The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-05-03
THE WONDER.

"Women should not be aggressive If
they wish men to look favorably upon
their claims to equality" said gentle
man commentator on the lectures of a
lady who recently visited this city.
perhaps not, but looking back over
the centuries, it does seem as if being
pGssiUe has not done much toward Sc
curing equality for them" remarked a
lady, rehectively.
"Well, men do not like for a woman
to make a demand; they prefer to hear
her speak mildly at all times"
"Quite likely. But should not the
necessity that causes a demand for
equal rights to be made be rather TO be
deplored than the fact that the demand
is made? Aud did it never occur to you
that constant opposition is not great
incentive to mildness of speech ?"
The demand for copy was urgent, and
we passed on, not waiting TO hear the
reply-passed on, musing.
Have you never thought, brethren,
what an immense wear and strain upon
the temper aud nerves Of these women
workers in the woman movement is the
lordly superiority with which men,
often very inferior in intellect, assume
to dictate for all wOmankind? Have
YOU never thought how unreasoning op-
position and constant misrepresentation
bring to the front the aggressive quail
titles that, being human attributes, exist
in the minds Of women aud men alike
Place any human being in any eircum-
stances you please, and constantly aud
persistently oppose and find fault with
and misrepresent his motives, actions,
and words. Can you expect replies uni
formly kind, couched in language al
ways faultless and devoid of sarcasm
Then think, we ask, before you repeat
the unjust criticisms and broken-down
witticisms of every penny-a-liner for
the past quarter Of century concerning
women who have given thought and
time and strength in advocacy OF equal
rights, Of the misrepresentation and in
justice and Fidicule that have sometimes
betrayed women into acting human in
the display of vexation which prudence
would have cOuuseled them to check or
hide. That these things have sometimes
told upon women in rasping speech and
impatient gesture is small wonder. In
deed, the wonder is that, being human
and protesting to be naught else, asking
merely human rights and receiving
contempt instead, advancing argument
10 be met with that most senseless yet
often most effective weapon, ridicule,
their sphere defined by narrow minds
that in the very action were out Of their
own province, their duties descanted
upon by those to whom personal duty is
an idle aud meaningless term; in view
OF all this and much more, we say, tn,
wonder is that women thus placed upon
the defensive because of their sex do moi
more often assume the aggressive, auC
neglect to temper their language with
kindness and their invincible logic will
patience and conciliation. Were they
otherwise in this particular they would
be more than human, a distinction sen.
sible women do not claim or crave, and
might be entitled 10 the doubtful honor
Of an angelhOod neither human nor an
gelic, but wingless and nondescript,
which vapid men declare to be the true
estate Of woman, an estate which, were
it attainable, would be the grave of all
womauly aspiration, deep-digged by ar
rogance, aud heaped high by the debris
of the ages