The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-09
LETTER FROM TuMWATER.

| noticed letter from Miss Susan b.
Anthony, in which she very sensibly
counsels all your patrons to send you
one dollar each to assist in meeting
your expenses to the Centennial. 1t is
apparent that good wishes will never
effect all that is needed in any reform
movement. They, to be significant,
must be backed by something to sus-
tain the physical. If the destitute and
suffering poor in-our large cities could
have been warmed, fed, and clothed by
the fervent prayers of the righteous,
why then, you see, we could have used
the dollars, which in part represent
fuel, food, and clothing, for clearing
new land and making comfortable
homes, which things, it is well known,
require more firm muscle and hard
knocks than theoretical "means of
grace"
Consistency, l sometimes think, is
the rarest jewel on this planet, and
the man that almost in the same
breath clamors for equal rights to all
and denies the use of the ballot to
woman, is certainly not overtasked
with that desirable quality. There is
too much said anyhow about mans
agency IN bringing about Woman Suf-
frage. 1 held years ago that if women
desire the ballot, they must get it them
selves. Men are naturally selfish, much
too selfish to voluntarily relinquish the
vantage ground they have occupied
without remonstrauce through the long
centuries Cast. Women must take the
aggressive. They must not wait for
men to do the work for them, for rest
assured they will very tardily, if at all,
do it. Neither should they wait for a
few self-sacrificing brave ones to fall as
the "forlorn hope" before they en- nldSse
come to the rescue. They should study
the matter wisely and thoroughly, and
then speak out plainly. Their timidity
and reticence are just what their noble
lords and masters are relying upon to
keep securely their own conservative
seats in the old hobby saddle. 1t is true
that there have been many bold and
impolitic expressions by women who
have been, perhaps, over Jealous and
not too wise, which have been bruited
about and taken advantage of by the
wouldbe guardians of our worlds well
fare, but then they (such expressions)
sink into insignifieance when compared
with the vast amount of silly clap trap
by hundreds of learned wise-acres of the
conservative school.
"Woman's sphere" "woman's du-
ties," "woman's organization" "wom-
ans delicate and refined tastes" etc.,
have often times been fancifully
wrought out and served up to suit the
''public taste" by these 'lovers of them
selves" more than broad humanity,
until the thing don't satisfy the reason
any more. Tender hearts, refined tastes,
shy manners, loving dispositions, untir-
ing patience, and all the meek and
lOwly attributes ascribed to angelic
nature, would be first rate as the cOntin-
ued heritage of women, were the other
side all right, and not disposed to take
advantage of those divine qualities to
minister unto their selfishness. Love
and good will to men and the ennobling
arts of peace were all good, and much
to be admired in our ancestors 100 years
ago, until the hand of oppression got too
heavy to bear, when another mode of
tactics became desirable, and through
eight years struggle, eminently success
ful. And when, in the great coming
contest for truth and justice, woman
shall have prevailed-as they most as
suredly will-she can perhaps better af-
ford to lay aside the keener weapons of
her warfare and don the peaceful and
unassuming garb of the quiet "help-
meep' again.
And here fearlessly assert that for
long ages past-and not much better at
present the whole ponderous ma
chinery of theology has made to tell
fearfully in the subordination of woman
to man. No doubt Paul's idea that
imam is the head of the woman" and
when they wanted to "learn anything,
to ask their husbands at home," has
had great influence in moving "holy
men of old" and holy men of more
modern times to fasten TO that vantage
ground with all the eagerness of the
drowning wretch to the straw. But the
times have sadly, oh, how sadly
changed; for women have found out
lately that they have certain "inalien-
able rights" and equal brains with
men, and moreover, there is quite a
numerous class of inquiring minds ON
the "anxious seat" as well as the
"mOurners' BENCH" who have no "hus-
bands at home," nor anywhere else, to
go to, for all useful information respect
ing their duties in life; nor in fact does
a quite goodly number of them very
much want the old-fashioned kind of
duties, anyway.
Meekness, humility, reverence, etc.,
when the idea is transferred from prin-
ciples to executives of force or law, in
whatever order found, is calculated to
retard intellectual growth at all times.
HGOd hath done his mart ~ man sOnoe-