Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-11-06
Organization for Women
BY HELEN CAMrRELL..


50 long A. outward interests made
small part Of the life Of woman. and
her chief end was 4 speedy seeking and
finding Of the individual man who was
to be her special phase of the general
problem. women were for each other n
secondary matter. At last women seek
to understand each other. all the more
eagerly. ii may be, for the long indif
ference; and so each day demonstrates
more fully the ial>ly OF q long accept
ca >sying: Women cannot work to-
ec;hcr.' The passion for organization
j. the outgrow;h Of The new desire
Negative virtues, summed NJ iu all
that patient. cheerful endurance of bard
conditions must mean. have filled the
past. To-day the positive ones are mp
permust. and 10 all women some form
OF action outside old lines is becoming
possible No work has vital power
which does not arouse AL impulse to-
ward personal beticrment in those for
whom ii is undertaken. For every city
where the experiment OF working girls
clubs have been tried, hundreds have
learned two things which unierlie the
formation Of any such Organization
first. that there are means II happiness
and growth within the reach of all
workers and second. that out OF suc!;
organization grows a feeling Of mutual
trusifuluess, Of solidarity, and of con
iid"nCc In the power Of concerted ac-
ton, which will enable the worker to
make etfectual claim TO a larger and
Juster share OF the product Of her labor.
The courage, the patience and fidelity
OF the mass of tL, sc VOL kcrs are beyond
praise. 1t is a demand upon more for
lunatc women TO tighten hard condl-
lions, and give TO all the knowledge
wherein hes their only means OF escape.
Often ignorant, incompetent, undisci
plined and insClent because of all these
conditions. the individual is sometimes
q terror; but dealing with this phase,
the first necessity is to ignore it, and
to look at the mass out OF which is 10
be developed that capacity which is
the sole title TO rank AS individuals. 1t
Is this work that i, TO be accomplished
by the whole enormous system Of clubs.
1t is liberty that is TO grow-not IL
cense which wears its mask, but the
liberty born Of conflict with aud con-
quest OF error, liberty that will carry
with it equal opportunity for develop
ment Of every faculty. and thus secure
to all houest work, just wage to the
worker. and something in the life be-
sides work. The century so near its
opening holds the promise for which
the past has waited. 1t is Victor HUI
90 who Shall give Us the key note:
10 satisfy the nineteenth century, it
is necessary TO be the painter of the
sixteenth, the writer of the seventeenth.
the philosopher Of the eighteenth and
ii is a $50 necessary, like Louis Blanc.
to have the inua.e and holy love OF hui
manly which constitutes an apostnlate
and opens up prophetic vista into the
future. In the twentieth. war will be
dead, the scaffod will be dead animos-
ity will be dead, royalty will be dead,
and dogmas will be dead-but man
will live For all there will be but one
country-that country the whole earth
for all, there will he but one hope;
that hope the whole heaven" THE
Woman's Column.