Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-05-24
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
SIMPLY JUSTICE.
A Strong Plea for the Recognition OF the
Rights of Women.

hands and empty neaus Wheh the Woiiu
teens with work TO be done and knowl-
edge to be gainedP The time when a
women's dream was to be q Zine
lady, to feed upon Strawberries and
cream, sit upon u cushion and sew up
d seam," has passed away forever.
Supple fingers and active brains ce-
mand something to do, and this some-
thing there is to Go. The time is also
passing when women have 10 keep
within the limits of thought and work
that custom has for long centuries pre-
scribed for them. Now the women
that play the leading roles on the stage
Of life are by no means few, and their
work Is acceptable and valued. The
feminine elcmen; In nuturc is co-equal
with the mans. and no obc questions
God why this is so, or asserts that 1t
should not be. Men IL tcognizc its etcr-
nal pu PCS, and transcendant wisdom.
Why, then, should they, the highest
product of nature laboratory, feel it
derogatory to their manhood to recog-
nize the equality Of women with them
selves3 Surely higher standard than
n mere physical one must be assumed
before they can be truihtully and faith
fully compared.
We do not assert that woman is the
peer of man, or that man is the peer of
woman; but simply this. The same
life-principle lives in each. the same
intelligence brought them into being
and endowed them with the same fac
ulties and mental powers. That woman
is fin organically,we can notdisputc.
Bu' throug long ages sie has borne
burdens that mon could not bear. Yet
we call her the weaker vessel, and
prate about her infcriority. 1t is meet
that we cease to do this, and accord to
her the long withheld dues. We are
responsible for the weakness of her
being. and we should atone for the in
justice we have done her. We have
imposed the burdens of our own selfish
ness upon her, placed her in position
where she was simply q creature to
minister to our desires, and we re-
bclled when she arose in the might of
wronged womanhood, and cried: 81,
too, have a soul and mind God has
given me the same faculties that you
so proudly display. Why should
bend and force them to serve youP
God made me free and co-equal with
you" To the master who had ever
ruled, this was at first laughing mat
ter, then one for angry command; now
we are forced to recognize the justice
of her words, Let us not be slow to
accord the rights she demands. She is
free. She has the same right as we
to voice in the affairs of the nation.
Since the beginning we have been
reminded at various times in the
worlds history that there were women
who needed not our words of COM
mendation for their glorious achieve.
ments. History tcst'fies to the illus
trious women who have ruled king.
doms, welded the most powerful
scepters with justice and wisdom, and
forced kings to pay them homage.
There have been women whose lips
uttered divine truth, who have taught
the most profound philosophy, and
have suffered and died in it its defense.
Why should we, with up-curled lip,
turn from words that Aspasia uttered
to listen to the prattle of some empty
patio who believes that "women, chill.
dren and idiots should be classed to.
gether
Woman Is endowed with faculties
and powers which fit her to fill as mucl
space in the universe rs we arrogatt
to ourselves, and the sooner we recog
nize this. the sooner we begin an act o.
long delayed justice. The end Of I
century is at hand, and the light of th,
new one is family cleaning in the eyei
of those who can see afar. With II.
dawning new splendor will come t.
us and new order of things. Tn,
tolerance we now accord to new thing
will then be joyful acceptance, ant
among other glorious comings will b.
the recognition and establishment o
the rights which the women of to-da,
are struggling to obtain. Thousand
of women are quietly doing their al
lotted work, doing it nobly and brave
ly, and they have won approval in thi
wise. 1T is really very praiseworth,
of them. Who would have though
women could do so wellP" Why shoul,
she not do so well? Why should sh
not do betterp If you can do no NOR
for her, at least give her the benefit o
your kindly thoughts, and do for tn
women, whose lives are bound il
yours, all you can to make them wha
they once were in the worlds life
Women themselves need to be awaken
ed to their possibilities and the futur
they may have. The days ofinactivit
should be no more. II they can nc
find something for their hands to dc
let them nourish their minds and souls
We do not assert that all women ca
or should be wage-workers; but tbs
they should know how to use hands an
brains to purpose. False ideas anon
women particularly those:who have bee
the wives and daughters Of the laborin
man. still stand in the way of their ac
vaucement White hands and empt
brains do not constitute natures NJ
blest work, woman.
Woman. one of the grandest wore
in the universe of language. whe
understood. is world of wisdom
itself. How few realize the full col
tents of the smallest word. Let |
study this one with unclouded eye
and see if our conception of women
not higher. As man has debased an
degraded himself so he has drAggC
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