The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-03-20

descents but ~ arc getting on, and there
is no better gauge OF the progress Of our
civilization than the extent to which
our laws defining the rights and privil-
EGGS Of citizenship are becoming color
blind as to sex.
Another great source OF encourage
ment is the immense reinforcement
which science. in its demonstration OF
the working OF the law OF beredity, has
brought to all those who are contending
for justice for woman. Strange though
1t appears, 1t Is nevertheless indisputa-
bic that, to this day, the elementary
truth that every child is more or less
OF an equation between tho mental, NOR.
al and physical qualities OF both his
parents, Is ignored by the immense ma
jority OF the human race. Tho fact that
the woman. when degraded into the
mere plaything or the drudge OF man,
avenges herself unconsciously by trans
hitting full measure OF her degrade
ton to his sons, Is obvious. But, in.
stead of regarding every prospective
parent as the transmitter to postcrity of
the sum Of all its inherited and acquired
SAItuco anu fltcSs ~ 10 tOo
often supposed to be sufficient to allot
different virtues to different sexes. We
have taught men to be brave, and wom-
en- to be chaste. But the child of the
cowardly woman and the immoral man
starts afresh at the bottom Of the lad
der, with its full share of the inherited
cowardice of the one and tho vicious pro-
pensitics of the other. And then mar
vel at the slowness Of the progress of
the race! How is it possible for progress
to be more rapid when each sex is taught
that it Is matter of no CONSCIENCE
whether or not IL neutralizes in pos:erity
the virtues OF the other? 1t Is time we
were done with this onc-lcggcd system,
this eternal goose step to which we have
been SO long condemned. Science
teaches us that even If we care nothing
for our girls, we must educate the moth
ers Of our boys, not merely in book
learning, but in all the manly virtues
which we wish to be reproduced in these
sons. We must no longer have differ
ent decalogue for the two sexes. The
moral law is one that applies equally to
both men and women. We have now to
teach our women to add to their chas-
tity bravery.and our men to add to their
bravery chastity. Otherwise we can no
more expect higher standard in our
children than we can expect to pour pure
water from a pitcher which we half
filled from cesspool.
''The success of our movement de-
ponds upon the extent to which it cuts
itself absolutely clear from the old idea
that the only safety for the morality Of
man was to keep HIM as far as possible
out Of the society Of women. We pro-
coed upon an exactly opposite tack. We
proclaim that there is no security for
the morality Of man equal to that of
close and intimate association with good
women. and that morality. as matter
of fact, perishes in every realm from
which the influence OF woman is shut
out. So far from seeking to secure pur-
ity by practicing seclusion, we believe
that the more points Of contact and of
interest which can be estab-
lished between men and women, the less
danger is there that they will establish
relations.
1.-The development of the brotherly-
sisterly ideal is the goal at which we are
aiming. Hence we would multiply in
every direction points of contact be-
tween men and women. Give them
more objects Of common interest and
more opportunities of meeting on COM
mon ground: unite them more closely in
all public work. and every step taken in
that direction will leave farther and
farther in the background the old false
and degrading notions Of the past"
Unprotected Interests.
Men can not represent women until
women shall give their legal consent
that they may. Men are unlike women,
said Mrs. Mary A. Liyermore, in re-
cent address. and represent only their
own tastes. interests and occupations,
which are chiefly material. The special
interests Of women are in the home. in
the children, in the future Of the race,
in what really concerns the highest CIV
ilization. One man is sent to the halls
of legislation, or to Congress, to repre-
sent railroads, another, to represent
iron interests; another, manufacturers;
another, the agricultural community;
another, the Standard Oil monopoly;
and John Morrissey was said to have