The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-06
EDITORIAL OoRRBSPoNDPNuE


The Albany Aid Society, Of which we
last week made mention, should have
been styled the Ladies' Aid.n as ladies
alone are engaged in its management. /
The festival before alluded to netted. |
accordingto the local papers, S2s7, max /
net patronage in meals and entrance
fees Of las quarter dollars. But how
the ladies did work And such marvels
of cooking as were displayed, and such
genial hospitality as was shown to visi-
tors can nowhere be excelled outside Of
Albany. Indeed, the ladies there are
going ahead in every good work. Dur
ing our stay they we're engaged in cir
eulating local option petition, aud
were very successfulin obtaining sigma
lures. Mrs. Colonel Thompson kindly
showed US her petition on the day pre-
viOus to our departure, and il contained
the names Of several hundred persons,
more than two-thirds of whom are
women who will be voters by and by.
/ When We left Albany eight years ago
| to remove to Portland and take up this
mission for wOman's freedom, ladies
only figured in public as ornaments to
grace mems festivals, or as cooks to pro-
/ vide delicacies for mems epieuTean
tastes. Now, they "talk right out in
meeting" the same as their brothers;
and the time is not far distant when
the "side degree" will 10 longer con-
tent the aspiring soul Of the most de-
voted "Rebecca" who has faithfully
tOiled in wOman's way to help raise the
funds TO build aud furnish the new aud
elegant Odd Fellows Temple, that rears
its three imposing stories on the princi-
pal thoroughfare and holds alOft its long
enshrOuded mysticism, an emblem of the
old idea of masculine superiority, which
is fast breaking down under the con-
stantly increasing growth Of womau's
intellectual knowledge
The churches Of Albany, like those Of
Portland, are more fully attended than
formerly; and much of this increased
interest is due to the endeavOrs OF the
Young Peoples Christian Association.
Surely such a society is badly needed
in Portland. Where are the young peo-
pie who will lead in this work2 There
is no creed in it, no sectsrianism Of any
sort, and only united endeavOr to in
still the precepts and example of the
living Christ into the minds of all who
attend. II ever we are to have mil
leunium on the earth, it must come
through the abolition of creeds, the
breaking down of sectarianism, and the
active cooperation Of the young people,
who are the only hope Of both church
and state.
Women not only lead public seuti-
ment in Albany, but tiey are rapidly
taking the lead in many business enter
prises as well. True, they have been
for so short time in personal control
Of funds that they have not yet accumu.
: lated capital for gigantic enterprises
but they are fast making it, their work
being mainly confined as yet to medicine
millinery, furnishing stores, picture gal
leries, school teaching, printing, paint.
. ing, music teaching aud the inevitabl,
d clearinghouse. We are also pleased
to mention Miss Maggie Foster, the in.
telligent, modest, capable and pretty
hOok-keeper at the business office Of the
Magnolia Mills, whose sensible fathe ei
{ has wisely given her the position ovel
} all outside competitors, aud whose
equally sensible mother puts a China.
= man in the kitchen, at less than hal
e professional book-keeper's wages, anC
} thus gives the young lady The opportu,
, nifty that her many accomplishment,
merit TO become familiar with the in,
= and outs Of an immense and profitabl,
business, into which she may yet be adj
{ mitted as partner. \ dozen wears az,
5 such an innovation woul,i l.aV- -hocke,
! Albany. To-day the city huusts Of it
! Miss Eva Paxton also assists her fat be-
D in his Photographic gallery, and lik,
D himself is aud expert ia her line. Mis-
D Hettie Thompson is successfully Ell
. gagged in school teaching, and Mis-
{ Mary Harmon finds profitable employ
70 ment as a music teacher. Girls likl
: these will not be in haste TO accept thl
S penalties Of matrimOuy. \ free anC
= independent woman would not marry
e king unless she could herself be queen
And we note with pride that fathers O
e such daughters invariably appreciat,
d the situation with quite as happy exul
> tation as the mothers exhibit. Small
danger that such girls will fail to max,
z good house-keepers when such work fall
: to their choice. And, should they al
ways prefer professional life, they will
, never I've compelled to follow distaste
ful occupation simply because they ar,
women.
u Albany is TO have water-works. Nego
u tiations are already pending with a Phil
e adelphia firm for tons upon tons of iror
pipe, the well-knowu capitalists, Messrs
Crawford and Foster, being the project
ors of the movement This enterpris,
will be Of vast utility as sanitary meas
ure, the surface drainage now imbibec
by the inhabitants from shallow welli
= being the cause of fever, ague, diphthe
ria and many chronic ills.
But our visit at Albany, like all ter
restrisl things, must end, aud we haven
had time or strength to even call at hal
the homes where we are expected {,
visit. Business, home and duty recall
fr,D