The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-06-18
In WOMAN'S BEHALF.

In WOMAN'S BEHALF.
A MISTAKEN OPINION.
The Supposition That women Are Asham-
ed VI Being Independent Utterly Ground-
less.
A correspondent Of the New York
World, writing in opposition to cos
tune for business women, said In erect
that IL never would be made popular.
The reason given was that women who
had neither father, husband nor broth
cr to take care Of them were not going
TO advertise the fact by assuming uni
form that would distinguish them every
where. II may be said incidentally
that the original idea of "a business
dress is remarkably silly, for the one
good reason Of its total impracticabili-
u. All the models submitted thus far
r-1ying Mother Hnbbards, modified
l,l0cmcrs, c0mbination tunics and jack
cts-hase hssn not merely unartistic;
they
The wcll-bred woman aims st one
thing in dress, aside from neatness and
suitability, and that is. to avoid being
conspicuous. 1t is an instinct which
she possesses in common with the we'll
bred man. The business men of the
country would hardly submit to be uni
formed like SO many Pullman car por-
tiers or elevator conductors. And the
business women object to distinguish
ing dress on similar grounds, and on
these grounds only. Besides, there is
no need Of such uniform. business
gowns have been devised, free from
stays, fads. hoops, and dragging weight,
clearing the ground, as the skirts of .
cleanly woman. and il is difficult to see
how they can be improved upon. Not
only is such dress as comfortable and
convenient as mans clothing, but it
has all the essentials of becomingness
and artistic excellence. So much for
tho dress question.
The point at issue, however, is not
this. but the assertion that working
women wish to conceal the fact that
they are not dependent upon some man
for support. The statement is abso-
lutely mistaken; IL is more than that, it
is untrue. There is not woman easily
and successfully earning her living who
does not take intense satisfaction in
her ability to do 50. She comes and
goes as she likes She buys what
pleascs her; she helps others and puts
by the precious reserve fund for the
prnverbial rainy day. There are very,
very few such women who do not have
opportunities to renounce their spin
sterhood and be supported more op-
portunities, II would seem, than those
who have nothing to do but wait
helplessly for the coming man. But
they do not always make use Of their
opportunities with the promptness that
would betoken their eagerness to re-
nounce their individual right, to life.
liberty. and the pursuit Of happiness.
A good many never. do renounce this
right, but pursue the even tenor OF their
way. minated to their gravestone2
Furthermore, there are thousands
who have been dependent upon their
fathers and brothers, q dependence that
II
family. On the contrary, all that they
desired was given ungrudgingly, gener-
ously, and gladly. The daughter and
sister were made to feel that all that
was bestowed was not gift, but theirs
of right Still there remained the
quenchless desire to be up and doing
for themselves. The busy brain, the
skilled hand, the restless energy de-
manded some natural and healthful en-
ployment, for which the few simple
duties about the house did not suffice.
There is in Chicago brilliant, beau
tiful and accomplished young woman.
While she was yet child her father
died and left her, with her mother. q
charge to her two brothers She fin
ished her education and then. being
healthy and vigorous, she began to con.
slider the situation.
Il made up my mind" she said, that
being as strong and quite as capable rs
my brothers. that there was no reason
why they should take care of me. !
wanted the privilege of taking care OF
myself"
without consulting them, she took
a course at business college, and be.
| fore they had the slightest inkling OF
what she was doing she graduated and
established herself in business. To-day
she is an expert court reporter and .
regularly qualified notary public She
has her own pleasant Office in one o1
the best business blocks in tho city
She has her corps of clerks, and ha.
more business than she can attend to
She has charming little home on one
of the boulevards, where she lives will
her mother. She dresses well, live,
well. and, without practicing any spec
ial economy, will save this, her frs
year in business on her own account
over $1,000. There are few men under
similar circumstances who could hav,
done better. II there is anything il
her manner that shows regret that sh,
did not remain in her brothers charge
it has not been apparent to her friends
One other example may I've seen-ir
this instance widow. She now hold
q responsible official position in one o
the western states. Her husband wa
= gallant soldier and died shortly aftel
the close of the war, leaving her with ,
large farm on her hands. No. only di,
he leave the farm but he left . mort
gage of SO, 900 on the farm.
Her friends said to her: "You viii
have to marry or sell the farm"
She replied: Il will do neither" m,
she kept her word. She raised tn,
mortgage. improved the estate. and is
recognized power in the agriculture
councils of the state. She did NOR,
than this: Having no children Of her own
she adopted three, and is bringing then
up with all the care and fidelity Of ,
model mother.
These are not exceptional cases; hun
dreds Of similar ones, though the sue
cess may be on . lesser scale, might b
cited. No normal human being de
spises responsibility or rebels agains
the exercise or development Of hi
power. Women are human beings
and the very happiest and most con
| tented women in this country to-day ar