The San Francisco call., 1896-05-06
Several Brilliant Papers Are Read at the
Second Days Session of the
Woman's Congress.

rights they wanted" The feminine clan sys-
also in North America.
The Indians attained to the highest and
for they had complete system of represents
tive government Clans were united into
tribes, and these into confederacies. Popular
assemblies were held and delegates were
chosen But because the power of chiefs was
never so great as under even the lowest form
OF the masculine clan system, the representa-
tive government OF the North American In
dlans is assigned to q lower stage in the history
OF culture and in the development of govern
ment than the most brutal and despotic rule
in the masculine clan.
The re ason or rather the effect, of this fatal
lack OF power was that q chief could not rely.
as he could in the masculine clan, upon q
strong body OF warriors who were united by
blood, who had grown up from childhood in
the clan, and who had the same training, ira
d1tlons and instincts. man was often COM
pelied to fight against his mothers or his
sisters clan. He was the adopted son of the
clan into which he had married.
For these and similar reasons the feminine
clan was superseded by the masculine clan
system, which could give better protection TO
its mem bers from its greater military strength.
Under this system the chiefs are seen to have
much more authority. Members traced de-
scent from q common paternal ancestor, wives
became exclusive property, and paternity, ss
regards chiefs, became certain. The Office of
Chief became fixed, permanent and hereditary.
AS government appears to have had its ORR
gin in war so the first assem- blies must have
been for the purpose of defense, either against
ferocious beasts or still more ferocious men.
When people came together for protection and
defense they were compelled TO yield certain
OF their natural rights. At first every man
must avenge his own wrongs, but by combin-
ing he has the help of his clan, while for the
sake of the greatest good to the greatest num-
Der the life of the individual becomes of no
Importance as compared with that of the COM
munity.
The despotic chief of the masculine clan in
its highest DEVELOPMENT can command the
death of any OF his subjects. His sway is linn
1tless and he is worshiped as a god There is
very little freedom or equality among the saw
ages, though we are apt to think that such is
the case. But now that the continued exist
ence OF the race is assured, mankind having so
falthfuily obeyed the command which we are
told was given to increase, multiply and re-
plenish the earth. individuals are resuming
the rights which have for SO many ages been in
abeyance. Arbitrary power diminishes, and
TO the enlightened government the humblest
person is an object of soiicitude.
While the causes which led to the gradual
overthrow of the feminine clan system cannot
be known with certainty, they may be sur
missed. When wives became exclusive prop
erty, probably through capture from hostile
tribes, paternity in such instances became
certain, and the feelings of fatherhood had
opportunity TO develop, thus leading on to the
idea OF the modern family. 1t is a truth es-
taDl1shed by the study of sociology that the
family is very modern institution and as
such we cannot prophesy what further modifi-
cation and development await it. Writers on
the family was the original political unit, and
that 1t is such at the present day. This mis-
take has vitiated their conclusions.
1t has been pointed out that the masculine
clan, tracing descent through the male line,
further restricted the promiscuous relations of
the sexes. This was especially the case with the
increase. The system of human slavery de-
veloped the art of agriculture. The savage
disl1kes steady, persistent toll. BY securing
slave labor men had time to devote themselves
to the military art. Subsistence became more
secure, and the condition of women was i'm
proved as they became released from much
drudging toll.
This of course refers only to the possessors of
slaves-not to the slave women themselves;
and it must be confessed that when black
women were brought to America even the
white chivalry which objects to women work
ing alongside their fathers, brothers and hus-
bands, in the sphere of government, was not
extended to the daughters of Africa. We were
told last year that ''home is woman's limit"
but in the case of black women the sphere of
home was thought plenty wide enough to en-
brace the cotton-ields.
Do you remember "Poor Nelly Gray"7
One night i went to see her,
But She's gone" the neighbors say.
The white man bound her with his chain.
They have taken her to Georgia
For to wear her life away,
AS she tolls in the cotton and the cane
In far-off Africa her mother was the daueh-
ter OF a powerful chief. Through the vicissi-
tudes of war she was brought to America
where she met comparatively the same fate
which befell the Swedish woman just the ther
day. In Sweden she could vote: In the United
States she found herself disfranchfsed In
Sweden her husband had taken it as a matter
OF course that women should have the right to
vote. Coming here. he has become imbued
with American ideas of liberty and now he
objects
We are working for the franchise In Califor-
MIA. l, for one, feel much like saying, "Let us
finish one piece of work before undertaking q
another" The results of the Civil War con.
ferred the right OF self-government upon the
negro. His companion, sharing his sphere in
every respect working by his side, claiming
and receiving no immunities on account of
sex, is still thought plenty strong enough for
the cornfield, but scarcely robust enough for
the field of politics.
Besides the improvements in agriculture and
the military art, the masculine clan gave to
the chiefs the support of a strong nobility
based, OF course, on slavery and a hereditary
priesthood. Strong tribal combinations and
compact political organizations became possi-
ble It had been q weakness of the feminine
unpopular chief might at any time be left
without followers. This was not the case with
chief OF the masculine clan.
Reng1ous feelings and superstitions were
also developed and became more and more
a powerful auxiliary to the secular authority
The offices of priest and ruler were often COM
bined in that of the chief. There was naturally
more contention and rivalry for the succession
as the power and emoluments of the Office in
creased. liberal amount of blood was shed,
and 1t was matter of course to wade through
slaughter to a throne. Rival sons by different
mothers were all killed or imprisoned by the
victorious brother.
Many Mohammedan states, such as Turkey.
Morocco and Persia, have also practiced this
custom. As examples of the highest grade of
chiefs and the most perfect development of
society under the masculine clan. NAV he
mentioned the communities of Polynesia.
which had despotic chiefs, with a complete
system of tillage, slavery, hereditary nobility
and priesthood.
Political organizations became such when
based upon the ideas of territory and property,
and not until such ideas are developed can we
have anythfn more than O society in contra
distinction to what we call civil Government
In the higher development of society under
this system there are often military, indus
trial and politicAl chiefs. The Office is heredi.