The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-16
A UONfN'S ADTICE.
Women Should Fight Like Tigers for Inde
pendcnce-No Charity.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: There was
In one Of the daily newspapers OF this week an
urgent appeal for funds to erect building in
which tho work of reduced gcntlcwomen"
could he Sold prominent leader of society.
several wealthy bankers. md other we'll
known people vouchcd for tho necessity and
nobility (?) OF this charity. Will the editor OF
The Sun let one woman utter a feeble but
indignant protest! For widc-rcnching evil
and wrcngdoing the extension of this charity
would be powerful 1t aims to continue in
degradation and slavery n class family striv.
ing to emerge from centuries OF oppression
caused 10y their own weakness.
Oh. forever perish tho name of :cntlewoman,
the synonyme of weakness. futility. and inca
pacity. and with the name perish the class II
women. who to be gentle aud womanly scout
at justice and humanity for themsc who
for the empty name o! gentlewomnn are fain
to throw themselves under the wheels of prog
ress-to retard. as far as in them lies. tho civ
ilization of humanity. Let them all perish
and let no one help them ! 1t is only the OK
tremest suffering that will kill or cure tho
mental and moral weakness Of the class OF
Eentlewomen who nnrcotlzcd by convention
alitieS. show themselves as examples of such
maudlin weakness that. oven among their own
class. their own associates. arise patrons. BEN
eiactors., protectors-the blind leading the
blind into the ditch o; poverty and despair
No. let there he the right spirit at work. Let
every married woman SOC to it that he is pro-
vided for in he, DAYS Of illness and Old age
and. at her husbands death. by either fund
Tor her maintenance or his life insured for an
amount suitable to their position in lito; il
their education toa trade or professions. In II
word lot woman look at every action and feel
to hc u begGlr or IL dopendont: and to this end
let every action and thought Snbserv".
;. Let hcr iirst c"mpute the nere>sari.s Of her
life according to her birth. education. and re-
luireiuent>. To the smallest detail. maxim. u
liberal estimate OF tho sum required annually
.Tnon let her resolve and determine 10 have
that same from those who brought her into
this world. without any volition o! her own
and who would ShHk" oN their rec pOnsihi,tirs
to these would-he phiianthropisls WHO pro-
pose to create new class Of paupcrs: o.. /! TAO
let them insure tEcir lives for her benefit an
meanwhile let her earn the yearly sum ncces-
sary for her support.
Let her then proceed t" reviso her list Of
necrssarlcs and live upon one-half Of nor
| first computation. canning TIL" amount first
deemed necessary. livin. upon one.half of
that and saving and n.rsting half lie: her
I nnn o tha' ur n basel d.r.s her free.
crime on earth i ignorance.
Let II" cn;angin: alliances sedurc her from
ne narrow path %i liberty. no l,eip to churches
working women. thus is my own experienced.
10 societies. y" clubs; with & heir, dues {" at
mind. her determination. her energy. t, this
one roint-i" be an lnrl"rcndert icing to inly
Tor All SnS gers. anu stl inc money To ito II,
and to inSi st that sha gives nothing without il
money value helm. paid for 1t.
Let no woman tie srGuced into matrimonv
that fearful ard tremendous rrsponsih ility
involving the tutur. rnr". without settlements
life insuranr"s. provision for tho eXpeci ed
children. aud without clean hill OF health
from her own doctor. both for herself and her
proposed husband.
In mer,y's, name. let us make a struggle
against another clas, Of ,raupers. the re-
duced gentlcwomcn.' OF else let us return To
he degradation OF the East Indian or Turkish
harcm@. And If sweet wonant dependence
and loveliness and weakness is the ideal of
culture. and if ii must be fed and clothed and
housed. let it he done in order. on rose leaves
and sherbets and IomeGranates. or whatever
tn" Turkish hnuriS intten on. and let it DO
ter: but don't try and make bHrbaric Eastern
call the opponents Eeutlawomen.
Dear gent iewomen. speak. YEA fight for your
shsiter. your food, your clothing tor the future
snfo as "ou may ha in the present. Your par
ents. your husbands. can't do more.
Dear friends. Tough battle won't last as
long or hurt AS mncn rs slow starvation when
your parents or husbands are safe in another
world from your cry for Justice. The subject
would extend itself to volumes could one say
all one knows and thinks and feels. but | will
conrlud" by earnestly requesting the editor OF
THE Sun to publish this letter. in the hope that
q few entlcwomrn may save themsclve from
the he'll Of poverty. made moro crue by tho
patronage OF their own class. l am. dear eLi-
tor. very truly yours ISABELLA.
NEW YORK. Dee, III.