The Osceola times., 1888-02-04
WOMAN's DEPARTMENT.
a DANGEROUS AMENDMENT.
Charles Dudley Warner Taken to Task for
His Views on "Woman's Mission"

Charles Dudley Warner Taken to Task for
His Views on "Womans Mission"
Charles Dudley Warner, in the "Edi-
or's Drawer" of Hdrper's MdgGzine, is
'ond of dealing little oblique blows
against equal rights for women. and
.his month he breaks out again, in the
course of an article written in praise
)f beautiful old ladies.
MIR. Warner processes himself very
weary of hearing about woman's mis-
sion, yet in the same article he in
iulges himself in definition of that
mission-a definition poetical, indeed.
but not altogether novel. He says:
Women, whose mission il is to al
lure in youth, and TO tinge the begin
ming OF the world with romance. also
makes (sic) the end of the world more
serenely satisfactory and beautiful
than the outset. And this has been
done without any amendment to the
Constitution 'of the United States; in
tact, it is possible that the Sixteenth
Amendment would rather hinder than
help this gracious process"
Now, does any one seriously believe
thar beautiful girl would be unable
"to allure ia youth and to tinge the
beginning of tho world with
romance" II she took IN intelligent
interest IN Che affairs of her country,
aud were sroeogniaed as worthy of
having her opinion countedp Per-
hGps the obiector would not press this
point. Hc would have to admit that,
while woman is young and charm
ing she could, probably, perform her
whole duty of "alluring' her suscep-
tible fehuw-creatures, and ting ng
their lives with romance, no matter
what her political status might be.
But il is the gracious process of
growing old beautifully that Mr..
Warner fears might be hindered by n
Siyteenth Amendment. As he. un-
fortunately. ueglec-s to explain how it
would bc hindcred, we must try to
puzzle this out by ourselves. Let us
consider the reasons he mentions as
contributing to make some old ladies
SO charming, and sec at which of
these attractions the Sixteenth Amend
mcnt would deal deadly blow.
Mr.. Warner says that "their interest
in life is broader than it once was;
"thcy haystcsot rid Of much nonsense;"
"thcy can afford to be truthful
"thcy hgSe Almost delicious courage Of
opinion, about men, say and in poll
ties 'ihey haye very little any longer
to ccnccal;" 'rhcy are not afraid to be
gay and 10 have cuthusiasms;" they
are "6mancipatcd"; "thcy possess
knowledge Of LIE. yes and-of aAairs;
for il mu. be said OF these ladies we
have in mind that they keep up with
the current thought, that they are read
crs Of books, even of newspapers"
1t really is not easy to see how any
Of these things would be hindcred by
the right to vote, while some of them
would evidently be helped by it. There
is no special virtue in disfranchisemcnt
to make ANYBODY broad-minded. gay,
free from nonsense, rich in knowledge
OF life and of affairs etc. And is there
not something Slightly absurd in the
idea that i woman of mature years,
and all these varied abilities, would
O. lose her charms but for the law which
classes her with her own infant grand
children, with idiots and demented
persons, criminals and other political
noncompetcnts? We fear Mr. Warner
will have to do like the delightful old
ladies. and get rid of much nom
sense, y before he learns to take an in-
tclligcnt view OF the woman question.
--diirc Slgas Blact,ccH. iH H0map's s
Journal.