The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-11-07
Social Tconoelasrn

LII IS impossible to forecast the fela-
lions the strong minded women of the
period will bear to social conditions and
the conventional usages of society
Each suggestion of restrictions imposed
and rights withheld generates some
thing new and more advanced, and slim
ulates to fresh conceptions of the liberty
that should be vouchsafed as a means
of happiness and contentment. However
offensive the crystalized notions OF the
olden times of woman's mission and
sphere of action may be to the girl of
the period, they carry with them some
thing of reverence to the conservative
be confessed that the growth of indie
pendent thought. the yearning for en-
larged freedom in speech and action, is
making an impress upon the public. and
iterated inquiry by the curl GUS to evoke
from the musty traditions and fossilized
preiudices of the past a new dispense
ton and Il new declaration of freedom
The right of women to vote and to hold
lice is Il conceded fact in many States.
and may be of universal concession before
4 another decade. These are political
rights, and imply an advance into the
domain where only the sterner sex hold
/ sway. They, too, mean an invasion OF
! the restricted social environments of the
gentler sex, and open the doors to a
more robust and masculine influence
than the lessons of the nursery. a genera
/ ton past, would have justified. The
whole domain of progressive thought
I is exposed, and the whole case of es-
thetic law brought under review to see
wherein the iconoclast can find Il field
of action, and tearing down the images
of past idolatry, grasp the promise of
! a new dispensation and Il new golden
! calf to worship.
In line with these progressive ideas
we find, in one of our exchanges, an
extract from recent paper in The States
man. from the pen of Ada Jean Mckay,
wherein is suggested radical change i'll
social customs and the conventionali-
ties which imprison the affections and
Chinese wall She boldly declares for
the right to propose. She enveighs
against the social old fogyism that
makes it indelicate or immOdest for the
maiden to offer her heart and hand to
the man for whom her heart warns, and
yet its burning passion cannot find ex-
preston because he is too phlegmatic and
unimpressible to recognize in the eye
that speaks to eye the fathomless love
that yearns for companiOnship. Miss
Mckay argues, in effect, probably, from
the standpoint of affinities While she
does not, in SO many words, express her
belief in the mystic communion of con
genial souls, although unknown by name
and association to each other, yet she
practically assumes that the law of affin-
tiles should rule in the heart and find
manifestation in action and word. She
says:
A young man makes his own way in the world,
gains himself an education possesses superior
powers, but neither character, natural ability,
nor education creates what is called American
society. But there are other means of securing
of a dead millionaire, whose nobility is too gen
uine to decay under the pressure of great
j wealth. Now this girl becomes acquainted with
this young man of modest means. She likes
him. she feels his superiority instinctvely over
the dude at her side. She would like to show
him in some way that she approves him: but no,
she must not; custom will not allow it. run
ming after him. the world would say. He OF
course cannot in his humble worldly position,
dare lift his eyes to her. 1t is no easy task for
an honest poor man to ask a rich girl to marry
him. as it is rarely believed by the world that it
is love which prompted the overture
What is the result of all this? Simply these
two people. whose characters are eminently
fitted to form one noble whole, drift apart be-
cause of this law of custom, she, possibly, after
q season or two, accepting another with a lin
gering, backward thought toward the strong
manhood that had attracted her. And he, turn
ing away, is not apt to find again the character
best suited to bring out the most telling charac-
teristics of his nature, for however fine may be
the characterof a young man or woman, nei-
Their can be July developed until after marriage.
What is this but the recognition of
soul affinities-the law OF likes. the su-
! premacy of the magnetic influence ema-
mating from hearts that beat in unison,
] stirred by kindred emotions and wor-
shipping similar ideals And continues
this ieonoclastic maiden, this vigorous
thinker
The caste of wealth win be easier crossed,
hasty marriages will Slow up, passion will take
secondary place. elaboration and the better
qualities of ID woman's love will have play in
making homes, we'll as in blessing them, and
virtuous womanhood will always be marriagea-
/ bic when women propose.
1t is possible the fair writer has been
confused and COMPOUNDED in the laby
! rithinian metaphysics which have recent
! ly been invoked to solve the problem
whether or not modern marriage is
not failure. Learned dispositions
4 have been flooded upon the public pro
and con in relation to this absorbing
/ subject, and yet there has been no sat
/ isfactory decision The domestic brois
and unhappy homes which have been
the occasion of this query, may be the
result of the conventional observances
and social exactions, which Miss Mckay
desires to dispense with and appeal
straight to the heart -strings-the affini
] ties of the soul as the basis and inspira-
! ton of marriage. Whatever her motive
or the effect of her argument and ICON
oclastic proposition. it is matter of preg
nant suggestion and may cause a com
motion, if not a revolution, in social Gus
! toms and the conventional usages which
govern and determine the destinies of
young hearts and lives.
The Co1ored "Kickers.
1t is the common impression that the
colored voters of Virginia have ring in
their noses and are led by party bosses
as sheep to the slaughter. The election
on Tuesday dispelled this delusion. They
demonstrated that they are citizens of
the State, who feel an interest in the
welfare of the Commonwealth, and that