The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-13

x
piled higu on shelves which projected out
into the lofty room, and behind and around
which one could wax with ease. up
wards of twenty thousand volumes are
there, said Mrs. Gladstone, 'and they are
arranged SO that subjects are
grouped alphabetically. For instance,
books on metaphysics are in one section, and
grouped about them are kindred science,
religions and subjects bea ing upon that
division of learning Mrs. Gladstone
added that her husba ID had it 50 planned
that he knew where to put his hand on any
book, and all other books bearing upon the
subject Of which it treated
l wished in my soul that could stay
there all day inviting talk from her on the
one theme she most del gifts in-her hus-
band. ''She IS fine woman, was said to
mo dozens of times in London, and SO she is,
buG pronounce her tine ideal wife-match-
less IN her beautiful enthusiasm for her hus-
band as man, Statesman, husband. father
and friend. But | had specific duty to
perform and | held myself to it. Asking
ner pardon for the liberty | was taking [
reqde ted her to tell me what she thought
Of the outlook, educationally and politically,
for women in England.
The outlook has one great drawback
she answered, that is the faliacious pop
ular idea regarding the movement. To
1OrIty up the platf rm of tie minority.
Easy to speak but laborious to do.
''The woman movements the huma0ita
rian movement, and what women are try
ing to do is, to help adjust the social Tela-
tlonsblps which civilization is constantly
changing. See the great difference between
the occupations OF men and women of a
hundred years ago and today. There is
scarcely comparison possible, and women
being the silent class 50 far as the making
Of the laws are concerned, she is the chief
sufferer by modern civilization, which SO
far Is a very imperfect affair after all.
IN the days of Fielding and Smollett
and other less known novelists, - she contin-
ued, 1.-THE position of woman was very far
from what it IS now, and in great many
ways it was far better than it is to-day-in-
dustIially it was certainly so. The very
presence Of hospitals, orphan asylums,
homes for the destitute and charitable in
sJitutio1s OF ell kinds proves that the pop
ulatlon is so great, and the pressure Of com
petition SO severe, that all cannot live as
easily as the generations before us did
True we have machinery, and The benefits
OF all the new inventions that are common
to our day, but the working classes do not
rejoice in them as do those who can enjoy
their benetits.n
In answer to a question, she said;
Women are trying TO remedy the evils
which lie in our present social system, and
are seeking to reform it so that they may
have work ard wages and a larger choice
Of occupations under the new readjustment
of industries. The women of Russia have
some advantages over the women Of Eng
land in the industries they carry on in their
own homes, and have revenues from them.
The middle and the better classes IN Russia.
among women, find a market for thei
spinning and weaving, and farm products
and hereditary vacations are carried on
there without opposition. The country
has work for its male population outside Of
these industries and employments, and w0-
men still enjoy monopoly of work, which
in this country has passed out Of the hands
Of our sex and is done in factor ies now and
by men mainly. The idleness of women is
enforced, and yet the popular idea is that
the sex is weak and helpless. For n long
time the duties of the home-life occupied
them, but now there are SO many more
women than men that we are forced to
recognize their painful condition You
know, of course, the grand work done by
many noble women in finding work and
homes for single women in Canada, the
States and in Australia, but the evil is too
great to be overcome with emigration.
we are trying in our country
and you in yours to eiucate
women to be specialists, so that they can
get u foot-hold in the trades and professions
moqopOlized by mon. Necessity compels
thousands to work who have nothing to do,
and their urgent efforts to get standing room
in the industrial and professional world
makes the cutlery which we ear against
'woman's rights In the rural districts
whore women have much Of the work of
the farm TO do their condition is greatly su-
pcrOr to That Of women in the manufactur-
ing regions and in cities"
"Do you think tho better education Of
woman will en- BILE them to have all the adj
vantages the leaders of the woman move
meut demand for them"
THE better education of men and women
will accomplish II, and as soon as women
are educated 10 the point where they will
know the history Of their sex from the be-
ginning they VIII be able TO correct popular
Gallacies on the subject.
''lf an Intelligent worldngman once real
lied that women suffer through the lack Of
employment for mind and hands, and that
they are anXious and unhappy in the contom-
plat0u ~ their heipiessness, he is concerned
to know what can be done about the matter
The trouble is that the ignorant workingman
is in the ma ori y aud his nome life is uusatis-
factory, because it is fun OF children he can
not properly provide for, and onoof whom
be knows viii not take care Of themselves
until they are Of marriageabls age. But It is
much easier % talk TO you about existing
conditions than ii Is 20 tell tou how they
are TO be remodied. You Americans have
not yet come TO the place where the quos-
ton Of the support II the poor is 50 i'm
portaat os with rs. The taxpayers Of
u gland contribute an immense sum OF
money for the support Of institutions that
should not exist 10 Che exte4s they do, and
would not IL oar social system could De
read iusted on the basis OF women's needs.
Much that England does to-day for her
poor encourages not only poverty but
vice
"Do you think that giving the same le
gal right, o. women will put them on their
feet Ia the in lus,rial worldN | inquired.
"Let us say that If viii put men on their
feet, because II viii be q relief 70 ttem 10
hayalower people 20 support. We are not
living under the simpe agricultural mode Of
life that makes your untry a. Arcadia TO
the poor Of Europe, but III state Of things
which compass whole generations Of men 10
exist aud die I'm the dirt and vice Of cities
without ever breathing tbs pure air of the
country.
Whatever Is bad for women is injurious
for men, because their interests, are identical,