The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-01-29
THE WOMAN QUESTION.
$50. ".

The WomsiSs Disabilities Bill NJ
before the Legislature seems to bs {
absorbing tagkJ OF interest among I
classes, and at all places and time
There are some in favor of the pa
sage and many against it becoming
law. I have read with interest Ii
communications that have sppesrt
in your columns from tie pens
"Ben Lomond" and "Beu Nevis,
and the general impression seems
me to be in favor OF the last writer
arguments. BEN" No. l, has, hoV
ever, come out ID another commun
ostion, and i'll il he disclaims an
desire to see woman put into Office
and says that he is NOT advocating tn
putting of her there. Yet he is i
favor OF the passage of the bill il
question. Bro. 'Lomond's" position
on this point is quite peculiar, al.
really amounts to this; He has
fine field. into which, OF course, h
has no desire to see any animal ente
that might destroy, or help to destroy
the products Of that field. He mas 4
good strong fence enclosing that farm
and yet he advocates the adjustment
OF that fence. If the fence is taker
down the cows, etc., will enter
unless Ben has some one to watch
for the animals and drive them away.
This would necessitsts q good deal o.
unnecessary trouble, unnecessary be.
cause there is no good reason why the
fence should not be kept as it is al
present. This is, OF seems to be,
very peculiar. He does not want
woman in Office, and would even
prefer that she should not be, and
pet he is willing, even anxious, that
the bar to her occupancy should be
let down. If It is let down, there ia
but little question as to whether the
fair sex, or at least portion OF them,
in this territory, would wapt Office.
There are some, undoubtedly, who
would make loud clamor for official
position, and still louder noise if
they did not get it, and, as "Ben
Nevis" truly sage, "these are not the
women We would like to see in
Office"
l do not question but that there are
plenty of women in Utah, or else
where, for that mater, who are
capable of filling, creditably, the
majority of official positions, but I do
most seriously Question the god that
would result from the passage OF the
bill in question, and the filing of
such offices with women of nerve"
"stropg-ninded women" or "Wesk-
minded women" 1t is a fact gener-
ally con coded by even the stsunche:t
advocate of woman's "rights" that
the true sphere Of woman is her
homo. These advocates will also tell
you. if you ask them, that there Is no
york more becoming or more suited
10 woman than the domestic duties of
her household; that there is no work
which will bring her more credit and
glory than the proper care and train
ing Of her children-such care and
So will make honest, moral
and industrious citizens of them.
And yet, in the next breath, you may
hear them clamoring for their
rights" in other words, for the
privilege of performing public duties
that will take them away from home
the circle Of which woman is
to be the all-controlling
power for good or evil. If they aban.
Ion the care Of their children for
their rights" who is to see tia! the
lender and uniformed minds are
guided Alright in their early life ? Il
is important that someone should
have this duty at home, and who
more fit for the position than the
mother? The thoughts of the chill
lren turn instinctiVely to the mother
for guidance and support, and her
acts and doings are noticed and
copied by them in later year,. II she
could only be made TO see it, woman
occupies around the charmed circle
Of home, a higher and more exalted
position than she will ever attain
out of it. There she reigns
and che ought to. 1t is
there she moulds and forms the desti-
nies of nations, and she can only do
80 for good, by keeping Wise control
Of her child-subjects. "There Is"
says one well-knoRn writer, "no
denying my solicitude for the per-
manency and the fair fame OF the
Mothers Empire; and when l see her
osing control over her child-subjettl,
my soul laments in fear and bitter
ness. Then it is that | wonder how
she can descend from her throne
how put off the queenly garb. Isis
in the Egyptian dance, could not
wonder wound me more, because
seem to see in the hearts of mothers
the unutterable love that renders
sacrifice a Joy. What nameless devil
is it that can lure a mother from
anxious and unbroken concern for
her dependent little children ?" In
the record of the lives Of the great
and good men of the world we almost
invariably find that they attribute
what are called manhood's no5lest
qualities to the early influence Of
their mother. What could woman
desire grander than that? Gould
be desired nobler or higher?
Is not such a fame better and purer
than any that can be reached through
the many avenues in life to which
some women are crying for admit
lance? l think so. But if such men
had not been the recipients OF SUCH
solicitude and care, how
different would have been the excla.
nations from their lips
Yes, Messrs. Editors, | have an
idea that if the world IS to be made
better snd purer, woman must do it;
but not in the way aud manner in
which some think it is to be done. Ii
any woman desires to sdd her mite
towards such q state of affairs, che
can easily do 50; not, however, in
loudly clamoring for her rights" or
showing pieces of paper into ballot
box, but rather by remaining in the
sacred precincts of Home, sud eX,
pending her time and talents in in
sitting into she hearts and
minds OF her children those
principles of virtue, rurity and
uprightness, honor and integrity,
without which they will be monstrouG
and repulsive. One woman who il
content to do this, and does it to the