Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-05-14

Tx A that women are more re-
IA spected and honored in
M M this country than any
where else on the globe.
Wand the fact has been re-
garded as the best evidence Of our high
civilization. We have always main
tanned their full equality with man,
and their extraordinary advancement
here, since the civil war especially,
would make them seem in many re-
spects his superior. Some Of US used to
wonder, from our extreme sympathy
with her, as physically the weaker of
the two sexes, what would become Of
her in the constantly increasing hurly
burly and competition of life.
She has so abundantly answered that
question for herself i'll the present gen
GRAFTON that now we cannot help but
think what is to become Of US. What
we once considered exclusively, uncon-
ditionally our work she has shown to
be hers as well as ours. In some things
on which we have particularly plumed
ourselves she has surpassed us. She
has grown to be our formidable rival in
nearly every department Of trade, liter
ature and art. We find that she is con-
tinually pushing us from our places,
but such is our gallantry, our admira-
tion Of the sex that we do not complain.
We accept it all gracefully. We rejoice
in her success. We turn our hand to
something else.
There are many ultra conservatives
who still talk about woman stepping
out Of her sphere. But nobody minds
them. Her sphere is whatever she can
fill; it is the whole planet she inhabits,
as she has already demonstrated. While
those conservatives are solemnly debat-
ing whether she should or should not
enter this or that field she is already
there and winning distinction. There
was formerly a deal Of recital concern
ing her emancipation, " but she must
long ago have secured all that that hard
worked word can possibly mean. She
has emancipated herself even from mar
riage, it is claimed which il very much
like emancipation from herself 50 firm
" has she been attached to it for ages.
She is certainly as free. as Independent,
as would appear to be practicable, and
in a position, through her supreme free
dom, to overcome any and all opposing
circumstances. She has gained the up
per hand of man and viii, from all indi-
cations, be pretty sure to keep it. And
this, too, far more by her own intelli-
genee, tact, capacity, management and
energy than by any original disposition,
however kindly, Of his to help her or to
further her purposes. She has surprised
him, if not herself, by her remarkable
achievements. He accepts her pOssibili-
ties as probabilities and marvels what
she viii do next. He is evidently resign
ed to the inevitable, perfectly willing to
acquiesce in the great but silent revolu-
tion that has brought woman to the
front i'll practical affairs.
Woman has not yet obtained the full
right of suffrage except in two or three
states Of the west and the right to vote
in divers New England states on certain
questions in which she is particularly
interested. But she Will soon have the
privilege to vote everywhere on every
question. 1t can hardly be otherwise.
Voting is really a privilege, not a right,
and should be 50 regarded. She has
stood for Office, and has been elected,
and early in the coming century she
will in all probability be legally author
lied throughout the republic to play as
complete, as varied, as prominent a
part in politics as her brothers play.
What the final outcome may be cannot
be foretold. Woman believes generally
that politics will be purified and that
the result will be most salutary to the
country. Many men hold to exactly the
opposite view. 1t is likely that woman's :
voting will make little difference. 1t
has certainly made little in the places
where she votes now.
When she shall have gained the suf-
frage throughout the Union, she viii
have nothing more to contend for or to
long for. She Will be on precisely the
same plane as man, his partner. his as
sociate, his colleague, his fellow laborer
in all the relations Of life. Having no
more worlds to conquer, she may lose
her ambition, her force, her spirit, anG
decline to such am extent that man may
have an opportunity to recover what he
has lost. That may be his sole chance.
When it is remembered that the first
woman's 5 rights convention was held in
184S at the house of Mrs Elizabeth
Cady Stanton, and that she is still liv-
ing, her mind as bright as ever some
adequate idea may be formed Of the
rapid strides the sex has made toward
self enlargement. Has there been before
so vast a revolution, so radical change
in any part of humanity, in less than
30 yearsg
From the earliest historic period down
to the present men have been diligently
discussing the dispositions, the capacity,
the tendency, the future of woman. She
has been censured, satirized, lectured to
death She has been glorified on one
hand and abused on the other, until one
might think glorifcation and abuse
would be considered by her equally val
ueless. Man has manifestly held himself
responsible for her, and in the midst of
/ his endless palaver she has gone steadily
/ Ou VIII ncI pEOSItSS tluu tDM stt1Ids Ac-
vealed as his equal in most things, in
some things as his superior. After some
thousands of years she has fairly turned
the tables ON him. She is at last sover-
eign, individually autonomous She has
\ forced him to think of himself, TO look
after his immediate interests, which her
great advancement has imperiled.
From this time henceforth he can take
the medicine he has so lavishly and per-
petually prescribed for her. She is gen
erous in her triumph. Content with her
magnificent victory, she does not nag
him, criticise him, comment on him il
season and out of season. after his man
ner to her. She will return good for evil.
If he cannot provide for himself, she
will see that he docs not suffer. She
will not marry him perhaps; she may
do better-she may love him. If he falls
into affiiction, she viii surely pity him.