The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-30
He DoDGBs THE QUESTION AND
Is SORRY.

/
dodges every point made in our edito- {
rial of two weeks since, headed "Purely I
Playful" but goes on with wind of airy
nothings, seeking with childish snivel-
ing and mawkish assumption of piety
to evade issues which he is clearly un-
able to meet and grapple with. In his
sore distress for a loophole through
which to escape, we do not know what
he would have done had he not be-
thought himself of the old assertion
made thousand times by men of his
calibre when driven to the wall for
want of arguments to sustain their un-
just attitude toward equal rights for
women, that a demand for these "has
no source, but sour regret that God
has in some instances made women in !
stead of men, and is no more nor less
than desire to get away from mother
hood" The thousands of women who
battle in this great cause because they
honor and would exalt womanhood; the
yet other thousands who labor and pray
for its triumph, yet neglect none of the
high and holy duties of motherhood,
are sufficient refutation to this wholee
sale stander, this unmitigated falsehood
behind which sorely beset opposers of
equal rights take refuge when hard
pressed. Notice, if you please, the posi-
ton of this great (?) organ of the great
Methodist Episcopal Church in regard
to two-thirds or three-fourths of its
working members. 1t is read by wom-
en-, paid for by women, sustained by
women. Many women endowed with
more zeal than independence, Jour opin-
ion in this matter was strengthened
few days since by that of good sister
now well advanced in life, who has for
years been an honored and faithful
member of the Methodist church, take
the church paper and wash, sew and re-
economies to pay for it, and pocketing
their subscription, the paper insults
their intelligence in almost every issue.
Could ingratitude, bigotry, and assump-
, tion farther go?
But to hear our brother talk, there is
great danger of Flooding the market
with preachers" Judging from the gi-
gantic strides which evil, in the very
face of the endeavors of conscientious
, ministers, is making, we should con-
slider the text, "Behold the field is white
for the harvest, but the laborers are
few" as appropriate now as when it fell
= from the pleading lips of Jesus of Naz-
1 areth.
> Again he says, discouraging the IL
> censing Of women preachers: "Wisdom
would dictate that before the supply (ol
preachers) increases greatly, there
should be demand" Is then the de-
mand for the gospel falling off? Or i:
= our brother only judging from the fall
! ing off of the subscription list of the Id,
vOcate since he placed his unstable hanC
> upon the helm, so long used to firm anC
: steady guidance, and caused the churct
organ to veer from her erewhile straigh
c and honorable course?
: Again: "Let women go where they
please and do what they can in all lines
but we hope the day is far distant whel
{ they shall have the ballot or have Ii
cense." OF course women are expected
to be duly grateful for this generous
permission from one in authority t.
Ego where they like" ETC., albeit b.
implies that they needn't expect aiC
~ from him, which is not so stunning al
u implication as he evidently thinks i
i will be. Energetic and conscientiou
10 women are getting too wise to leal
e upon broken reeds, or to ask counsel o
y bigOtry. Our brother has ponpousl,
u referred to his "wife" as a weak-mindet
J. woman in both of his editorials upol
IL this subject, which was entirely super
T. fiuous, although we have been toll
~ 'that she is the better man of the two,
w in which opinion we are induced by hi
Vi vacillating course to coincide.
In conclusion, we advise our brothe
to let the elders read his copy upon i'm
portant subjects, if he should in futur
y venture to discuss them before it goe
y to the composition. He can, upon de
10 mand, go back upon what he says NOR
" privately, if not more honorably, tha
q. when he hands over his manuscript t
o. the typos without such inspection b
q. the powers behind the throne who caus
ne him to wriggle so ridiculously in his ed
torial chair.