The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-26
MINOR MENTION.
posed en-

On the ground that the work was ''unwoman-
ly' and degrading, the Pennsylvania Legislature
lately passed law prohibiting women from
working in the coke ovens and in mines In
stead of receiving the thanks of the ladies inter
ested in the advancement of their sex, as they
perhaps expected, the legislators are being
hauled over the Goals for meddling with the
rights and privileges of women Investigation
into the matter shows that of the few women
hitherto engaged in these laborous occupations,
nearly all were widows who must do something
for the support of their families, or were the
wives of men who were too i'll or feeble to do the
work themselves The champions of the class
thus disseminated against do not recommend
mining and coke shoveling as suitable or desira-
BILE employments for women, but contend that
they should have the right to earn an honest
living in this way when other alternative is
presented to them but idleness or beggary If
they are to be debarred from earning their
bread by the only means open to
them simply because the work in
question is regarded as out Of their proper field
then, insist their champions, the men who are
tresTassng on feminine prerogatives by selling
tapes and corsets and by cooking and dress
making should be prohibited from so doing AS
it is no man is prevented from earning his living
at anything for which he is capable and can Sc.
cure, and no good reason presents itself to the
believers in equal rights why women should be
denied the same privilege The time has gone
by when a law is accepted even by the ''unreason-
ing sex as the outcome of unquestionable wisdom,
and the legislators who fiatter themselves that
*hax-b or-a
and chjvalrous are as likely to meet with re-
proaches as not. The most satisfactory way
would be to let the women legslate for them
selves, were it not for the danger that they would
seek to monopolize all the rights and privileges.
and thus make things generally unpleasant for
the husbands and brothers who have had their
own way so long. In order to avert this danger
to mankind the male citizen will probably insist
upon sacrificing himself on the political altar of
his country for time longer.
IT is told as a great joke that during one of
Rev. Sam Joness meetings at Atlanta the
evangelist asked every one who believed in
Christ to stand up. The whole audience arose.
with the exception Of one lady, and her the
preacher pointed out to the congregation with a
comment upon Der probable physical disability.
whereupon the lady instantly sprang to her feet.
AS it happened, she was Jewess, and felt it her
duty to go to her rabbi afterward and explain
matters. Such circumstance as this NAV be
overwhelmingly funny to some minds but to those
who have no fancy for being the victims of con-
fdence games it has side far from humorous
Neither an evangelist nor any other hu-
man being has right to know
the beliefs, or opinions or private feelings
of any individual upon matter which concerns
only that person and his Maker and the practice
followed by many preachers and revivaists of
trucking their hearers into an expression of SEN
timent cannot be too strongly condemned The
proper method of procedure in such case is for
the members Of the audience who object to such
methods to persistently refuse to rise or to give
whatever sign Of assent may be called for no
matter what the question be. 1t requires a
strong -minded individual, though, to endure
being held up to view as hopeless sinner
simply because he chances to differ with the
man in the pulpit, or prefers to keep his
beliefs to himself. The consequence is
that most people, when taken at such