The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-15

il purity in motherhood ia desirable for the
sake of the offspring, so, also, must % purity
in fatherhood. Why then 10 q high stan
dard of morality in the wife and mother
legitimatsly OFFSET by q low standard In the
husband and father? Why does a m
barter her soul for worse than notninR1
For this reason, that beggars never have
been and never can be choosers. we know
that in the economic world one holding the
vantage ground dictates terms to the one AZ
a disadvantage. Man has held and CON
tinues to hold a place Of supremacy over
women and 80 long ~ hat inequaiNy "
lists between them she must accede to what
ever terms lie makes. Under these condi-
tions. 80 long as marriage must De Ior tne
majority of women their final ODlect. 1us0
so long will they be obliged to accept Wnat,
ever is offered, whether II be cnastity ah1
purity or the reverse. Note p!easc sIas
say, while marriage must" DO the hnal OBJ
iect. Whenever you say l Unjust" have 30
and 40, then you are the one 10 receive
terms, not make them. Ia it then a fact
that women stand in that position VIII rel
erence to marriage? Ia it a question OF ne
cessity; are they Obliged to- marry! why
are they? They are obliged to turn 70 Mal-
for women, unmarried, to honorahiy anu
successfully earn their own hvings. FOL
only recently have women had any oppor-
tunity for preparing themselves 70 tahe
up any legitimate means OF se1I supPo!''
and whore preparation is not presens IAN.
ure results, There has consequently been
a shrinking from beginning q miserable e1-
istence that would end in failure ana IN
addition to suffer the reproach that 1orm-
erly, more than now, was cast upon a
woman for undertaking self support, q
shrinking also from the rldlcule cass upon
one who remained unmarried.
The result is then that for the majority
of woman marriage has become a matter OF
necessity. and the same principles govern
the law of necessity in marriage a. In tne
buyinp Of any commodity in the market.
I am not assailing tho institution OF MARI
age, but the fact that 80 sacred an lnstltu-
tion should be SO prostituted, that IL can
he dragged down 40 low, and that woman
is forced to drag it down, and that sne 10
compelled to turn that relation INTO q
means of self support. No amount OK
solemnizing nor blessing by church OF lay
man s~anctify or make holy sucn a proce.
dure. Not until woman avalis herseLt "
that God given right to be the sovereign
Of her own body, mind and soul;not untll sne
stands morally a human being. with
the equal rights of man, that is. the rlRnt TO
maintain and develop her W inolVIuu-
atty; not until woman demand these con-
ditions and fulfills them Will she reacn neT
highest development. Do not think that l
mean women should try to become IKE men,
for they are different and always Wall oe.t b9e
each one should strive to be complete IN ms
and her own way, SO each will be the compile
ment of the other. Why need man fear TOT
woman's future or his " under conol-
ions of broader development. For woman
can lose nothing in w~omanhood, gaming
such strength; she can lose nothing from
motherhood. gaining such wisdom; she can
lose nothing from her power az a compan-
ion and helpmeet. gaining such breadth.
Maybe you nave expected me to speak
more especially of woman's polltical reia-
ton. While I recognize the fact That great
! ininstice toward women exists in that direc-
ton, and that that injustice IS bearing
fruit in her distorted economic relation TO
society. still [ consider hat this other, this
divine right, comes first. If women will
stand firm for the right to their own souls
and bodies, these other questions VIII oe
solved also. Many of you, no doups. ohl IN
that this is cant: that these ideas have no
practical bearing on life; that the state
inents are oyerdrawn. But L have ex-
pressed nv convictions. They are the re-
salt of observation in which ! have repeat
eddy seen suffering and SORROW unJustiy
borne, and ignorance unwlttlngly spread
ing evil. In the face of this injustice one
realizes how futile is individual effort, ano
that nothing short of removing the prl'
mary cause of suffering will correct evils
The Tightening of woman's position Is moi
going to reconstruct the world instantly
but the removal OF the lnluStlce sne HAS 81
long endured will makep possible the growth
of humanity toward that completeness 81
gloriously pictured by Tennyson in thes'
words:
The woman's cause is mans; they rise or siuk
20 .etner. dw.rfed or godlike, bond Or freq;
For she that out of Lethe scales with man
The shining stt o. of nature shares with man hi
nights, his days, moves with him
To one goal, stays all the fair young planet
In her hands
ii she be small, slight-natured, miserable,
How shall men grow?
Iet her make herself her own to give or keep, t
live and learn and be
All that not harms distinctive womanhood; :,
For woman is not undeveloped man, but di
verse.
Yet in the long years liker must they grow
The man be more OF woman, she OF man:
He gain il sWee ness ard in moral height,
Nor lose the wrestling thews th't throw tn
Wotid;
She mental breadth no. fail in hildward cafs,
Nor los Q the childliae in toe larger mind;
TIL at last she set herself to man
Like perfect music unto noble words.
: nd so these twain, upon the skirts OF time,
s . side by side,
rub summed IN ali their powers,
Dispensing harvest. SOW ng the to be,
Sc f reverent each and r~everenclnge each.
Distinct in iLdlvidualities.
Thus springs the GROWING race of humankind.
Nav fhasa thinpS hai