The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-10-17
In WOMAN'S BEHALF.
THE BUSINESS WOMAN.
Is She Marriageables-Many Opinions
on This Interesting Question.

Is She Marrfageables-Many Opinions
on This Interesting Question.
A few weeks since, the Sunday World
devoted three columns to the discussion
of the Business Woman; Is She Mar
| riageable?" in the form of toasts, most
ly from women who have fairly succeed
ed as editors and publishers Mrs. Pres
ident Harrison is reported to have stated
that "the woman of to-day is indus
trious; an idle woman is the rare ex-
ception. There are now few walks in
life that women do not tread. We find
them in the arts, in the sciences, in al
most every procession, but l must say.
that according TO my view, the woman
that devotes hers ,lf to any calling
to the exclusion of her domestic duties
is not manageable, but am happy to
say that do not think that type COM
mon. Some of the happiest wives and
most devoted mothers know are business
women; that is to say, they have artis-
tic talents which they employ profita-
bly,. or they WELD o ready pen and are
not ashamed 70 let the world know it;
while at the same time, they are the
real, not the nominal heads of their own
houses"
A toast of considerable length from
Miss Virginia d. Hyde, an editor from
Pittsburgh, contains many points of in
terest, but it is too long for our space.
Mrs. Lucy Stone Blackwell, of Bos-
ton, the notable advocate of her sex dur
ing the last generation, writes thus:
Mr.. Toast Master: Women will al
ways marry. But women who have in
dependent, business will be much more
free to choose whether, they will or will
not marry, and when they do marry
their position will be much more indie
pendent pecuniarily than it would be
otherwise. To-day the wife of even a
rich man may be, and often is, as poor as
any beggar. The law still gives to a
wife only her good clothes and medi-
cine" The woman who has independ-
ent business will not accept poverty
stricken position. ''N-t #-ts...N
The toast from Miss Mary T. Seymour,
proprietor of the business Woman's
Journal of this city, contains many good
arguments and cites the numerous adj
vantages of the association of business
men with business women, and vice
versa. se't "
We quote the following from the short
toast offered by bank president as we
always like to see mems views associat-
ed with those of women on subjects of
Importance.
Mr. Toast Master: feel that am an
interloper at thisfcast.l So many bright
women will have so much to say on this
occasion that the men ought to give them
the floor, and, as usual, l am called to
respond to a toast that know little
about. We rarely meet business wom-
am, nevertheless wish to be recorded
in the Affirmative, for business woman
is certainly manageable, il one can be
found when she is not engaged.
Mrs Croly (Jennie June):
Mr. Toast Master: Allow me to add
that the question concerning business
woman simply resolves itself into
whether she can support husband. If
she can, she would very easily DO found
''marriageable."
Toast Master-A lady who can start
newspaper and keep it going sue
cessfully, as Mrs. E. B. Grannis has,
should have opinions on the life of
business woman. / introduce her with
pleasure.
Mr.. Chairman: 1.-THE Business Wom-
an-Is She Marriageable?' In view of
my strong opposition to the Sunday news
paper for its moral and religious influ-
ence upon it's readers, how can say the
much or little which 1 would like to
write on this subject, in answer to the
request from the editor of the Sunday
World? infer there must be a doubt
in the minds of some persons respecting
the fitness of business women to fill the
highest and noblest responsibility in life
that of becoming wives and mothers.
Every woman is better fitted for mar
rage in proportion to the amount OF
valuable knowledge that has been
gained by her in any or all directions.
If she have business ability believe
she would make a better wife had she
had opportunity to cultivate the
same before marriage and to exercise
her increased capacity after marriage.
i know Of no reason why business
women, or a woman who has attained q
reasonable degree of success in any
honorable profession, should give 1t up
on account Of marriage, any more than
her husband should give up or change
his secular occupation because he is
married. II the husband and wife have
an amicable agreement that the hus-
band shall earn the money from his
business calling or profession, and his
wife devote her time and ability to the
privileges and duties Of home life as
housekeeper or entertainer and adorn-
or, the result may be for both a most
happy one. IL the husband possesses
intellectual and artistic talent, but has
little or no business capacity, is lacking
in energy, and the wife possesses one or
all of these gifts coupled with business
capacity, it would seem she ought to ex-
ercise her tact, which often is Of greater
value than talent or genius in providing
the necessary support for the family,
and may be OF great value in the sup
port of one person or adding comforts to
the support of two. In my experience /
have known many good-Datured hus-
band who had inherited property, intel
lectual and artistic talent, strangely
wonder, during his quiet meditations
over the curling smoke of his cigar in
his comfortable library, that his lovely
wife and mother of his children, should
at times seem weary and depressed
at the daily routine Of house
hold duties. Housework is good for
women, and may be equally good for
men, for ought, 1 know Nursing and
caring for adear, sweet baby is perhaps
the most remunerative and satisfactory
.1c,r.r fhnt has