The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-05-07
What viii Become Of the Mem


tions in Holland finding it extreme
ly difficult to find switchmen who
could be relied on because of their
habits of drinking, turned about
and substituted women. From that
day not an accident has occurred.
The women prove to be every way
reliable and useful. What will be-
come of the men?> But this not all !;
the women have proved to be the
best officials in charge of our post
offices, and it is said that Mr.. Wan
amaker believes the final settlement
of the wrangle for these Offices will
be ended by the men losing them
altogether. A woman postmaster
is allowed to hold her position un-
disturbed for longer time than =
man. AS rule it is considered
ungallant to get up contest that
shall turn out woman. In most
towns man who should undertake
it would lose his standing at once.
The popular scorn would be over
whelming.
During the past winter bill was
passed by the legislature of Texas
making it compulsory to employ
female clerks in the State Depart
ment. It is hardly thirty years
since women first secured a place
in the Treasury Department at
Washington. Now they hold SIM
liar positions in a dozen State De-
partments about the Union. Better
yet is the Australian proposition to
create q House of Ladies instead of
House of Lords. There is good
reason, if we study the signs of the
times, for believing that our own
land will have a woman's branch
of Congress within a quarter of =
century.
Some of the ablest travellers Of
the past century have been Miss
Bird, whose studies in Japan were
remarkable; Mrs. Leon Owens, who
resided for twelve years in Siam as
governess of the reigning King-a
woman of supreme tact and of ad-
mirable philosophic acumen-and
Ida Pfeitfer, the rival of Bayard
Taylor as a universal tourist. But
just now every masculine explorer
of Africa is eclipsed by the exploits
of Mrs. M. French-Sheldon, who
has led a caravan through Darkest
Africa and done it successfully.
She started from Zanzibar with an
escort of 1873 black men and pene-
trated about one thousand miles
into the interior, walking most of
the way.
The Doodle history of New York
is astounding and that of Chicago
is worse, while st. Louis has an un-
written record that is worse than
the worst that is written. What
can be done about it? In three
several instances of late women
have been elected as Mayors with
women Aldermen and the laws have
been enforced. Just now Miss Nora
Sweet Of Chicago, a woman of rare
executive tact, has undertaken to
organize the women of that city for
the purpose of street-cleaning. Why
not set them at work in all our
larger cities? Will the women be
able to govern the cities?
We had until recently but three
professions-medicine law and the
ology. The first of these to be in
vaded by women was medicine.
We are permitted not only to prac-
tice, but to counsel with our mas
culine peers. The tendency is largely
for two doctors, one male and one
female, to cooperate. Indeed, it is
wonderful how we got on so long
without women physicians. AS for
preaching, why not7 At any rate,
women preachers are vastly on the
increase and bid fair to equal tho
number of men in 1925. But, the
reform most required is the dis
placement by women of shyster and
Doodle lawyers. Something must
be done to slough off this. pitiful
and disgusting class of lawyers. In
no case have known of a woman
lawyer who was unfaithful to the
interests Of peace. It certainly
would take fifty generations before
we could develop a female Ben
Butler.
But what will become of the men2
Are the women to assume the charge
of the male sex7 Shall we marry
with that purpose in view? It 10 .
fact that women have Of late be-
come vastly more capable of taking
care of themselves; and it is said
that statistics show q large increase
of unmarried women. Holden Pike.
in q recent article, calls attention
to the work done by women as jour-
nelists. Here they are specially
successful. "a great deal of the
most effective work done on our
newspapers has been done by wo-
men; and could It be told, the
public would Be surprised to lAarn
how much of the total is still done
by them.' This is true Of al pre-
fessions, that no one will succeed