The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-19
What She Has Done in All Departments.
Her Inventive Genius.

What She Has Done in All Departments.
Her Inventive Genius.
Editor Womda'S Column, Morning Gail
A recent writer in The CALL claims that
IMAM first made the country inhabitable to
the human race; he is the explorer, the dis
coverer, the invader, the conqueror aud the
defender. Man established government for
the protection Of himself; the same protec-
ton was extended TO woman as follower
a companion and the writer asks: "What
Injustice then does man impose upon woman
by assuming control over thing of his own
creation? Let the works of women equal
those Of men and her recognition to political
authority will not be refused" Can the
writer mean that the pioneer, the warrior,
are the only ones who have a right to self
government? If so few of our men could
vote, and it is conceded that pioneer women
have done more toward CiYliZiug new
countries than pioneer men. Are the men
who trapped and hunted, who provoked In
dian wars often by injustice, who some
times had so little definite purpose that
they dropped the lines at the division of
trails and let their horses choose the route,
more ht because of hardShiDS 10 vote than
THE PIONEER WOMEN,
Who left friends and what women hold
dearest, and. with little children, cheer
lulIA, WIFI dCuiu2 IedEtS, UNDERTOOK Inc
long, dangerous trip? Did he VINO stood
picket at night do more than she who for
years stands picket for her children? Is il
more TO raise animals than to bear and
train children? Is 1t more to cultivate land
than to turn its products into nourisbiug
food? Is it more to build houses than to
make those houses true homes, nOurlShing
the moral and intellectual being as we'll as
the flesh? What land has man ever sub
dued without woman? He is needed to sub
due the rattlesnake, the grizzly, the nOxiOus
weed, but she IS equally needed to subdue
HIM, tame him and make him worthy OF his
kingdom. No pioneer, no experienced SOL
der made this claim that because man does
the invading and the killing he alone should
have voice as regards the interests of
humanity. Experience knows too we'll what
woman does Tor new country 10 make
such a claim. And it is a sad truth that
most of the killing is entirely unnecessary;
Is caused by the insOlence Of white men in
their treatment OF the savage, women espe-
Clally. and that nowhere do women need
protection except from men.
SUPPOSE THAT FOR AGES
Women had ruled men because stronger
and that these women claimed the right to
govern men because the best of women had
made themselves n bodyguaTd to protect
men from the worst women, but had denied
T. those men the weapons and the legislation
without which the women could not protect
themselves. For man to tie up woman so
she cannot protect herself and then demand
the control Of her " life, liberty and pursuit
OF happiness because he gives her semi
protection. sayOTs Of the feudal ages and
he has TO right but the right Of might to as
sumo control over woman without giving
her an equal voice as regards common inter
ests, and Tree choice as an individual The
present system is tyranny, and a sO-Called
republic may well tTemble for its inconsis-
tency, 1t Is already menaced by corruption,
dishonesty, drunkenness and hRrl0try, vices
that always flourish best where there are no
women but victims, no homes. Our nation
is IN the same stage or civilization as the
mining and the military camp. The man
Who kept the cabin in mining camp shared
equally III the gains, why not the woman
who does all that he did and cares for chill,
dren, does tie family sewing and dOctOriDg
in addition?
wOMAN's CONTRIBUTION
To the riches OF the country is not less than
mans. If she does not plow she feeds the
plgWman; II she does not care for the cows
she makes the butter ana cheese; she
picks the cotton and weaYes the cloth, then
makes il into clothes; shs Is not absent
from the WOOisn-WllI, she makes the flour
into fOtd, cooks the vegetables and the
meat, all Of which IS essential and a higher
form Of labor than raising the material.
Men made the steam-engiue, but Il took a
line Of men from Hero TO the present day
To do 1t, each contributing a little, but
women lave UtNloEu All lue COmIDElS anu
luxury Of nome Tradition saws that
women invented the spindle, the needle and
tie basket, the first household tools; if they
have not evolved bread, pie, cake, all the
wonderful products OF the cook book, V hO
has done IL? My mothers" perfect cook
ing Is wOlnan'S cooking. The Interior of
Our houses represents WOman's inventive
ness, 80 DO the devices for the comfort OF
children. But you say Men make the
conveniences.' The idea constitutes the
invention. A sculptor designs statue
but as a rule he cannot chisel it; skilled
enters with precious few ideas DO that
Did Morse cut his own poles. or draw out
his own telegraph wires? Did
FULTON
Make the engine Of the CleTmont? Did
Howe draw out his sewi0g-machne needle?
Ideas must be put into material form before
they can be patented. Woman has until re-
Gently been entirely debarred opportunity
70 learn trades, so she must ind some man
10 do the material part for her; for the
same reason farmers rarely get credit for
inventions, and agricultural implements are
not made by them; they have not the man
uai skill. Yet IN many cases they suggested
tie idea Occasionally a woman Is so
great genius that she OYercOmes this lack
OF a chance, as Mary Walton has made a
fortune by luventing a device for reducing
the rattle on the elevated railroads after
Edison had been offered a large sum if he
could do it, and he did not succeed. Proba-
bly, women have Just as much inventive
genius naturally as men; they hold already
numerous patents, and every neighbOrhOOd
is blessed with devices in food clothes or
medicine that the inventor never dreamed Of
patenting. Women can explore. No one has
- ever surpassed Ida Pfeffer. Women can
fight Several hundred women soldiers in
the Civil War proved that Yet for none of
these things should the ballot be conferred,
but on the inherent right to life and lib
cry" and the pursuit Of happiness" in any
path that does not injure others. 5. S.