The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-10-02
THE WAY TO PEACE.

themselves 10 their husbands, il does not fol-
low that their husbands are superior but
that in all relations there must be one head
/ "a two headed creature is always a mOnstrosily.
| In the househould there must be one head
namely, the husband. A private soldier may
know more than his colonel, hut he must sub
nit 20 his colonel so lonCsas he is a private.
The wife may be wiser than her husband, but,
! II SO, she will submit herself 10 him rather
than have strife with him. Almost any error
will bring less suffering upon "a household, and
less evil upon the children, than perpetual
conflict between husband and wife and no
possible arbiter to decide between them.
1t is enough to make the blood Of any
intelligent, self-respeeting woman boil
with indignation to see such atrocious
sentiments as the above sincerely pat
forth by a leading religious weekly,
which claims to be progressive and TO
favor justice and equal rights.
Here was an opportunity to say that,
whatever teaching ignorant Greek wom-
en- might have required eighteen centu-
ries ago, no such exhortatiOn applied to
the American wife Of to-day. Instead
of this, it is coolly assumed that the
principle Of abject and uuquestioned
submission of the wife to the husband
is Of universal application in all ages
and under all circumstances that it is
right, expedieut, and, indeed, necessary.
| IL is coolly asserted that, unless the wife
always submits in all things to the will
Of the husband, she will "have strife
with him." in other words, that he will
invariably insist upon his rightful pre-
rogative to rule, and she will have no
alternative but submission, for the sake
of peace aud the good of the children.
Affect submission is not the way to
an honorable peace. The order which
reigned in Warsaw is not the order we
want in family life. The only true har-
mony is the harmony Of equality, the
harmony to be obtained by a recogni.
tion of mutual rights and duties. Alb
sOlute authority on the one hand, anC
unquestioning submission on the other
is the worst possible example to set be,
fore children. Children who see theil
mother habitually ruled by their father
and never venturing to have a will o
her own, lose respect for her, and viii
not submit to her control. Her sons
despise her, and take the earliest oppor
tuuity, on the approach Of manhood, t.
assume over her the same air OF superi
ority they have seen their father in
dulge, to which she, her will and judg
meut weakened by disuse, easily sue
cumbs.
The children also attempt to tyranuiz,
over each other as they see their fathe
tyrannize over their mother. If th,
parents caunot work together in har
mony, unless one is constantly subjec
to the other, how can the children plal
together on any other terms II tn
man should be "head" in the family, i
is but appropriate that the brother
should assume the dictatorship owe
their sisters aud when their time come
to marry they will enter the relation
with the same idea that it is their pre-
rogative to rule and the wife's duty t,
submit, which they have illustrated a
home. The effect Of this principle upor
the characters OF both husbands an,
wives is pernicious in the extreme. Th,
husband becomes selfish, tyrannicaI an,
arbitrary the wife is dwarfed in judg
ment, will, self-respect, or becomes de
ceitful and hypocritical, if she does not
as a strong, healthy nature would, breal
out in open rebellion against such fla
grant and cruel injustice. To compar
family disipline to that Of any army i
absurd. 1t is more like a business part
nership. Do we ever hear that in sucl
a partnership it is necessary for one o
the partners to be the absolute 'head'
Of the other, who must always submi
for the good Of the firm
Are articles OF partnership usually
drawn with specifications to the efiec
that one Of the partners named shal
always rule and the other always sub
nit Or, in default Of written agree
ments, is there any law or custom t.
that effect? II so, have yet to learr
of it.
II would be more to the purpose for 9
Christian periodical Of the present age
and nation to exhort husbands to recog.
nize the equal rights of wives and tC
defer to their wishes and judgment in
matters pertaining peculiarly to their
Sphere" for the sake of avoiding
"strife," and Of setting good example
to the children, than to encourage them
to tyranny and injustice by exhorting
wives to yield to them for the sake OF
peace, no matter how unreasonable
they may be.
The wise woman will not always
Submit" She will have, if necessary,
contest, short, sharp, and decisive,
which shall be followed by peace based
on equality. rather than live a life Of
degrading and humilisting submission
in that home Of which she is called
"queen." In the family partnership
/ the division Of labor is usually so clear.
/ " defined that there can be little cues.
| ton as 20 which should decide a given
point, where it is necessary that one
should decide. Clearly in the husbands
/ business, be must be the fiual arbiter
aud in the wife's business, as keeper of
/ home and trainer of children, she should
decide all doubtful questions. Liberty,
| justice and equality are as sweet to
woman as to man, and as necessary
both 10 her highest good and his.
LAVINIA GOODEIL.
Janesyille, Wis, Sept. 4, 1879.