The herald., 1895-04-07

woman's dress publishes the fact that
whatever its nation may be called. it is
really Il plutocracy, and society worships
above all else the almighty dollar. Eco
nomic theories deal with the people en-
masse, taking little note ''of solitary dis
sensions. -
The idea that "the theory of woman's s
dress quite plainly involves the implica-
tion that she is chattel. is by no
means new. In 1857 Lucy Stone wrote:
'Woman's miserable dress is conse-
quence of her esent va a,salag. not its
cause" But the cbattel uea OF woman is
gradually disapl elling with the barbar-
Gus laws that nave realized her subject
condition. This is perhaps one reason
why dress which gives her the appearance
of freedom is not now as formerly called
unbe coming. The number f Independent
women workers in all departments is con
stanty increasing and with this comes
an increase in respect accorded to woman.
Peop,e are q adually learning how absurd
it is that useful women, who are known
to possess
"The ason firm, the temperate will,
Endurance, foresight, strength and skill"
should go about advertising them
selves as futile, feeble and timid."
The demand made, especially by women.
for single standard of purity. the white
life for two makes it evidently incon-
sstent that good women should follow
fashions made by men who consider
women seductive but imperfect
beings" Sydney Lanier, said speaking
for women:
'lf men loved larger, larger were our lives:
And wooed they nober, won they nobler
wives"
The position OF woman is surely chang
ing. Though still in most places deprived
of the ballot, she is not now known so
much OF a chattel that she can be-if
women will unite in this matter-forced
TO serve unwilhngly as the chief sign of
socety's desire for competition, display
and prodigality Once education was
considered very ''unbecOming" to
women. Now the colleges are open to
tn EN-.
Accustomed as we are to the sickenng
results of inequality, the enforced idle
ness, destitution and consequent deterior-
alton of great proportion of the people;
to the worst of goods which these unem-
ployed need but cannot buy; to the loss
and devastation of competition, which is
always war, and often very destructive,
! many think of economic equality as syn
! onymous with general poverty. But an
Austrian statistician has carefully COM
| puted that the resources of the earth are
| already so well developed, thoroughly be-
gun. and the discoveries and Inventions
| of science are so advanced that, under a
system of national cooperation IN in
| V,
! by all the men between the ages of 16 and
80 and still less time if women bear a
share, would produce and distribute, for
| every man, woman and child in the ma
ton all the necessaries. comforts and even
luxuries of life. National cooperation is
already begun i'll this country, in one of
the most imroItant departments our
means of communication, our mails, with
urgent need OF tie peoples ownership
and operation OF the telegraph also, and
the means of transportation. One thing
after. another can be nationalzed as the
need seems most urgent. until we solve
the whole social problem, best stated
bv John Stuart Mill in these words
"How to unite the greatest individual
liberty of action with common owner
ship OF the raw material of the globe and
an equal partic PARTON of all in the bene-
fits of combined labor
This may all come peacefully with due
preparation by education and improving
environment, if seeing the value of the
ideal, the application of the Golden Rule
| to society, custom, and law, we do all
our work with that end in view. This is
10 strike at the root OF all our social dis
eases. the surest cure for all the crimes
OF the calendar, an effective prayer for
"peace on earth and good will among
men," While we labor and wait for the
economic ground of wotnan's disgraceful
garb and silly economic function to dis
appear, let us do what we can to show
FORTH in dress as in everything else a
| nobler womanhOod.
Women are now extensively if not
always wisely organized. 1t requires but
little more very simple organization, fol-
lowed by such concerted action as can be
agreed upon, to release them from the
grip OF foreign dictation and enable them