The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-11-08
F%ranchi In its Relations to the Home
Industries.

Time of meeting y. w. c. I. U. Monday
evening ut $50 O'Clock
Franchise In Its Relations to the Home
Industries.
IBy Laura NJ. Lippincott Pancoast, and read
before the Woodstown W. {. 7. T., Oet.3i, 'S9.l
The reason Why our w. G. T. I. first
or equal suffrage question, was, as the
Rev. Anna Shaw expressed it, because
we started ont to conquer the saloon, and
finding it in politics, we are forced TO go
the march, growing broader, greater
through each days lesson as it spreads out
before MS, we learn that there are many
other aspects, many other sides to the
need of woman's ballot to-day, among
which are the moral, the social, the indus
trial, the political, the educational, the
marital, and, hanging like a mystic cloud
curtain over all, that great, beautiful world
whose possibilities are yet but guessed at
the world OF heredity.
We will let Ruskm give us our to-day's
point of view, in great part at least. 1.-THE
word wife says Ruskin, ''means weav-
err, and women must either be housewives
or housemoths. In the deep sense they
must either weave mems fortunes and en-
broider them, or feed upon and bring them
to decay In this great transition age,
this broad upheaval of the old, creation of
the new, We women are occupying the I'M
certain ground between two periods. Be
hind us stretches the known and tried one
of our grandmothers' day, before us the
beautiful promised land Of the "Is to be, :"
when we have learned to unitedly arise to
shake off the chains by which custom and
our brother man and, may | add, our own
weak submission to him, has bound us.
In looking back several centuries to the
age of chivalry, when men bowed low at
beauties shrine and fought and died in
defence Of fair ladies, We see woman at
the head of the home manufacturing i'll
~terests. All of the spinning, much of the
weaving, was done by her. She was not
only the nurse but physician also, being
famous for her knowledge of herbs and
skilled adjustment Of bandages over the
cuts from swords which were often crossed
in her defence. Her pastries, moulded as
fancy dictated into quaint castles, bridges,
etc, were marvels of flaky lightness. AS
queen of many a realm she sat at the
head Of her maids and ladies-in.waiting,
experimenting all the various departments
= a. 1000 .l,r+.rn- Ill., -,1.t a,n{lor
surrounded by the grain fields and cattle
pastures, were lett in her charge while
men fought for the Holy sepulchre or in
civil wars shed their brothers blood. And
women then held within their own home
sphele an industrial place, and welded a
power which they do not possess to-day.
Later, when our grandfathers landed
upon Pilgrims Rock, and our grand
mothers set up their wash tubs and SPIN
ming wheels, women still held her place in
the industrial army, and though she had
not reached out for the higher education
of our day, and financially and legally was
not so independent, yet she was a ncces-
sary factor in that field of labor which was
recognized as solely and exclusively her
own, viz: the home manufactures, and
she held a place in the world of equal in
sition as head of her department of indus
try was ar assured and publicly recog-
nized one. She was head of the home en-
tertainment committee, too, for in those
days a man could not call in a caterer nor
order q club dinner if he wished to be
hosyitable, but he turned instead to the
commander-in-chief of the home forces for
help, and through her able assistance in
this branch great reforms were wrought,
or kingdoms were weakened or strength
ened, as the case might be.
We all know the tremendous, yet peace
full, battle that Martin Luther waged
against united Europe. How, inch by
inch, he inserted the wedge which was to
most truly re-Christianize the old world.
But who takes time to study more closely
the channel through which he did this,
the wonderful home management which
was the power behind the throne" The
II VI ! VIZ Iubuti was IL HOtdUlt
h%ousekeeper, and she entertained the
most distinguished of Europe's scholars
and statesmen, and did it so well that they
were glad to come again, yet Martin
Luther possessed only a moderate income.
George Washington, because of his wife's
business ability and housew fiery capacity,
also entertained royalty. and in this way
extended his influence far and wide for his
country's good.
From the past let us turn to our to days
industrial position as regards the home.
In various large cities, if we possess an in
curing mind, we can find great brick
factories in which soap and starch are
made, spinning and weaving done, indigo
put in bottles ready for use, baking pow
der made, breadstuifs mixed with 'rising,"
chocolate and other flavorings put in corn
starch ready for the table, plum buildings
made, catsups and favored yinegars and
pickles prepared, yeast made aud pressed,
preserves and jellics got ready for the
market, etc. Further on, maybe huge
laundries and bakeries and restaurants do
by the wholesale our home work, and at
I a. --l r. H.