The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-01
A BRILLIANT ADDRESS
1.-THE TRUE RELATION BE-
TWEEN A WOMAN AND A
GOVERNMENT
MRS. ROBERT R. CoTTEN's PAPER

Al the ssWoman's Side,s of the Educa-
tionaI Congress at the Atlanta Expo.
sition-She Advocates with Force and
Power the Esta blishment by the Ma
tional Government of School of In
dustrial Arts and Sciences for wo-
men.
Atlanta journal. Oct. 29th
Mrs. Robert r. Gotten, of North Caro-
lima, followed with very comprehensive
and earnest paper on The True Rela-
ton Between Woman and a Govern
ment," which dealt in most interesting
and eloquent manner with the need OF
scientific education among the mothers
of the race. Her words rang out clear,
free and inspired. and no one in the i'm
mense audience which greeted her listen
ed without feeling the thrill of her en-
thusiasm and recognizing the power and
truth of her splendid paper.
Mrs. Cotton is said to be one Of the
pioneers in her State along the line she
to-day advocated and is said also to have
accomplished as much through her
charming personality as through the
soundness and logic of her views, which
she knows so well how to express. Her
paper was in many respects the most
brilliant, the most scholarly and the
most eloquent that has yet been read in
the congress hall. The following ex
tracts show something of its superior
merit:
ssThe measure of nations greatness
is the elevation of its women, and any
increase of national greatness is de-
pendent upon the mothers of the ma
tions. No where on earth does woman
hold higher or more honored position
than in these United States, and it is to
be hoped that this government will lead
the world in offering to its women the
opportunity for acquiring the scientific
training necessary to the performance
of the high duties of woman's sphere
"It can be done through the establish
ing by the government Ola national
school of industrial arts and sciences for
women, where the women of the nation
shall be trained in the science of do
mesticity and peace, just as at West
Point and Annapolis the men are
trained in the science of war.
"As the crowDing miracle of creation; |
as the sweetest mystery of nature; as an |
erring mortal, and as the chosen link |
between divinity and humanity, woman
has been the subject of criticism, both |
kind and unkind After a fascinating |
but false glamour has been thrown |
around her by the enthusiast; after I'M
deserved sneers have been hurled at her
by the cynic; after her real value has
been invisible to the unappreciative; yet
she renal Gods benediction upon az
compllsned creation, and mans incentive
20 action. No period of time, no phase
of life is free from her influence, and |
her relations to the various conditions of |
the present era are being seriously con-
sidered and her opportunities are being |
enlarged to meet the requirements of
ker rapid development.
1.-THE test of civilization is said to be
the distribution of justice, and certainly
Justice demands that woman should re
ceive some share in the distribution Of
national benefits. Equal benefits to all,
special privileges of none, has sweet
sound TO free people, but it becomes a
hollow mockery when taught as a pre-
cept. and not followed by consistent ae
ton. Woman has not been exempt from
the duties exacted from other citizens,
yet she has been overlooked in the dis
tribution of educational benefits.
stYear after year the government ap- |
uropriates money for the Improvement |
of Earbors, rivers, and obscure creeks.
Is not woman's improvement as vital to
the nation as that Of an harborl If the
application of scientific knowledge to an
obscure creek improves commerce and
promotes the temporal welfare OF that
section, will not the application Of scien-
tific knowledge improve the obscure
mother and promote the eternal welfare
of the people of that section2 Is an OBJ
scure creek of more value than an Oh
scure mother? Streams neglected by
nature have been stocked with fish by
the government, while the minds of its
women remained in the darkness of
ignorance. We have experimental to
bring down rain from the sky
to make the desert bloom, cannot
we experiment to try the effects
of the light of science on the mothers of
our race2 We have sent camels to Ari-
IONA and RENDERS TO Alaska in an eff
fort to in p owe natu al conditions. We
have investigated Inc diseases Of swine
and recognized the necessity for a bn-
reau of bacteriology while the masses Of
onr PEOPLE have walked amid the hidden
dangers of neglected domestic science.
aud the ons of men have placed III ir
chances of life on the survival of the
fittest, because love, even holy mother
love, is no safeguard against ignorance
and hereditary disease Then who will
say that aught but good can come of
teaching women to do scientifically all
the duties to which their instincts lead
them naturally
Woman needs no eulogy to empha
size her Importance to a government
L a. xws.~ ~El