Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-09-01


to the young girl that demands the
sympathy of every human heart.
cannot refrain from quoting line
from her journal.
MY back hair is twisted up like a
cork-screw: ! carry eighteen hair-pins;
my head aches miserably; my feet are
entangled in the skirt of my hateful
new gown; l can never jump over
fence again so long as | live; as for
chasing the sheep down in the shady
pasture, it's out of the question, and
to climb TO my eagles nest seat in the
big burr.oak would ruin this frock be-
yond repair"
But this was not all. Another trial
was coming. Her brother became of
age. lie and his father left in the
morning TO vote for Fremont. She
and Mary watched at the window.
Poor girl! A lump came into her throat
and her eyes become blurred, that she
could not see. Turning to Mary she
said: Wouldn't you like to vote as
we'll as Oliver? Don't you and love
the country as we'll as he and doesn't
the country need our ballots?" Here
we see vision of the coming suffrage
for woman.
Can we not, by this brief history, see
that Miss Willard, untrammeled by
fashion, or left at liberty as boys are
left, would have been capable of filing
any place requiring mental, or even
physical power, with equal success as
to any man now living.
Let this thought impress your minds.
Strong and noble characters may be
found with women as well as with men.
Weak minds and weak bodies occur
with the masculine as well as with the
feminine Heredity aud environment
and education act alike on both. Nat
ural laws do not discriminate between
them. Whatever is a blessing to one
is a blessing to the other. Whatever
is an evil to one is an evil TO the other.
But man and society have set up two
standards of law, one for man and
different one for the woman. This is
contrary to nature and good sense.
1t is unjust and uu-Christian. Accord
ing to our Declara ton all persons
should be equal before the laws of the
land; then all could seek happiness in
their own way. Then all could have
the opportunity to attain positions in
society, in the State and in the field
for which they might be qualified to
fill.
Woman is under bondage to the
fashion plates of Paris which deform
tax her strength in her daily duties.
But for all this she is the better Christ
ian than the man. 1t is easier to wor-
ship Christ than to follow Him. And |
woman follows Him in many acts
where man utterly fails.
There are two unwritten laws Of So
ciety that are wrong. The man and |
woman equally guilty in venal sin
the man is condoned and restored, but
the woman is rejected, ostracised and
condemned. This is unfair and un-
Christian. Again;
In forming a new family the woman
is the passive party in the contract,
and the man is the other one, or he is |
to make the first advances. Or in 9TH
er words the woman must not do the |
courting. This is wrong. If we count
the natural laws of our being, the |
woman should do the courtng, or at
least she should have an equal privi- |
lege with the man in forming the fam
lily. The reasons are numerous and |
cogent for this change,
Our Constitutional laws are against
woman and in favor of property. Gold, !
DEAD matter is held above the LIVING
soul.
Give woman the vote and arbitration
will follow, war will cease and our
Nation will have gained in CHRIST
IANITY.
". p. BENNET.
NoTE-The paragraph in regard to
courtship was added after the read
ing, so 1t is not certain that the women
would confirm such an innovation.