The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-31
sLlzAsErA oAoy STANTON.
In the Main She l. satisfied with Her Past
Iifs and would do the Same Again.

In the Main she Il Satisfied with Her Past
IAfe and would do the Same Again.
"Wbat would you do II you could live
vour LIE over againW a young woman
said 20 Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
The firm. kindly face, framed In pulls Of
snow white hair. looked thoughtful a mo-
ment. Then the gray eyes. which have seen
the moving panorama OF over 20 YEAR, 81
busy life, turned slowly toward the quos'
toner.
"Whnt would do II could begin again
u that what You meant Well, as Tar as
reQards NV public life, / think would do
exactly as have done In bringing up my
family l would make some changes.
would teach my children myself more than
Ibid. would not be content with giving
them every outside advantage for gaining
an education. but would personally direct
them
"Would you take mp the same public
work aud in the same wayf'
Yes rehectivcly. Il could not help
working for the advancement Of woman
Il Il born and bred in me. l think woman
is the most important factor in the condi-
tion OF the world. Why Because she is
the mother OF the human race. She inn
presses a child with It's temperament and
tendencies before 10 Is born. No man has
the chance 10 do for a child what a woman
can. IL is not possible And SO, II we have
better mothers, we will have better men.
No, could never take up any other work. p
And you would do Il In the same wayY'
Il think Iwould. OF course | have made
blunders sometimes, but they have been in
details, not In the general plan. II seems
sonceited, know, to say that II | could be
gin over again would do just the same,
that have nothing 20 regret But / have
worked conscientiously, and then, too, my
ideas have not changed, a. do those Of
many Young people as they grow older,
For instance, l never believed in being pol
tic. In the first place, how can you tell
what is going 20 be polite in the long run?
| remember what my old clergyman said
70 me when was a young girl
"'Now, child he said, always say what
You mean. You may be silent when that
would be better. but when YOU speak say
what you mean
''Nou know in our woman's suffrage
work / have always written what We call
our state Papers When ! write anything
/ submit il to Miss Anthony. and she often
SAYS: Don't you think we'd better leave
this out2 Il will rouse antagOnism' And
/ ask her, Is it trueP oh. yes. it's truer
Well, then, why change itY And l still
believe that il is the best way to do"
How about pushing the work in the leg
islaturefn
II think / would do il in the same way.
Whenever / had anything to say | went
into the legislature and said il and went
away. / never went into the Hobbies and
tried to buttonhole a man and get his vote.
With the newspapers, l never went to an
editors Office to try to have him print an
appeal for us. wrote out what l had to
say and sent il to him and let it 60 with
that"
Then you would do it all the same way
IL you had another chancei"
Mrs. Stanton thought awhile.
There is one thing l would not 10" she
said at once. You know wore ne bloom
err costume for two years. regret that. It
was such a modification TO my family and
friends; IL made me so conspicuous and
gained me SO much ridiolue that think il
hindered the other work l was trying TODD.
Every time / went on the street outside Of
my own town. Syracuse / would be follow
ed by hooting crowd Of men and boys.
There was a song they used to sing;
"Heighol the carrion crowl
Mrs. Bloomer's all the go.
Twenty tailors take the stitches.
Twenty women wear the breeches.
"This was unbearable 70 me, and l took
of the costume long before the Others did.
Another lesson / have learned is economy.
II / had been more careful in money mat
tiers, / would be better satisfied As for
health, have always taken care Of myself.
/ used 20 walk a great deal, ride and drive
and be careful OF my diet. l walk very lit
tie now, because / fell and hurt my knee.
But every afternoon / drive ia the park.
And have learned the value of sleep Let
me advise you 10 learn il too. Five min
utes Of sleep. when you are tired, is worth
more than all the stimulants you ever heard
Of"
And how about the future, Mrs. Stan
tom"
"Oh, I am more encouraged than ever
was Why shouldn't / be encouraged
And perhaps my unpleasant bloomer expe-
rience may have done some good, after ali,
for believe that some women will have u
dress which will give them the physical
freedom they ought to have New York
Sun.