Smyrna times., 1891-02-25
Women in the Year 1000.
BY EDWARD BELLAMY.

|
, the readers ofthe Ladies' Home ,Journa
1t is assumed that the year 1000 wi
see Nationalism fully established a
the basis of the industrial system an,
of society, SO far as dependent upon il
judging from the signs of the times
think it would be quite safe to max
the date seventy-five years earlier
but for the benefit of those weak in tb,
faith 1t is set we'll ahead. As ther,
are doubtless some who do not under
stand very clearly what Nationalisn
Is, it may be we'll enough just here t.
explain, so far as may be done in {
phrase, that it proposes turning oveI
all the business of the country To a sin
gle firm, of which all the people, womer
as well as men, shall be EMPLOYEES
and in the proceeds of which all shall
be equal partners. Leaving wholly
aside, for the present purpose, all ex.
plantations as to the details of this plan
and all questions as to its feasibility. il
is simply proposed to point out certain
ways in which the position of women
would be affected by its successful in.
PRODUCTION.
We are to suppose that every adult
woman in the United States-while re.
Quired, like every adult man-except
as modified by sex conditions-to per-
form some self-elected useful work
has to her regular annual income in
the form of credit, to be expended as
she pleased, equal, say, to the present
purchasing power of 81 900, $1,000 or
$o'OOO, more or less, according to the
prosperity of the National firm, said
income to be the same in amount with
that received by her brother, husband
or father, but not to come to her
through them or through any other
intermediary, but directly from the
National Administration, as a matter
OF constitutional right.
Now, considering the fact that
woman, owing to her comparative
physical disqualiications as a worker.
has hitherto been, as a rule, wholly or
partially dependent upon the favor or
affection of men for the means of a
secure and comfortable existence, it is
evident that a system like that de
scrlOed, would, by rendering her en-
tlrely independent of men in this res.
pect, make great alteration in her
position.
Obviously the most important single
respect in which it would be altered
would be as to her attitude toward
marriage. She would no longer he
obliged, as most women now are. to
look forward to marriage as Offering if
not absolutely her only means of sun
port, yet at least, as constituting her
main hope of secure and comfortable
life. The only possible motive which
would then impel her to give herself to
man would be that she loved him.
May and December might still mate.
Beauty might still wed the Beast. but
the sourest cynic would no longer be
able to attribute an unworthy motive
to the bride. However sordid she
might become under temptation, then
there could be none, for not only
would she be under no necessity of
marrying at all, but the wealth of all
her possible suffers being the same, she
could have no motive, save love or
admiration, for marrying one more |
than another.
Not only, however, would National
ism guarantee women dignity and in
dependence before marriage, but
equally afterward. That event would
IN no way affect her rights as a citizen
and partner in the National concern.
The humiliation of complete pecuniary
dependence upon their husbands. of
being obliged to ask for all they have.
beyond bare bread and meat, which
,he best and noblest of wives now have
o endure, the wife of the year 1000
would never know.
Let us suppose, on the other hand.
hat her heart remaining untouched,
he had preferred to remain single.
At the present time, a popular pre-
umption exists that all girls wish to
marry, and fail to do so only because
hey lack an eligible opportunity. This
exists on account of the
obvious fact that women, being able
With difficulty to support themselves,
lave in general a greater material in
crest in marriage than men have.
surely there can be few incidents of an
Unmarried wOman's condition more
'xasperating than her knowledge that
because this is the undeniable fact it is
'ain for her to expect to be popularly
'redited with voluntary choice of her
She must endure with a
mile, however she may rage within.
he coarse jest or innuendO to which it
worse than vain to reply. Nation
'lism by establishing the economic in
dependence of women, without refer
nee to their single or married state,
will destroy the presumption referred
o by making marriage no more OBJ
'iOusly desirable to one sex than to
mother.
Would you gain realization of the :
'Osition of the ''old maid" in the year
OOOY Ifso, look at the lOrdly bache-
Of of to-day, the hero of romance, the
ynOsure of the drawing-room and of
he promenade. Even as that bright
eing, like him selfpoised, serenity
1SOueiGnt, free as air, will the old I
laid OF the year 1000 be. It is alto. Il
ether probable, by the way, that the
srm "old maid" will by that time have i
sllen into disuse. o
But while the unmarried woman of !
he year 1000, whether young or old.
ill enjoy the dignity and independ- 3
nee of the bachelor of to-day, the in Z
'lent prosperity at present enjoyed by
le latter will have passed into salu-
'ry, if sad, eclipse. No longer profit Q
q by the effect of the pressure of 9