The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-05-24

ing of gratitude turn for consolation
to John Stuart Mill who thinks that
the chief value of the ballot Is in edu-
eating the voter, suggesting that a
wise despot could greatly improve our
democracies by substituting beneti-
cient despotism The Outlook asks
"Will this radical change in the So
cial order promote the general well
fare of the women, the homes and
the community ?"
Mr. Editor, the homes and the COM
munity can take care of themselves II
the women can only be more highly
educated in certain directions-if they
can only be educated out OF certain
directions, 1 should say. In mems
eyes, and in the eyes of clear-signted
candid women these tendencies are
narrowness, overdeveloped sehsloi-
lily, ignorance, or what Is worse III
accurate and half-knowledge passed
off for knowledge, injustice, unpusl-
nesslike habits and false views OF life
based upon inexperience aud defec-
tive education. (Not, Mr.. Editor, but
what some men are guilty of some
of these grave faults and some women
are not guilty of all of them y
Now why should these failings be
characteristic of women in general :?
Can anything alter these conditions 7?
Would sharing in the duties and res
possibilities of political life help
women to throw off these incum-
ORANGES? Women are narrow because
their views are shut in,-by educa-
ton, by convention and society and
by the trifies without redeeming
activities) which make up the rou-
tine of their duties. They are natur-
ally endowed with keen sensibility,
which is overdeveloped at the ex-
pense of their reasoning faculties.
Girls are taught music and painting
and embroidery while their brothers
are digging away at higher mathema-
ties and logic and political economy.
Girls gravitate towards versificatiOn
and the essay Just as boys take in
stinctively to debate. Girls are super
fetal and ignorant because they are
taught everything and no one thing.
Boys must specialize, according to
the Iife-work they may have chosen.
AS the girls are trained, the women
are. How is it with men? In general
they are predetermined than women,
less sentimental, more accurate, more
Just, more business-like for their in
terests are wider. An active business
or professional life throws them into q
world of all sorts and conditions of
men; an active participation in the
scientific and economic discussions Of
the day keeps their minds constantly
on the alert; a close watching of the
world movements and the part they
%S.1 he rf inn ff.ni ~
city and country spur them to con-
slant political effort. Women need
the breadth of thought even more
than men, as their activity is gen.
orally narrowed to the retirement of
their houses, where they fall into the
inevitable ruts unless outside interests
lead them into wide fields of thought
and action. But / am tired of hearing
that women's duties are SO different
from mems; that heaven made
them different in the beginning, and
different they are now, and ever shall
be, world without end. do not be-
lieve it. John helps me in earning
for the little one, and does fully as
much as I do for her. We talk over
our domestic difficulties, our servants
shortcomings, our bills of fare, and
he is as much interested in the house,
keeping as /. He tells me the ms and
outs of his work, sometimes asks my
advice, even talks politics with me
as frankly as to man. Now, is John
flying in the face of Providence be-
cause he appreciates and shares the
difficulties Of house. keeping and child
training, or am unsexed by my keen
zest for political news?
Women are the great sentimental
lists, partly because of their training,
and partly because they are unwilling
to look facts squarely in the face and
syntnesize life upon basis OF fact.
The women who have had to deal
with life for themselves may have
lost the fair illusions of childhood,
but they are on higher level and the
wide vision and bracing air more
the miasmatic lowlands they have
left. The modern world has no use
for the delicate maiden who faints fifty
times in fifteen chapters. Sentiment
tally comes of dreaming and the con-
slant necessity for prompt action can
overcome it. Practical problems to
be solved by women will do much to
turn their attention from their own
morbid selves to suffering individuals
and wronged classes. Less sentiment
tality in entering upon the marriage
relation would promote the general
welfare of women, of the home and of
the community"-excep indeed, the
lawyers who make divorce cases a
speciality. To do good work in the
world women must have knowledge,
accurate knowledge and at first hand.
They will be forced to read the news
papers in preference to the Ladies'
Home Journal. to study government
q a
cookbook, and to discuss ways and
means with other women in place of
the ordinary social gossip. To me the
prospect of real conversation at calls
and teas and luncheons is the shadow
of great rock il weary land.
have always envied men their politi-
cal topics as resources ever delightful.
AS to the education in justice which
women will get from the ballot-well,
Mr.. Editor, am somewhat at a loss
in reading the stars here. There is
apparently a feminine aversion to
being just. The pendulum swings
from one extreme, where woman is