Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-05-17
W0MAN'S DEPARTMENT.
sSaPLY JUSTICE.


why shouiu women SIT Win folded
hands and empty heads whcg the world
teens with work 10 be done and ku0vl-
edge to be gaiucda TIE tims when a
Somens dream was % be a tinc
lady. TO feed upon straw berries and
cream, sit upon cushion and sew up
seam" has passed away forever
Supple fingers and active brains de
mand something to 20. and this some
thing there i L. 10. Ihc timc i also
passing when women have 10 keep
within the limits of thought ard work
that custom'has for long centuries pre-
scribed for thcm Now .hc women
that plSy the leading Tolts IN tho stage
of life are hv no means few. and their
work j. acceptable and vaiUci. The
feminine eiemeu. in nature j. co-equai
with the man :, and no one questions
God why this is So. or asserts that il
should not be. Men recognize IT, cter-
nal pu pose and tranSccndant wisdom.
Why. then. should they. the highest
product of ra:urc' laboratory. feel il
derogatory to their manhood to rceoC-
nize the equality of women with them
selves? Surely higher standard than
a mere physical one must be assamed
before they can be tru;h.ully and faith
fully compared.
We do not assert that woman i the
peer of man. or that man IS tkJ peer Of
woman, bpt simply tbs. The same
lifc-principle lives II: "csh. the same
-. II l.. Il. l..
and endowed them with the samc fac
ultics and mental powers. That woman
is fin ovganically.w we can notdispute.
Bu, throuG long ages she has borne
burdens that men could not bear Yet
we call her the weaker vessel. aud
prate about her irferiority. Ii is meet
that we cease to do this. aud sccord TO
her the long withheld dues We afs
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 a creature to
minister to our desires, aud we re-
bel'ed when She arose in the might Of
aronssd womauhoud. and cried: Il.
too, have n soul ard mind God has
given me the same faculties that you
so proudly display. Why should I
bend and force them To serve YOU?
God made me free and co-equal with
YOU" TO tho master ~ho had ever
ruled. this was ut first 1 lagSbing mat
ter. then one for angry command; now
We are forced to recognize the justice
of her words Let u, apt he slow to
accord the rights she demands She IS
| free. She has the same right as we
10 \ voice in the affairs Of the nation.
Since the bcgInnin. We have been
reminded at various times in the
world history that there were women
who needed not our words Of com
mcndation for their glorious achieve
ments. History test iic- To- ths illus
tr;Ous women who have ruled king
doms. wicldcI the most powerful
scepters with Justice and wisdom. and
forced kings to pay them homage
There have been women whose Inns
uttered divine truth. who have taught
the most profound philosophy. aad
have suffered and died in it it, defense.
Why should we. with up-curled lin
turn from words that Aspasia uttered
to listen TO the pra.tlc Of some empty
pate who believes that women. chill
drcn and idiots should be ciasseI to-
gether
Woman j. endowed with floHlties
and powers which fit her 10 fll - much
space in the universe a W. arrOgate
10 ourselves. and the sooner We recog-
nize this. the sooner We begin aH net Of
long delayed Justice. The end # 4
century i at hand. and the light Of the
new ons i family cleaning in the eyes
of those who can see afar With its
dawning a new splendor will come To
Us and \ new ordc- Of things The
tolerance we now accord to new things
will then be joyful acceptance. and
among other glorious comings will be
the recognition and establishment Of
the rights which the women Of to-day
are struggling to obtain. Thousands
of women are quietly doing their al
lotted work. doing it nobly and brave
ly. and they have won approval in this
wise. 1T is really very praiseworthy
of them. Who would have thought
women could do so well?" Why should
she not do so we'll? Why should she
not DO better? IL you can do no more
for her. at least. give her The benefit of
your kindly thoughts. AMI do for the
wOHicB, whose lives z-c tolll.s "a
yours. all You can to make them what
they once were in the worlds life.
Women themselves need to be awaken
ell to their possibilities and the future
they may have. The days ofinactiyity
should be no more II they can not
find something for their hands to do.
let them nourish their minds and souls.
We do not assert hat all women can
~ should be wagr-workcrs; but that
they should know how to Use hands and
brains to a purpose False ideas among
women particularly those:who have been
the wives and daughters Of the laboring
mau. still staLd in the way Of their ad-
vancement White hands and empty
brains do no. constitute natures no
blest work. woman.
Woman. one Of the graRdest words
in the universe Of language. when
understood. is n world Of wisdom in
itself. How few realize the full con-
teats OF the smallest word. Let ms
stu1y ttis one with unclouded eyes.
A HE