Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-31
WOMAN'S. DEPARTMENT.
SIMPLY JUSTICE.
"A Strong Plea for the Recognition Of tho
Rights OF Women.

why SnOulQ Women BIZ Will AO1ucu
hands and empty heads when the world
teens with work to be done and knowl-
edge to be gated? Tie time when a
women's dream was to be fine
lady. to feed upon strawberries and
cream, sit upon a cushion and sew up
seam," has passed away forever.
Supple fingers and active brains de-
mand something to Go, and this some
thing there is to do. The time is also
passing when women have to keep
within the limits of thought and work
that custom has for long centuries pre-
sciibed 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 element in nature is co-equal
with the mans, and no one questions
God why this is so, or asserts that it
should not be. Men recognize its eter-
nal purpose and transcendant wisdom.
Why. then, should they. the highest
product of natures laboratory. feel it
derogatory to their manhood to -ecog-
nize the equality of women with them
selves? Surely higher standard than
a mere physical one must be assumed
before they can be truthfully 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, can notdispute.
But througi long ages she has borne
burdens that men could not bear. Yet
we call her the weaker vessel, and
pirate about her inferiority. 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 creature to
minister to our desires, and we re-
bclled when she arose in the night of
wronged womanhood, and cried: Il,
too, have a soul and a mind God has
given me the same faculties that you
so proudly display. Why should l
bend and force them to serve you?
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 rs 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
mcnts. History test iies to the illus
tr;Ous 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
pate vino believes that "women. chill
Gren and idiots should be classed to-
gether
Woman is endowed with faculties
and powers which fit her to fill rs much
space in the universe as We arrogate
to ourselves, and the sooner we recog-
nizc this. the sooner we begin an act of
long delayed justice. The end of :,
century is at hand. and the light of the
new one is family cleaning in the eyes
of those who can see affair. With its
siawning new splendor will come to
as and - new order of things. The
tolerance we now accord to new things
will then be joyful acceptance. and
among other glorious comin"s will be
the recognition and establishment of
the rights which the women of to-day
arc 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 60 SO w-ll?" WHY should
she not 90 so well? Why should she
not do better? If You can do no more
for her. at least. give her the benefit OF
Your kindly thoughts. and do for the
women, whose lives are bound in
yours. all You can to make them what
they once were in the worlds life.
Women themselves need to be awaken,
ed to their possibilities and the future
they may have. The days ofinactivity
should be no more. If they can no
find something for their hands to do
let them nourish their minds and souls
We do not assert that all women car
or should be wage-workcrs; but tina
they should know how to use hands anl