, 1880-06-27
CDusta .IepHouv

Ib the Editor Of The Chicago 1Ffbtne-
CHICAGO, June 26.-In the summer Of 1850 the
second Woman's Rights Convention held In Ohio
| had a resolution reported FROM its committee to
| education-" OF course this is not what the
| Committee wanted to say, and wns not what the
| Convention wanted to say, yet there is good
| reason to believe the resolution would have
been adopted but for the determined opposition
| OF two people, and the discussion brought out
tho sentiment which sought expression in those
words. That sentiment is, that women, if prop
erly educated, would be independent of Rtn.
and hnre no need Of protection. Nuns old-tilno
office of protection was to bo abolished. It WAS
denounced and ridicuIed rs relic Of barbar-
ism. Speakers declared that women were just
as much required to protect men MS men
women, If they happened to GO the stronger.
All that women required to secure tndcpend-
ence was muscle, and this was to be acquired by
education
When reminded Of Christ's prophecy Of the
destruction Of Jerusalem, and the peculiar
hardship Of prospective and nursing mothers,
they sneered, but reluctantly consented to some
slight modification Of the resolution; but the
idea Of woman's independence of ulau was the
from the two preceding Conventions, the first
held in Syracuse, N. T., the second in Salem, Q.
The proceedings Of these Conventions were
spread broadcast over tho reading world aud
brought to hundreds OF thousands OF women
and girls discomfort and u spirit Of bravado.
The 10t1ncfS QauBnLef fnusL &o OuL IHlO tae
world like the farmers SON, to push her fortune,
and the way was opened for every pinp and prn-
curcss to draw girls into their netS with oilers Of
work and wages. Tint love of personal dccorn-
ton inherent in all animals became the powerful
aid Of the newborn and most unnatural spirit
Of independence which has drained our rural
districts Of female labor and left us to eat
whecl-sreasc Instead Of butter and to import
eggs by the million, while our butter mt kers
aud pou1try-raisers are filling city brothes Or
begging work In shops at starvation prices.
This most unfortunate girl. COusta Jepson, is
but one OF the tens of thousands of victims Of
that daredevil Independence which leads women
to forEet they are women. to ignore the peculiar
dangers of their sex, and to uunlnn men by re-
leasing them from on their duties as the natural
No woman has right to expose herself to the
danger of going alone into strange city to
hunt work This girl was doing well in Mar
shalltoWn. saving money, and must have been
with friends. Why diff she leave them without
suitable precautions to insure her personal
safety?
No one pities her more than !, who believe
that her rnviahcrs should be identified, then
banged on the spot Uut also believe that the
police should be required to arrest and inprtson
after dirk. The boast Of mot afraid" which
takes women into danger on frivolous errands, is
simply q plea Of idocy. 4 woman who is not
afraid to risk her person IN the power of 9 ruff
fan is a fool, and should be projected, with or
Eycrything possible should be done for this
girl brought into this horrible dilema By that
vicious pu bile sentiment which teaches, or toll
crates, the prevailing spirit Of masculine fnde-
pendence on the part Of women. but her case
ehould serve to kill chat sentiment, and teach
our woman's rights leaders to remember that
women are and will continue tn be women. and,
as such, subject to dangers unknown to men,
JANE GREY SW1SsHELA.