The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-03-17
Woman's Duty.

The subject OF woman "uey cur
tainly tinfe-worn Yet too few who
have thought it necessary to point oas
to woman her duty, have taken into
consideration the fact that duty isa pro-
sressive virtue. and that therefore tho
duty Of the woman of one generation
may not be the duty OF the woman OF
the succeeding generation. Seldom IS
it understood that ideas on Ibis subject
should shange with changing cond'-
tions II they are 10 meet the wants OF
new and progressive age Mime. dc
Stael. who was far ahead of her time
In so many of her ideas, certainly shows
it in her ideas regarding duty. Sho
says, 'Duty. the noblest destination Oh
man, NAV be d stortcd, like all other
ideas, into an offensive weapon by
which harrow minds silence their SUI
per.ors rs their foes. One would think
il bel ewing them. that duty enjolned
the sacrifice Of all qualities that confer
distinction. Aud are not Sreas
thoughts and generous feelings debts
due to tic world from all who arc ca
pable of paying them? Ought not
every woman. like every man, to fol-
low tho bent of her own talentsP Must
we initiate the instincts OF the bees,
whose every succeeding swarm copies
tile last without Improvement Or va
rietyP" Now it cannot be said that
women as a class have not been devo-
tees of duty. They have certainly
practiced observation-disclosures but n,dor-
tunately not always" to its Brightest
snds} and by far too often it has been
simply misapplication of energy.
So in this age of rapid development
it seems especially necessary that wo-
men should be awake TO the fact that
they not only have domestic duties
but duties rs women and citizens, or us
Julia Ward Howe puts 1t. "Women arc
as much bound to cultivate pu bic
spirit as they are to foster domestic
duties"
! Besides, with the advance in educa-
ti0mal opportunities for women, has
come also an advance IN women's posi-
ton as workers, so that one OF the first
duties of tho woman Of to-day is to
study the problem of woman's work.
Since the time has now passed when
the unprofessional or unskilled woman
can expect to earn much more than
starvation wages, and as unforeseen
circumstances ara constantly the means
of sending the unprcpardd women 10
lives of starvation, misery, or crime Is
would seem that the only way to soIvc
tho problem of wonlan's work is to add
vocate the fitting of girls, by trade or
profession, TO earn their own livelihood.
The mothers first duty then Is to Ill her
daughter to enter the world, OF work as
an Independent woman, While upon
| all women of means and leisure de-
volv es the work of establishing indus
trial and training schools for the bine-
fit of women less fortunate than tham-
selves. The poor woman can not stop
to consider the question; her daughter
must work; SO with the women who
employ them rests the grave RESPONSE
bility of eevating their con dition bS
making them skilled and intelligent
workers. True. there are Wis ionary,
sentimental people who still believe
that women should DO dependen upoEs
men. yet the solemn fact that there are
in the United States nearly 3 00o0oO
women who must work or starVo re-
mains to stare them in the face. Bat
there is, We believe, gradually dawlng
upon the world Reorganization OF the
fact that nothing short of independence
can develop charact er in woman or IN
man, while with the advance OF KIN owl
edge more enligiitenc public sentl.
ment will in me recogn ze that 1T is
woman's duty to make the most OF her
self in every relation of private fo and
public interest. Leila W. Uohr. m
Weekly Wisconsin,.