The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-08-23
SHALL WOMEN 'sO. sssl
Lille Devereux lake Discusses an
Interesting Question.

Many years ago DR.. Horace Bush
nell, distinguished divine of Hart
ford, Conn.,, published a book called
"The Reform Against Nature y
which was intended forever to an
nihilate the demand for woman
suffrage, then just assuming import
ant proportions. The learned author
thought that his fulminations from
his study chair would bring con-
sternation into what his Puritan
predecessor, the Rev. John Knox.
called "the monstrous regiment of
women" But as the eloquent gen.
tleman's premises were false his
reasoning could not fail of being
fallacious, and therefore his dia-
tribes fell harmless.
He assumed, as all the opponents
of our cause have done, that the
enfranchisement of women would
lead to the neglect and perhaps the
disappearance of the home and the
children, not having breadth of WIS.,
ion to see that emancipated women
would inevitably make better wives,
mothers and housekeepers than the
dull and silly drudges of the past.
However, although the scholarly
doctors did not think that women
should be given college education
and viewed their entrance into busi-
ness and the professions with horror
he spent much elaboration of argu-
ment in support of the idea that
the maiden ought to have the right
Of proposing marriage to the man
of her choice.
Apparently if there ever was a
reform against nature this was one,
for in all animal life down to the
humblest insect existence it is the
male who is the seeker and the
wooer. Still, as we have advanced
upon these lower forms in customs
and usages in a hundred directions
why not in this?
The proposition that women may
and do take the matrimonial initia
tive seems to be a favorite one with
the clerical brethren, for noticed
that at the recent session of the
Presbyterian general assembly one
of the distinguished divines declar-
ed it to he fact that women were
constantly proposing to men with
their eyes" Can it be that young
minister requires more help in ask
ing the important question than a
layman?
Or is this frequent experience?
To hear married men talk one would
fancy that DR.. Bushnell's theories
were largely accepted, since the
standing matrimonial joke in many
families is as we all know, the asser-
ton on the part of the husband that
his wife offered herself to him. One
venerable judge who has been three
times married always declares that
each lady asked for his hand, and
adds that he should never have
been married had they not done so.
But on this momentous question
as on all others a little common
sense goes great way. If woman
is wealthy, and the advantages from
worldly point of view are all on
her side, there can be no question
as to the propriety Of her giving the
favorite suitor every indication of
her preference even to the point Of
an avowal.
Among queens this is of course
the recognized form of procedure.
When Victoria was a pretty young
maiden it was we'll understood that
she was to designate her choice
among the various princelets who
came to seek her hand. The tall
and handsome Albert of SAKE Co.
burg Gotha won her favor at their
first meeting, and it was not very
long thereafter when, at a ball at
the palace, she gave him a rose.
No doubt she accompanied the act
with some words of encouragement,
for the gallant German pressed his
wooing with ardor, and was soon
comfortably settled as prince con-
sort.
A great heiress, like queen, not
only may, but often should, propose
marriage, as only in that way can
she secure her life's happiness. The
very man who would best suit her
because of his qualities of head
ard heart will probably be of a ma
ture which will revolt against the
accusation of having made mer-
cenary match. Her wealth may
repel him no matter how much her
person may attract, and it will be
absolutely necessary for her to
make "a bold stroke for a husband" ;"
Here, for instance, is the romance
of lovely, supplemented girl, the
heiress of immense wealth. She
had many suitors for her hand,
most of whom she suspected of the
most sordid motives in their atten-
tions. There was one young man
whom she had known for years,
distant cousin, of excellent quail
ties, to whom she was tenderly at
tached, but, although she OWNED,
as she hoped, that he regarded her
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