The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-22
THE NATIONAL Home.
Sensible Words of an Enlightened
Woman Writer.
She Talks Very Plainly to the Rev
Miss Anna Shaw and Other
Woman SufTragists.

The Rev. Anna Howard Shaw,
preacher. woman suffragist lecturer, etc.,
during her recent lecture in San Jose,
took occasion to pass certain structures
upon the editor of the Santa Clara, pre-
sumably prompted by the somewhat I'M
clergyman-like spirit of getting even"
for criticisms of herself which have ap-
peared in this publication. According TO
she Mercury Cfor l was not present, lack
ing the admission price and the lncllns-
tom which report has been corroDorateu
by several reliable people who heard the
remarks-ReY. Miss Shaw classlhed me
as the 'twaddle-talker" lone, presum-
ably, lacking in brain capacity sufnclehI
TO grasp the great benefits of the woman
suffrage movement-to which l. plead
guilty., and triumphantly flung at the
audience as clincher upon the question
of my Inconsistency and my "twadole-
talking" the fact that while claiming the
home as woman's ideal realm, L, myself,
was 'sowner of a publication, doing all
my own work upon the same" ana was
supposedly never at home.
It may have struck Rev. Miss Shaw S
hearers that, even If this charge were all
true because the force of circumstances
had thrown me into position IN lie
wherein I may have had wider range OF
experiences pheasant and unpleasant IN
dustrial, social, economic and otherwise
than, in the natural order of things, could
by any human or divine possibility have
ever come the Rev. Miss Shaw, l might,
therefore, be much better qualified to
Judge in the matter of wOman's true posi-
ton, than my reverend critic.
Surprising we ''sbow hands," as the
naughty gamblers say, Rev. Miss Shaw,
snd let the people deoide-if they care to
bother their heads in the case-as to
which of US should be, by experience,
etc., a better judge on this question OF
woman's work-that Is, II the 1ndulgent
public will pardon me for following
your inclination by Juggling in PERSONAL
ties.
/ have been a school teacher, farm cook,
reporter, dairymaid. nurse, accoucher,
washerwoman, general housekeeper,
census-taker, editor, advertising solicitor,
verse writer, real estate dealer, and gen.
eral roustabout in several other LIE lines,
and while so occupied L have borne,
nursed and reared four children. L have
sat long nights through by the bedside Of
nv sick children; L have stood by an
open grave-rose-lined by loving hands
OF those who bore rich testimony OF his
noble worth-and into its fragrant depths
have seen reverently placed the form OF
INV first born son; have walked through
dark valleys, which only mothers feet
can enter, so filed with sense OF COD s
goodness to me in giving me this regal
crown of motherhood that l had no time
for rebellion when He called my strong,
brave son to come up higher; l have
pierced The depths of pain TO win my
crown of motherhood; l have stood on
the white nights OF JOY when my baby
was laid in my arms; l have knelt by a
grave which-but for my faith III God and
trust in the future life-would have held
the dearest objects of my hopes and Ii y
life's aspirations.
Now, what have you done for your
country, Rev. Anna Shaw, that you
should condemn me as "twaddIe-
Ialker" in matters. the very A, b. { OF
which you can never learn, not ii you live
thousand years?
The fact that L may not be in a position
to attain the ideal does not disqualify me
from Judging in this case. but rather fits
Inc Tor clearer and more impartial judg-
ment. l believe every true woman and
man will bear me out in this.
1t seems that it has not been given to
Rev. Miss Shaw's fiint-like nature to IN
derstand that any one can differ with her
in opinion and yet be honest and sensi-
BILE. She has. according to her conclusion,
this woman" question. Her medicine
alone of all the social nostrums offered is
good for the Dolltco-Soclal body, and
there is nothing for the rest of Us to do
but su bmit to having our noses held by
the clerical thumb and finger of Rev. Miss
Shaw and swallow our dose. We cannot
even spit it out on the side. Have 1 sized
the case up correctly?
That there is great body OF thought
full women and men in this country, hav-
ing the welfare Of society Just as tenderly
and intelligently at heart as is possible
for Rev. Miss Shaw herself. who yet fail
to see in this suffrage movement the pam
q cea for all existing social evils passeth
tho cast-iron understanding of this lady.
who. portly and well-Ied. passes through
the land talking woman suffrage and
reaping her reward for the same as she
goes in coin as hard as her comprehen-
sion of the opinions of others. and as
cold as her charity for the same.
q In discussing this woman question
/ have but spoken what came TO me as
Gods truth, and higher spiritual law In
the matter. If others do not see as | do,
i most cheerfully accord them the privi-
lege of seeing something else. / am hon.
est and sincere in my belief that God in
tended women for something besides
money getting and bread-earning-thal
He even intended them to mother the
race, anu you can no more yoke the GIg0l
sort of mothering with money-getting at
business than you can hitch together g
brooding dove and an asa and compel
them to draw your chariot.
My own inner conviction is that women
are, or should be, the reposltors OF higher
spiritual truths-secrets of the Inner
temple"-snd turning them out as money
earners weakens their hands for holding
their trust, and destroys the delicacy oil
touch essential to its proper care. They
barter their birthright for mess Of very
coarse and unsatisfying pottage.
The whole can never equalemore than a
sum OF all its parts. and political as well
social righteousness can only come
through individual righteousness. the
women who are putting forth such tre-
mendous efforts toward woman suffrage.
Opening up outside avenues OF work for
women" and thrusting them out to toll
therein, would only bring the same pres
sure to bear toward the improvement oil
the social and domestic situation, plan
ming and arranging for the cultivation by
women of this barren waste--in fact, pro-
viding ways and means TO keep w omen
out OF these outside avenues" the race
including women, would be far in adj
vance OF its present position.
Think what power for good ii would
be if the pressure of this woman move
mentp could be turned in the direction
OF the national home and social improve
ment We should drive out drunken
ness with proper home conditions; and
TRE TG ~