Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-03-04


only looked in with reference to our lit
tie chat this morning. wish that you
would give us your powerful support
at our coming meeting for the Improve
ment Of the condition of woman
NO ma'am, l can't do that. ne
pursed up his lips and shook his griz-
.led head.
"And why not?"
Against my principles. ma'am'
but why?"
Because woman has her duties ana
man has his. l may be cid-fashioned'
but that Is my view. Why. what is
the world coming to-? was saying 10
DR.. Walker only last night that we
shall have woman wanting TO COM
mand the Channel Fleet next"
| THAT Is one of the few professions
which cannot be improved" said Mrs.
| Westmacott, with her sweetest smile.
Poor. woman must still look to man 1ot
protection"
II don't like these new-fangled ideas.
| ma am. tell YOU honestly that
don't. I like discipline, and 1 think
every one is better for 1t. Women nave
got great deal which they had not IN
the days of our fathers. They nave
| universities all for themselves. am
| told, and there are women doctors'
hear. Surely they should rest content
ed. What more can they want:
You are sailor, and sailors are al
| ways chivalrous. If you could see now
| things really are, you would chanee
your opinion. What are the poor things
| to do? There are so many of them anu
| so few things to which they can turn
their hands. Governesses? But there
are hardly any situations. Music ana
drawing? There is not one in fifty who
has any special talent in that direction.
Medicine? 1t is still surrounded with
| difficulties for women. and it takes
| many years and small fortune to
qualify. Nursing? 1t is hard work Ill
paid, and none but the strongest can
stand it. What would you have them
do then, Admiral? Sit down and
starve?"
Tut, tut! 1t is not so bad as that.
1.-THE pressure is terrible. Advertise
for lady companion at ten shillings
week. which is less than cooks wage.
and see how many answers you get.
There is no hope, no outlook. for these
struggling thousands. Life is dull.
sordid struggle. leading down to
cherries old age. Yet when we try to
bring some little ray Of hope. some
chance, however distant, Of something
better. we are told by chivalrous gen.
tlenen that it is against their princi-
pies to help"
The Admiral WINGED. but shook his
head in dissent.
There is banking, the law, veterin-
airy surgery, government offices. the
civil service, all these at least should
be thrown freely open to women. if
they have brains enough to compete
successfully for them. Then if woman
were unsuccessful it would be her own
fault, and the majority Of the popula-
ton of this country could no longer
complain that they live under differ
cnt law to the minority, and that they
are held down in poverty and serfdom.
with every road to independence sealed
to them"
What would you propose to do,
ma amp
ITO set the more obvious injustices
right, and SO to pave the way for re-
form. Now look at that man digging
in the field. know him. He can
neither read nor write, he is STEPPED in
whisky, and he has as much intelli-
gence as the potatoes that he is dig
ging. Yet the man has vote, can pos
sibly turn the scale of an election, and
may help to decide the policy Of this
empire. Now. to take the nearest ex-
ample. here am I, woman, who have
had some education, who have Travelled,
and who have seen and studied the in
situations OF many countries. I hold
considerable property. and I pay more
in imperial taxes than that man spends
in whisky, which is saying great deal,
and yet have no more direct influence
upon the disposal Of the money which
I Fay than the fly which creeps along
the wall. Is that right? Is it fair?"
The Admiral moved uneasily in his
chair yours is an exceptional case"
said he
But no woman has a voice. Consider
that the women are a majority in the
nation. Yet if there was a question of
legislation upon which all women were
agreed upon one side and all the men
upon the other, it would appear that
the matter was settled unanimously
when more than half the population
We're opposed to it. Is that rght?"
Again the Admiral wriggled. 1t was
very awkward for the gallant seaman
to have a handsome woman opposite
to him, bombarding him with questions
to none of which he could find an an
swer. Couldn't even get the tompions
out of his guns" as he explained the
matter to the Doctor that evening"
Nov those are really the points that
we shall lay stress upon at the meet
ing. The free and complete opening Of
the professions, the final abolition of
the zenana I call 1t, and the franchise
to all women who pay Queens taxes
above a certain sum. Surely there is
nothing unreasonable in that. Nothing
which could offend your principles. We
shall have medicine, law and the
church all rallying that night for the
protection of woman. Is the navy to
be the one profession ABSENT"
The Admiral jumped out of his chair
with an evil word in his throat There.
there. ma'am," he cried. Drop it for
time. I have heard enough. You've
turned me a point or two. 1 won't deny
It, But let it stand at that. 1 will think
it over"
Certainly, Admiral. We would not
hurry you in your decision. But we
still hope to see you on our platform"
She rose and moved about in her lOung.