The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-09-28
IN LITERATURE.

A Business In which Women are Finding
Inappropriate Sphere.
It Is little humiliating to reflect that
for nearly three centuries after the in
ventiOn of the printing press, women
had no place in literature. There are
not half dozen names Of women ON
the muster roll Of the literary worthless
who made glorious 1.-The stately days of
Great Elizabeth" Indeed, it was not
until the beginning of this century that
the temple gates swung freely open to
welcome within its portals the sister.
hood OF earnest, thoughtful. able w0-
men. Harriet Martineau, Elizabeth
Barrett Browning, George Sand and
George Eliot, entered that temple not
by accident, nor by the too generous
courtesy Of its amiable janitors-they
entered by right, by the royal right Of
power well used. No man can now tell
the number of women who have taken
high rank in the priesthood Of litera-
ture; nor can their influence be meas-
ured. The doors stand wide open in
this country to all literary workers,
irrespective Of every thing but the
work. Educated women have an OPP
portunity in this field of labor
to earn a reasonable living, and to exert
their influence to the full. without any
prejudice whatever. We have heard
and read a good deal betimes about the
true place Of women. We have been
confronted again and again with such
questions as this-'Why should the
pulpit, the platform, the editors chair.
be closed against a woman because she
is woman?' To such question our
answer would be, 1--WE don't know" OF
one thing we feel perfectly sure, that
none Of these positions, or any similar
positions, can long be closed against
the women who prove themselves equal
to the tasks such positions involve. :. II
a woman has the gift Of preaching she
will preach, though how she will get
along with the deacons we don't know,
Probably her gentleness will help to
make them gracious. It seems to US TO
be Just as true for women as for men,
that the power to do thing Is divine
call to do it. The sentiment that 1.-The
hand that rocks the cradle rules
the world" is very beautiful Twenty
years hence, thousands Of women who
have not been called to be rockers Of
cradles, will have . large
share in the guidance Of the
social and religious life Of the
age. 1t would perhaps hardly accord
with any strict and accurate definition
of literature to regard journalism -
literature. But journalism is charging
the area of its work, and a. leavener
and enlightener Of public thought ID
daily becoming more and moro i'm
portant That 80 many women ara
finding an appropriate sphere in jour
nalism, seems to US to be . matter for
unreserved congratulations The public
at large nigh: be greatly astonished II
It knew to what an extent the brains Of
women are supplying the good. strong.
food that the newspapers
bring US every day. 1t IL obvious at .
glance that there are many subjects ON
which women in the very nature Of tho
case, must have clearer, wiser views
than men. There IL work for them to
do in journalism that men can not do
half 80 we'll. And the fact thai most OF
their work comes to us anonymously,
gives that work the legitimate influence
of its true merit, apart from any
one way or another. 1t
seems to US to be an unmixed good.
that cultured women are helping to
guide the thought Of the age.-Saturdoy
Erening Herald.