The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-05-08
For the anderson Mtelligencer.
I" Woman's Rights.

YOU will have observed that he advises,
on very high authority, that kind of ap-
parel which Is at least not bifurcated, but
conformable to and expressive of the
"hidden man of the heart" which, saith
he, with elegant paraphrase, sis Of meek
and quiet spirit" Both of these are very
beautiful things, which bicycling, to
some extent, furnishes.
But this leads me to speak Of q tide OF
feminine valor, moving down from the
North, which r have been afraid you
would not be able to stem. It is the great
wave Of "woman's rights" which, 30 far
as I have been able to learn, engrosses
many things which lie over the line.
Now, I am an advocate of woman's rights
to the last degree, and take an honorable
pride in according to her the highest
place in human affairs. believe that
she occupies the headquarters Of all the
virtues, those more especially that rule
the policies of amity and good faith
among men and nations. She holds the
power behind the screen-the power Of
gentleness that makes men great. that
gentleness Of which ope has said: "Thy
gentleness hath made me great"
should grieve to see her shorn OF this
glory. don't believe 1t is ungallant or
urgenerous or impolite to her to say that
in seeking public honors and public no.
toriety she Is forsaking her high and hon.
orable position for those doubtful honors
that are liable to be tarnished with tho
breath of scandal. I believe that she is
forsaking the gentleness and the modesty
which command the reverence OF men
and which protect her; that she is sub.
iecting her constitution to the strain Of
Violent ambitions that must injure both
mind and heart; that such is the fine
balance Of her powers that should she
become a voter en- the hustings, the
.wrangling of parties and policies, the
fierce clash Of opinions would put many
ladies' in the lunatic asylum; that in seek
ing the voting power she is disqualifying
herself for the reign of love over her
household. If she Is not married, she is
bound by the dictum Of st. Paul, who
says: "I will, therefore, that the younger
women marry" II she Isl married, she
is counting divorce by her absence from
q home made desolate without her, and
bv that absence driving her husband to
the saloon, the dispensary or the bottle.
She is forsaking the most honorable and
important Of tasks for the distracting and
sometimes unbecoming business Of pub
lie harangues. She is leaving throne
where her word is law for miserable
jostle on the hustings which acknowl-
edges no Law. She Is going into con-
test with men who, ashamed to contend
with women. will only ran slipshod
game with her, and give her an easy but
g worthless victory. She 10 going into
region Of political tricks which her hon.
est, outright nature knows not. II she
becomes preacher, whore tricks are In
L. III =. lt,an MI x,ha aNn
her argument would not, and the per-
homo would 60 into impassioned lucu-
brations under the strain Of public au-
dience.
Imention these things now to put you
on your guard against storm of social
revolution surely coming, Of which the
premonitory gusts and flashes are already
felt in our country. Notice some of the
things that are already determined upon {:
1. They have passed resolution to
dof their hats in divine services and all
public speakings, just like men, without
any regard to the ime.honored decency
and taste of the fine covering for the head
which distinguishes women in public
places.
Q. They have resolved that woman is
"surely coming to the kingdom" and In
anticipation have undertaken to preach
publicly, without its being definitely
settled, so far as know, who called them.
5. They have graduated in medicine
and propose to practice. They haye q
right to know as much of human physi-
olOgy as Is movable, and, indeed, Of the
intricacies Of anatomy and yet in clinics
and surgery the, practical treatment Of
many troubles, involving anatomy, must
of necessity be declined by the female
doctress as more befitting the more obtuse
moral senslbilities of the men who have
acquired hsrdihood at the dissecting table.
4. They propose to enter the Law.
Schools, and eventually to take positions
at the bar; yet in the prosecution OF that
business, the examinations and CROSS
examinations in certain cases, you would
think, would be exceedingly embarrass-
ing to female barrister.
5. They must vote, Of course yet as
this is an assertion of female rights 1t
must often antagonize the male vote, and
seriously disturb that mysterious unity
of forces which marriage makes.
It ought to be remembered that moth
ing drives man to the dispensary or the
bottle sooner than when he is disturbed
In the citadel Of his happiness, when his
house is deserted Of his female comfopter,
his hours lonely, his children crying, his
milk and pies slovenly dished, his wife
off at midnight practicing medicine In
contagious diseases, or giving attention
to Court litigations, or voting down
among the rabble with other women less
careful of the decencies Of the sex.
s. Is there any wonder thsst divorces have
grown more frequent? Let us try to be
on our guard against bad movement OF
the age. d. E. F.