The morning call., 1893-05-28
SHE WHO IS TO COME.
Charlotte p. Stetson on the Twen-
tieth Century Woman.

tieth Century Woman.
To understand the place and power OF woman
In the next age requires an entire change OF
base in our views of life.
Always before we have regarded woman
merely In her relation 10 man-not at all in her
relation to other women, or TO the race at large.
All through the last age, with its wide dl1u-
sion of ideas, we have been learning TO con
slider that her use in Lie was through The home
and family; and that some special sanctity at
tached 10 the perform ance OF what are called
"home duti-s."
This home which we so fondy praise, is a
sort of shop and manufactory, run solely by
slave labor in lis modern form, wherein woman
as wife-and-servaDt, or as wife, aud servant,
performs various industries.
The performance of these industries rigidly
limits the development of woman, and having
known only the women so produced, and the
conditions so producing, we have an inevitable
limitation in the conception OF women.
To conceive OF the new woman we must con-
ceive first of the new home.
This is. briefly, place 10 rest in, to be alone
in, to see ones friends 10 privately.
II Is Il place wherein is done no kind OF work,
unless some artist or scientist prefers Srpa-
rate studio or laboratory. AS rule even they
do not, but congregate with others of their
ina, and gain the stimulus of companion-
ship. But the home will be the still beautiful
ulace apart 10 go to when work is doue. The
woman of that day will work at whatsoever
thing she best loves and is best fitted torso
developing full human faculties, becoming a
| citizen In the true seuse.
| This outside general life-this daily world
| communion will mH ke her very different be-
ing, and ma Ike her choice of maze rest on far
| deeper considerations than prompt the failing
in love- of the girl OF to-day.
! "a, $50
1t will be the fulgrown woman TO whom the
| full-RrOwn man must bring his suit.
| The eleVailng influs nee of such Judgment
earn be seen at glance. She will know per-
| fectly well the meaning OF the step she is to
| take and choose with a wise head, clear con-
science strong VIII, as well as the Inclination
of the heart and the deep impersonal power of
| passion.
The noble woman viii demand noble man
! and take no other; so will tile ignober man
gently become extinct.
The lower woman, of course, may marry him,
but mercful natural laws lend always to re-
| move those doubly weak
So in this simplest way will the woman of the
| twentieth century improve the race unerringly
| by virtue OF her inherent right as chooser and
her independence.
She VIII be mo her before whom our pite-
/ Gus mothers of dead children, sick children,
.
/ all sad failures.
The young girl citizen viii be taught TO hold
her rank of mother as thing of holiness and
! honor, and also TO understand 1t practically.
Therefore she win ht herself carefully for SO
high a Junction.; making that thought stand
guard over her choice Of a husband
She will use her power and skill to provide
for her children right conditions before and
| after birth; thing mothers heretofore have
| yph fotb
for all this.
She viii study the business of child raising
u nder the combined intelligence OF th- mother
hood of the age, and, unless her special powers
and tastes tit her for that business she will see
| to it that her children are in better hands than
| hers for nursery education.
The wise strong woman OF the new day will
consider children as a permanent class of clti-
| zens--not as a temporary private addition TO
| the famliy--and see TO II. on her honor as
mother, that they are rightly cared for.
Thus In her second g. eat hold on life she will
| uplift the race. as in her present abortve de-
velopment and degraded position she never
can.
Beyond these purely feminine functions
comes her use to tn race through the higher
human faculties As producer she will pour
into the world stream of wealth in every form
OF creative Industry. besides assisting In the
equally important duties of distribution, ad-
mnistration, etc., being in all ways member
of society,"
THIS by no means necessitates her plungne
into the ruder forms of manual labor; il points
rather TO a sort of queenshlp, gradual assump-
ton of those more delicate aud complex duties
which her special organization is fitted for
leaving the heavy work to those visbly better
suited TO it,. Washing, scrubbing, the endless
battle with dirt in its original forms she will
cheerfully relinquish as unfemnine, as mimi
cal to that peaceful sweetness and high purity
we love to associate with woman Her beauty
VIII be assured, for it will follow upon health
and health upon the fire. activity OF al
her functions as human creature strong
and stately goddess. frank and generous. full o
broad wisdom and that tender charity which
only follows on experience.
She will understand life because she Is par
of it, and be able to make II better because she
under stands it. Her place therein. her sphere
will be only limited by individual capacity In
| no way by utside restriction.
She will surround her children with the besI
conditions possible 10 her tine; she will give t.
her husband more hours OF free cOmpaniOnshiI
than are possible to workers in the home shop
and she Will stll be holding her full place II
the ranks OF advancing humanity.
Heal Il, beauty, power, wisdom and the good
ness which follow upon these will be hers.
She can meet man upon all sidas OF his ma ure
lrsIead of his present linli ed companion ship:
ana he will grow in that great union as h neyei
could before.
Il may be stoutly objected thai be will never
like her.
Thar would be pity. In the twentieth cen
tnfy the twentieth century woman viii be al
| the woman there Is. and If lie does not like hel
lie Will have TO go without.
A oman. in so lar she beholdeth
Her one beloyed's face:
A Mother. with heart that enfoldeth
The chi idren of the race;
A Body, free and str ,ng with that high beauty
Which comes OF perfect nse, is built thereof;
A Mind, where reas III tysr duty.
Aud justice reigns with love:
a seif-poised toysi oul. brave, wise and tender
No lou er blind aud dumb
Hnm Re.he, o. an unknown splendor,
Is she who is to come.
CnARLnITE PERKINS STETSnN