Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-06

young-Wife's -b.scuit type or of the more
modern girl-in-bloomers AID EewYomaE-
proposing sort: can stand it to read silly
arguments against woman suffrage that
Islander the sex under the gLise of profess
ed regard fer 1t: ! can even stand ii TO see
women themselves write stuff in the way
Of attempted reasoning or philosophy that
almost justities the worst that can be said
against them. all this | can stand and get
hold my pence But when woman who
happens to know the IA. b, cs of a subject,
and nothing more. starts on that ground to
call everybody names who differs from her,
attempts to drown the common sense of
the sex generally in a flood of false phil
osophy, and viuntingly challenges all com
ers to meet her in many rounds as
they fancy they would like" then l feel
I'm called on to up and strike. Here's one
for you, Pauline FRY. lCok o4t!
In the first place Pauline Pry says that
"a couple" Of weeks ago she wrote 4 story
setting forth the bad economy and bad
art of sewing at home." l remember that
story. A hypothetical somebody whom
Pauline Pry is rot ashamed TO pass of a
herself finds her conscience troubled and
her ambition excited 10y the appeal of some
woman friend. and makes d prodigious
start at home DR. .sSinakng. Result. fail
ure. plainly caused by m"Xpcrience ard
native poor judgment. So all women who
must be told So jIst the same whether
they fail succeed to their own satisfac-
ton, ard that of all who Them AS TO
the seams of home-mide dresses being
askeW, and SO forth if this is the liz
variable rule it is strange such a clear
seeing woman didn't observe the bad art
in the dress of the friend who advised her.
and being disguised, stop before she be-
gar.
The fact is Madam Pry. the dominant
error III Eour story rs in the woman
seeking to make" the accident of the fl
ness or unfitness Of this work for her n
rule Of the housewives conduct" Any
woman VINO goes to making her own
dresses for no better reason than that
somebody thinks she ought to, and because
altogether it would I've nice to do so. de-
serves To fail: but fortunately such wo-
men don't exist except in such stories as
that of Pauline Pry. And f they id they
would have nothing to do with the ques-
ton OF the economy of hCme dreSsmakinS
generally.
Adjustment of Means TO Ends.
Your definition of economy IS not bad.
Pauline, "a broad scheme whereby time,
labor and money most wisely adjust Ell
to the ends Of human life" There YOU
have the fundamental idea of economy,
however the term is used, adjustment Of
means TO ends. And frUgality you say lis
a scheme of strict saving, its simple ami
severe purpose being 10 make ends meet"
What is the difference? 1t appears frugal
ity is merely one form of adjust Mt, on,.
form of economy. Whether it is or is not
the best form OF economy depends upoa
circumstances, largely upon the one great
circumstance whether or not under the
conditions any other form is possible You
contend that home dress making as a rule
is poor economy. l contend that in the
majority Of cases where actually rational
women, not Illogical. Hypothetical ones
engage in it, it is the best economy DOS
sitle, and has certain other advantages be
sides But why, Oh. why. dear NADIA n
Fry, DO you Use that word scheme" in
your definition of frugality? Are you quite
sure 1t isn't sIpe!tiuOUs? OF course Won
who criticiSe others must he particularly
careful about the meaning of the words
you use Economy, to be sure, is a scheme
or system of adjustment. l rather pre-
fer the latter term. But frugality'
Wasn't 1t YOU desire to force an exact
opposition between the two terms that led
you to insert in your second definition thai
little scheme" that belonged only in the
hrst! Or have you warrant for ii in some
authority above that of Wehster's Inter
national Dictionary? If you are very sure
that the simple custom of saving is not
fruSaEty. but that in order TO be frugality
saving must be ''schemed." why, speak Up
and tell me so: but don't, please don't twit
me on my ignorance as you have some of
my sister women.
As to this economy of doing your own
work, specially dressmaking being the
economy of barharians.' doubtless you are
right. But that it is the economy of bar
barians exclusively, that's another thing
The habit of feeding ones self instead of
being fed like baby is also common
among barbarians, but that doesn't keep
it from being entirely proper for us
There are, We know, an actual fact, a
considerable number-a very considera bic
number-of people today in this civilized
land who do large part of their own
work. and the fact that .hcse people are
many of them highly cultured, also that
ally defended and advocated by those en-
gagins in it. is evidence enough that If
isn't entirely barbarous
When Women VIII Change.
You talk about Specialization of TALENT
and division of labor" ard think in this
way to silence, If not convince, the OBJ