Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-07-19
WOMAN'S PROGRESS.
DOES HER LIFE IN PUBLIC CONFLICT
WITH HOME OUTlES2

Birch ArRSld Answers the Gucry In the
Negative-An Improvement Noticeable
Everywhere-The END Of the Century"
Woman Is Capable of Great Things.
The end of the century is discovering
some wonderful possibilities for woman,
and the question, us there a conflict be-
tween woman's duty to her home and her
participation in public life,' Is exceedingly
pertinent at this junctHre. 1t seems scarce
ly necessary to repeat the well worn truth
that home Is the keystone Of society's arch.
The people of the United States have long
pointed TO their homes rs an evidence of
the stability of their government. The re-
cent census exhibits large increase Of
householders over the previous census, and
as this prosperous condition Of affairs has
grown side by side with the rapid advance
ment OF women to pos''ions of trust and
Importance, side by side with higher edu-
cation, side by side with a social culture of
wide extent, the question under discussion
seems to present its strongest arguments
In favor OF a decided negative. Let us look
at some OF the most salient points in sup
port Of this position. Want Of spnce pre-
vents their presentation in more than bare
outline.
Not much more than 30 years ago the qules-
tion of broader life for woman was first
mooted. Under an apparently quiesccnt
condition of society there was growing dis
content with narrow lines and unpromising
routine. Greater than this general discon-
tent WAS the cry for bresd, ever the most
potent factor in history. 1t was found that
in society, as that time constituted, wom-
en- without resources could not support
themselves.
The old occupations of teaching and
housewifery, the only lines open TO women,
were overcrowded and i'll paid.
When narrow channel becomes filed,
its constantly increasing current must over
fow It's banks in a general wreckage or
force n new and wider waterway.
i few brave women, among them lovely
and reverei Lucretia Mott, silver haired
and gentle voiced MrsI Stanton and lion
hearted Miss Anthony, Undertook TO Ell
gipeer this new channel. But hoS they
were hooted and reviledl How their wed ges
OF argument were derided as wooden blocks
of error, their handspikes of truth as feath-
ers of fancy, and their picksxes Of fact as
hatchets Of envy and tonahawks Of mis-
fortune!
But what has been the result, Today
what nm army of self supporting women,
cultured, self reliant, capsbls Go into
their homes. You will not find bare walls
and homemade carpets, the hard chairs,
the crude samplers" those eaquisitely
funny attempts at art ef 20 years ago! The
small god 81 the decorative touch has the
strsng miEdei by the ear, and she can des-
cant much moSc giibly than her sister OF
Al y-nnr- aro on tba heaptiel NJ kay,
arasene and fIo@elle. II you arc 50 fortu-
nate as to he guest at heC table, she will
doubtless present you feast O' fatness, y
with the strong probability that the dishes
were prepared by her own hands. You will
find 10 corners OF her establishment "s;llted
down" to prevent spelling, but everywhere
that 'sveetuess and light" which is the i'll
born right Of al women. and which knowl-
! edge only byiXhtens and gloriflez.
Again, If to injure the donesticity OF
women is TO open up to them these wider
paths Of helpfulness, how does il happcn
that the ''unspeakabls Turk" the best
known advocate OF simple domest!cfty, has
already caught the coutagion Of broader
growth for woJnens Often CT late some
civilized woman penetFates the seclusiOn Of
the harem TO tell us of the remarkable i'm
proyemept Of It's inmates And, wonder
Iul TO NlStc, TIE IptNI OF lno ntrttIl lIhcb IL,
/ He Has found that The gentle path of dal-
lance Is DOT the only path which women
may tread with profit and pleasure to the4r
reputsd owner.
But sope one asks, how does the modern
woman OF civilized society accomplish SO
/ muchi How does she find dme for the de-
/ mands OF home and family while salts
factorily discharging eSacting public du-
tiesi By no magic Simply by the growth
J of constant culture. Mesaphysicians Will
tell you ths development OF the brain is
( something marvellous under certain lines
( OF education Then again, tho genius uk In
yent.on is an important factor IN her op-
| ward march. She has no longer as In OUT
! grsndmother's day, TO convert the raw ma
/ tGrial into all the various stages OF develop
meut before IL is Git for Use.
On tho contrary, there Is scarcely any,
thing which Ks not offered ready for imme-
! diate consumption. II il were not for this
Keeping step" Of invention and progress,
! IL is hardly probable that the various wem-
| ems societies, all for the avowed purpose OF
/ helping humanity, would see such pros
| porous days As 10 is, one hiss only 70
! glance about 10 he convinced that the END
! OF the century" woman Is capable Of grea,
/ things and that one of these things Is to
! diffuss Il genial warmth and material com.
| fort in the home circle, while ut the same
time she Is helping to mold public opinion
and widen the way for the toilers OF heI
own seI.-Birch Arnold in Woman's Trib
uDe-
| Unused Doors.