The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-29
WOMEN AND THE TIMES
Education Has Presented New Fields
Of Usefulness and Given Her
New Hope.
In the United States Throo Million
Women Are Supporting
Themselves.
Equal suffrage" Trusts Montana VIII
Not Be the Last to Pail
In Line.

II has been said "the test Of every rsliR-
nan that II forms." what is prsdicaisd Of
man may be predicAtsd Of woman with
equal truth. The nineteenth century has
been called the woman's age. Certainly
nothing more clearly indicates the progress
made during the past hundred years than
the Advancement, made and the changes
wfough, in the mental. physical and social
eondition Of woman. The forward move.
msnt of the times has carried woman with
II. and to day she muat advanos according
TO her ability whether shs will o. no. Ed
ucation has presented new Fields Of useful
neas 10 abe eye Of woman, implanted new
hopes within he bosom. given her new de-
sires and aspirations. There has been and
still 10. though In q less degree. the desire
10 impress womsn with the Idea that any
thing beyond the sphere Of domestic duties
infringsa upon divine law. The suggestion
that women. like men. might possibly be
fitted for more than one kind OF labor and
might wish so make a choice in the matter
OF a profession was received with grave
doubts by the oonss natives. such ideas,
~ allowed TO increase. would mean dsstruo-
lion TO domest c life. Women would neg
lee. even desc. 1. their homes and familis'.
IL such opinions we're allowed 20 spread.
domestic revolution would be the
natural result OF such doctrines.
Woman could not possibly be any thing but
domestic or frivolous in her nature and
disposition. But are all women created
alike any more than all men are similar in
every qualification Of mind and dispose
tion2 Has God created all women after a
pattern that never varies? May not woman
differ in her aims. her aspirations. and her
desires Just az her brother can and does
differ from his fellowsY Does God say 10
woman, Thus far shalt thou advance and
no fsrtherp IL has been customary in
years past 30 snser al the woman with a
desire for any attachments beyond the linn
lie of home or the worship of fashion.
While We discuss tho sacred haven home"
and domestic duties We forget. or, perhaps.
do not knew that In England alone 1,OO0,-
O00 women are unmarried and have no
homes to adorn and beautify, no husbands
to love, honor and obey. no sweetest dar-
linRe" TO love aud diTect-in short, queens
without kingdoms. To-day in these United
States 3 100000 women. either from choice
or necessity, support themselves and others.
Tha woman 10 whom fortune has been moat
kind. surrounded by everV luxury. can in
no possible manner sympathize with her
sister thrown upon her own resources in
the world 10 support herself OF die. To the
woman who must work out the
problem Of existence slsne the question
comes For what am / best httedF'
With the hrst effort 20 advance herself and
claim the same privilege her brother enjoys
in the ohoiee Of . profession, Ignorance and
prejudice hindersd her by every possible
obstacle. The door of opportunity stood
only slightly ajar for her, bat she Rtssp0d
10 eagerly, prAyeTfully. and confidently en-
tered upon a new and broader lifeT AZ
result 4, 400 bTanshes of industry are TO-
day open 10 women. Forty thousand
thoughtful mAidens crowd our halls Of
Learning And who shall say that the
mothers of TO-DAY are not women OF more
knowledge and wisdom than the mother Of
the Gracehi. OF Of Caesar, or of Hannibal?
Even il they do wish to have q voice In the
govern ment which makes the laws under
which they and their children live. The
same indomitabls spirit that Influenced the
Americans Of one hundred yeara ago has
descended to their daughters and they will
never rest until ths law of the United States
no longer olsssifes them among indians,
lunatics. idiots and conVicts." They de-
mand from their brothers the same pfivi-
lsgss for which their forsfathers fought
and died. With political Independence and
the ability Of woman 20 suFpoft herself
will come the ideal. pure and holy MARI
age such az the world of to-day
knows not quote paragraph
FROM an sxcsllsnt article in the
Arena OF April 1893. The Womsn's Part"
by Cora Maynard; when woman no lon
gsi depends upon the RrudeinR favor Of
man for all she possesses, favor for which
she has had 10 compete shaTply and often
slnfully, In order 10 eat TO olothe herself,
10 live; when she is no longer forced with
unwonanly indelioacy 10 beg. entiee. tempt
man to save her 4 ON the miseriss of pow
city. the disgrace of spinsterhood; when
she is freed from all this deg adation, this
reTversion of her whole nature. woman
will have q chance 10 be true to herself; 10
develop instead of violate the highest quail
lilies of her being; 10 show herself as she Is
not ne man and his enforced opinions. the
cries and laws have compelled her 20 be "
In the Arena for Nav. 1892 is another sI-
esllent article bv Frances 4. willard. emit
tied The Woman's Cause is Aaa's."l
Fortunately for women and children the
idea Of equal suffraRe goes marching on.
aud trust Montana will not be the last
state TO fall In line. The sooner she ac-
cspts the situation the more IL will rebound
20 her credit. Equal SUFFRAGE.