officer, and stood,
in politics, an individuality in import
ance equal to the Governor of the State,
or even the President of the United
States, and could help elect commission
ers who would let him into home and
shut his wife out of it. Yet, he was the
more able to work of the two, and could
have scrubbed and swept as well as she,
only he would get drunk, and he and his
peers always licensed the dram-shop.
Who was the superior? Billy Lamb,
or the lady principal of the school?
| Mr.. Putney inherited a large home
with stock, farming utensils, and
money in bank. He was father of
seven children, lived fast, gambIed,
drank, and wasted his substance. One
day he made a will, and willed away all
but one of the children, including one
unborn, to strangers. All the property
! he left to his wife, and, like a man,
| locked himself up in a tavern room and
blew his brains out. His will of course
was not legalized, and his creditors
came together to consult. His wife
said to them: "Leave me the farm and
my children, and l will try to pay you
all, in time" And the heaviest creditor
said, "Let us do it and save this mother
of seven children, the eldest not twelve
years old, from bitter poverty and toll. 1"
And so it was agreed. The wife took
the place of administatrix, and carried
on the farm as head manager; was
mother, house-keeper, nurse, farmer,
miller, stock-raiser and book-keeper.
She paid off the mortgages. When her
children were ready to go out into the
world their portion was ready for them,
and they were ready to rise up and call
her blessed. Was he or she superior?
A lady had two sons and one daugh-
ter. Each attempted college studies.
The boys failed; one from stupidity,
one from ill-health. The girl went
through triumphantly. That was no
proof that boys should not go to college.
What do you think about it it?-Fr0nceS
d. Gage IN WOmdT1's Journal.