The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-02-02
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
SOCIAL TYRANNY.

The Few Who Lead tho Msny-A Species
Of Tyranny Which Enters Into All the
Relations Of Life.
While the question Of the equality oil
man and woman continues to occupy
at least one-half of the public mind,
there Is point in connection with il
Of which it might be well to say word.
Woman's right to be considered mans
equal in every respect, ! think second
to another, which she shares with him,
and which he himself does not appear
to value.
This. the heritage Of every human
being. is freedom. 1t is really aston
ishing that men and women. who will
sacrifice SO much and fight SO tena-
cionsly for certain indefinite rights,
should remain blind to the fact Of their
own slavery to a social tyranny Of the
rettiest kind. There is no yoke SO irk-
some as that Of fashion in little things,
nothing which adds so greatly to the
daily burden Of life rs obedience to the
dictates of that impersonal tyrant who
has usurped the place Of Mrs. Grundy.
and who more or less enslaves the en-
tire population of every village, town
and city.
Everywhere, the mass of men and
women are subjugated By the few.
One or two leaders regulate the FASH
ions for set, and the remainder, like
sheep, follow the leaders. This i'm
dcfinable yoke enters into all the rela-
. tions OF life. regulates every detail.
from the arrangements Of wedding
to the patterns of china or the num-
Der OF courses served at a meal. 1t
establishes the time Of our meals. In
some towns every one dimes late, in
others every one takes dinner at
twelve. 1t is the sway" and SO in
every thing. No matter whether
fashions suit us or not, we bow to
them. men just as much rs women,
doing rs our ''set' does with the full
est complacency and the satisfaction
Of good conscience
Not to amplify, l would only sug-
gest. that when men and women are
sufficiently honest to assert their right
to absolute freedom in every thing. to
freedom Of opinion or Of idea in rela-
ton to minor matters, to think for
themselves (what not one in twenty
does) upon religious, literary. social
and political matters, to read books.
not because they are '.talked about"
and everybody reads them. but for
their intrinsic value. to have their own
opinion about them and not adopt that
Of the critic, to 60 even without gloves
when every one else wears them, to
do as they like when no principle is in
yol,ed, and rs they individually think
right. when it is matter of principle,
then they will be free; and, being free,
with the absolute freedom Of mind
which is every ones right men and
women will stand upon the only pos
sible platform of equality the equality
Of thought. 1t is very well to claim
freedom Of opinion and equality Of
rights; but neither is possible until
women as individuals think for them
selves and act in small as well as in
great matters in accordance with their
own opinion, based upon their own
actual thought. instead Of accepting
the thoughts and opinions Of others
ready-made
This applies to the gravcst ques-
tions. as Of political suffrage. and to
the smallest det:ils or everyday life.
Let us all strive to free our minds from
the tyranny of social leaders, and to
think for ourselves. Then We shall be
in equal enjoyment with men Of the
only possession that can make life
what it ought to be-absolute freedom
OF thought and opinion. --Jnncs E.
Kunt.-Rees. in Won.an's Journal