The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-24

women than TO men. Many times a wife and
mother gives up ali thought OF her own culture and
development aud sacrifices herself utterly for her
huspand and children. There are times when this
may be necessary and right, but there are times
when 1t is distinctly not right, and she may awaken
10 ma herself uninteresting to her husband and
unappreciated by her children. This is a bitter
truth, but we must remember that ones life can
only be worth 10 another what it is worth to one,s
self The kind of self-sacrifce which is a mere
abandonment OF opportunity is of small conse-
quence for any worthy end.
Men Want Free Mothers.
Only with the most perfect equality in the free
dom and development OF men and women can we
hope TO have marriage and family life based npon
an ideal plane. Herein lies the greatest signif-
canoe of all widening of the spheres OF interest and
activity for women. The wider these interests and
activities the better wives and more Intelligent
mothers shall have. Ought we expect bows
and girls to be prepared best for citizenship by
mothers and teachers who have no voice and no
responsibility in the affairs of the state?
Whatever tends to free women from any exter-
nal compulsion to marry places marriage itself
upon nobler plane. 1t is in the interest neither
OF the present nor OF the next generation thar
women should be forced into marriage by eco
motherhood based upon an uncontrolled and low.
ing union that is capable of giving good citizens
world. " ~
The interests Of men are the interests of women
and the interests of women are the interests OF
men. The notion there is n necessary struggle for
supremacy between the sexes. and that o ne CON
quers at the expense of the other Is one of the most
absurd and perncious doctrines or notions ever
perpetrated upon patient world. II it is for the
true interests OF women that they should have the
Tight or SURFACE, or any other measure of Freedom
IL Is for the advancement OF the interests of men
tnat they should receive it. The larger freedom
and better education of even a few individuals
means much for the progress of humanity.
me only safety is in freedom and truth. No i'm
mediate regeneration of humanity can be ex-
Pected from giving women the right of suffrage 1t
VIII not make all idle people industrious nor ali
s ones generous. 1t VIII not give us perfectly
clean politics nor ideal schools The admission OF
any large oody OF people 10 right and RESPONSE
Dliity they have not previously possessed IL gem
e crazy accompanied by some disturbances which
cause temporary harm. The political freedom of
women Is less Important than their ind ustria and
personal freedom. But political freedom is a great
most cordial support. We may expec: from the
admission of women 10 greater political freedom
something of the same uplifting influence which
they have exerted upon every sphere of activity
into which they have naturally developed.
Not the Purity of Innocence.
One who reads the long story OF the progress of
humanity and who sees the bitter suffering that
marks every step Of the way is apt at times to
despair and to wonder whether the achievements
of the race have been worth their price. Blu, what
should amaze us is not the lowness OF the origin
of higher human things, nor the pain and su fer
ing that marked the way, but the sublime heights
to which humanity has attained, and the vet
higher dreams which lead us on
Out OF 1t all we can see the new ideal of woman
hood emerging. 1t is not the purity OF Innocence
which we shall reverence, but the purity
of virtue: not the negative medieval ideal hn,
the positive one of harmonious and rounded deveI-
opment. Unlike the artificial ideal of the middle
ages this is in line with natural SELECTION for
more and more, the selective value is placed
upon it with the higher development of
life. II is the Eternal Womanly," but
unhampered by artificial limitations and tradie
tionaI slavery. 1t is woman, loving, tender and
sensitive: but woman, strong, true and independ-
ent, capable of standing alone, and so worthy OF
the highest union in the most intimate relations
Of human life. EDWARD HowABD GRIGGs