The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-28
Why AND HOW WOMAN IS INFERIOR;
TO MAN.
A Profund Essay by Prof. Z. D. Cope OF
Pennsylvania.
From the Open Court


as they appear from 4 physiological
standpoint, are somewhat opposed t6
our ideals, T freely admit; bat it is the
history Of every human min", that Is
not incurably imaginative rather than
exact, to learn the lesson which bon
dage to material conditions imposes OF
US all alike.
The question is asked: rs woman's
infericrity the cause or the effect OF hel
economic subjection?n The answer Is
that it is the effect and not the cause OF
subiection, as we'll as Of "body dwarf
ing and custom" This is the fUnda'
mental error of large class Of women
doctrinaries. and it needs bat q superb
cial knowledge Of natural history tc
comprehend it.
The inferior physical strength Of the
female sex is general Though not en-
tirely universaD in the animal king
dom; and, mentality is one, or the
functions of human mechanism, it eN-
tends to the mental organism in man as
well. 1t is a simple corollary Of the
law of the conservation Of energy that
where a large amount Of energy IS de-
devoted to one function less rema;ns
for expenditure in performing another.
The large part Of the female organism
devoted to the functions of CESSATION,
laetation, and maternal care Of children
simply puts her out Of the race as a
competitor with man, on anything like
equal terms. Even if those functions
are notf tive the machinery for the
performance Of other funcNons is not
thereby increased in quantity or inn
proved in quality, except in such
small degree as one woman may ac-
complish in a lifetime. And this small
accomplishment she does not transmit,
since the unmarried woman has no
children.
I.cal attention to the fact that, al
though woman has had the advantage
ofthe inheritance Of male accomplish
ments and capacities since the origin
Of the species, the relation between her
and man still remains about as 1t ever
has remained. The one sex progresses
about as rapidly as the other, and they
maintain about the same relative posi-
ton. This fact is so fundamental that
it is unreasonable to expect any change
in the future. What can be done is to
improve both sexes as much as possible
in all their powers, and to acquaint
each with their limitations. In this
way the greatest amount Of happiness
may be attained with a minimum Of
conflict and waste. --
It is evident that marriage is the des-
tiny of both sexes, ard in the first
place monogamic marriage is no more
slavery tc women than the support
of family is to q man. Man is, to
use this common but inexact express
sion, in state Of slavery" to the con-
ditions of his environment, and no
socialistic scheme can relieve him Of
the difficulty introduced. Man is an
essential part Of this environment, and
contributes to the slavery" to which
heis subject. Wonan's environment
differs from that of man, in the diff
erence in 'che relation in which she
stands to man, as compared with that
which subsiSts between man and man.
That she should escape the conse-
quences Of this environment is no more
to be anticipated than is the case with
man himself She has the advantage
of man, however, in having for her
master q being who is naturally in
clined to admire, aid, and support her;
while, to man, the environment IS
mostly controlled by grim necessity I'M
posed by unfeehng forces. When man
rebels against this environment, and
makes reprisals on society by appro-
priating the property OF Others, he
makes serious mistake, and he finds 1t
out. generally soon. So some women,
discontented with their relations to 1
husband, are dishonest to him. They
also have trouble. Community of
wives is as impossible as community of
property, unless wives surrender all
claims 10 more 'A'''N ''i'' '''0''" l"DS1
efal'oh' ineie "'o 0o.N
women WHO ''S'tN '.iIS '.,1 ''''s'
'ein' ana ac' Oh IT, D": ''.0 '-'0'' - -"
efaliy aoahoon II u''''!''''e'9 '''''' i''''!
IL "OulG Oe Interesting ~ NiO" " A''I