River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-10-06
Woman With a canital

Marion Harland in the North Amer
lean thinks that woman with a capital
letter should by now have ceased to
be speciality. Her reasons are: /,
she is in full possession of her own in.
dividnality; 2, every door at which
woman has knocked has been unbolt-
ed; 3, more men are willing to share
the responsibility of suffrage than
there are women who are willing and
ready to accept the franchise. She
considers The war over and thinks we
should now work together as human
beings instead or organizing woman s
corporations for every conceivable
purpose which prove our unlikeness
instead of our equality. Woman is
in possession of her own individuality
only when it is acknowledged.
A great statesman wrote a book COW
ering the period of the Civil war,
which from preface to fms gave no
token of knowledge of the existence
of woman. Did he acknowledge her
individuality! Political platforms ac-
knowledge her nonentity An orator
makes g glowing address before organ
izations of both men and women and
uses the term heroes, citizens and pa
triots in connection, which does not
even by implication include women.
4 great church after years of strife
decides that her laity have rights
which ministers and bishops are bound
to respect under the head of lay rep
resentation. Years after lay repre-
sentation is established women noted
in the world OF reform for the degree
of individuality they have attained
are sent as lay representatives to the
of that church and denied
their rights as delegates. Good enough
for prayer, singing and experience;
good as cooks for church suppers, as
beggars for the preachers salaries,
but only abnormal creatures in the
church world, neither clergy nor laityl
That is one of the doors at which wo-
men have knocked and which will not
be unbolted till the pressure from out
side begins to crack the hinges.
Our co. educational colleges do not
contain both men and women profess.
ors and the older colleges substitute
for co education kind of ''lean-to,"
called annex, where women may pass
as strict examinations as their broth
ers, but not receive degrees or diplo.
mas.
The last reason is improved, the
census taker has never been required
to tiud how many men were willing to
share the franchise, nor how many
women were anxious to secure it.
Millions of names have been sent TO
the national capital asking for it and
the few men who are willing to con-
slider the subject there does not speak
well for the willingness of constit.
uents. Senator ingalls, is noted case
of conversion since leaving congress.
converted by some of those Kansas
women who have attained that indi.
viduality which Marion Harland as.
sures us we all have. Woman's organ.
izations will be needful till men like
the gifted Labouchere, of London
Truth quit saying lie. women votel
would sooner give children revoIvers
and razors to play with Yet organ
lzation may be Overdone. When the
work is directly for men, work direct
ly with them (if they will allow you.)
Don't form Frances Cleveland inhu.
euce club or Carrie Harrison Repub.
lican club when you mean Grover or
Benjamin! Don't take the holy name
of wife and mother in vain when the
sacred cognomen of the husband and
father is going to be worn thread bare,
anyway, and the truth is so much bet
ter than pretense. G. V. LAYTON.
Richland Center.