The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-04-11
INFLUENCES OF WOMEN.

That women as class control the
moral forces Of community IS
admitted by many philosophers. They
do SO directly and indirectly-dlrectly
by their lives and the example they
set ; indirectly by their influence over
men, and more especially their influ-
ence over children. Nearly every
good man has been influenced in his
youth by good mother or by one
who stood to him in the relation of
mother. 1t is true that some women
exert an evil influence oyer men, but
they are relatively few in number.
The great majority, as sweethearts,
sisters, wives or mothers, or in all
these relations, influence men to live
true and honorable lives, inspire them
with ambition and make them in their
turn, but as secondary agents, moral
forces in the community. Men seldom
exhibit similar influence over women.
They sometimes degrade, but do
seldom uplift. Assuming that woman
represents the moral force of society,
some pessmsts have become alarmed
lest the development of her intellect
and independence should lessen her
wholesome influence. In individual
cases this unfortunate result may
follow, but there is nothing in the
| nature of intellectual culture to make
it a necessary sequence. Our sweet
hearts, wives and mothers, if they
remain womanly, will be all the more
agreeable companions, guides and
friends if they are cultivated in mind,
refined in taste and freed from tradi-
tons OF dependence. The unit of
civilized society is not the man or the
woman, but the family, of which, in
spite of law or fiction, the mother is
the true head. As long as she retains
that proud position and cultivates
home ties, while discharging home
duties, intelle ctual culture will promote
rather than lessen her moral influence.
Humorous writers picture the coming
woman" as DESERVING her home for
the activities of business life, for the
club and for the diversions which the
present man too often seeks, and it is
a matter of course that if the coming
woman should commit such folly her
moral influence would disappear or be
perverted. But there is no just reason
for experimenting that any such result
would follow what is now an accom-
pllshed fact in American communities,
q" the emancipation of woman" Some
of the most active women in affairs for
the promotion of the public welfare
are also among the best of housewives,
giving full attention to their family
duties, and using only their leisure
hours for the moral, charitable or
reform work that attracts the notice OF
the community. No doubt there are
some women Gas there are many mem
who, being carried away by the fasci-
nations OF public career, may be led
to neglect home for public duties, but
they will not necessarily be a con-
trolling number. The motherly in
stincts of womankind may be expected
to keep the coming woman true to
her home duties, and culture, training
-even hard business experienee-will
give her a clearer sense of her moral
duties and better fit her to discharge
them for the benefit of that depended
creature, the growing or coming man.
The outlook Is not alarming, but hope
full 1t is a we'll known fact that some
of the most noted and best of mothers
have been Intellectually great and cor
respondingly forceful as moral teachers
and guides, and also that it is no,
necessary to initiate man in dress OF
manners to establish equality with
him. The mannish woman is indeed
but poor imitation of what the
coming woman is to be, for if she is
to be educated, intellectually strong
and socially independent, she will
also be original enough to avoid
Initiating man in the non essentials oil
Costume. Those of US who remember
with gratitude the gentle, helpful
influences of our mothers over oul
morals, the inspiring influence O
sweetheart and wife, will certainly
hope that the coming woman will only
add to her home virtues and attrac
tiveness by the opportunities now
offered to her of an education anC
active training equal to that extended
to the coming man.-Baltimore SIN.