The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-07
Woman in Victorian Era.

Woman in Victorian Era.
| dady Jeune In st. James Gazer.e.)
Among the sweeping changes in the
bioodlsss revolution OF the last sixty years
| none has been more complete than that
which affects the position OF women. and
! fortunately the emancipation which has
been the consequence of The change has
worked no evil. The gloomy prognostica-
tons OF the opponents Of women's freedom
have been falsified. and neither the home
! nor the fireside has been destroyed. 1t was
only natural that the change which was
anticipated. and which has become q fact.
should rouse the apprehensions Of the
| friends and foes OF women: and 4 speaks
| volumes for the common sense and innate
! goodness of Englishwomen. that while the
/ whole of their position Is reversed. and they
meet at every point <save the physical one)
or an equality with men. they have lost
none OF the characteristics which have
distinguished :hen, and which have placed
| them on a pinnacle never attained by the
| women of any other country. II would be
| idle 10 say that the alteration Ia their posi-
| ton has not aected them or that the woman
| of The nineteenth century is not a very d!f-
ferent creature from her grandmother. but
while she has altered and modified her life
| IN many ways. the causes which have
brought about the change have not exer-
cised baneful influence over her. The
better education she enjoys has given her
wider interests and made her a filter COM
panion for husband, by her larger grasp
of life and the widening OF her sympa-
thies
In curious contrast to the feeling shown
by women with regard 20 the educational
and professional questions which affected
them is that with which they regard The
later developments and aspirations of those
women who are considered the pioneers OF
a new crusade. The creation called the
New Woman" came and tried to dwell
With US. but her existence was a short and
meteoric as that of South African specu-
lator; the common sense OF Englishwoman
revolted against an hysterlcal abnormal
creature with whom they had no affinity
or sympathy. Englishwomen are physical
ly and mentally healthy and clean-minded
and the short-lived existence of the new
woman proves that whatever effect their
greater emancipation has had, they have
not altered in that respect. Engishwomen
respect and realize what, as a class. they
owe to the institution of marriage. 1t has
given western women the position of power
end sanctity which is their most priceless
possession. 1t has made them a comrade
and friend of their husband instead of his
mistress and slave, and they know that any
attempt to weaken that contract must de-
story them.
The new woman, with her nebulous ideas
about marriage. her childish gospel of the
equality of the sexes as regards their rela-
ton to each other. finds no response in the
typical EngEshwoman's breast. Her hus-
band is her husband only-a poor creature
may be. weak, easily led and cajoled by her,
but still her own property; and she has no
intention OF relinQuishing that possession or
of sharing 1t with any other thin unsexed
creature who may choose to preach the Cos
pei that love and fancy are free and may
wonder where they like. Her own position
and that Of her children are assured by ex-
listing laws. and the sensible Engl!shwoman
has determined that she will in no way
countenance any movement that threatens
her buiwarks. She cannot understand the
subtle distinctions of affinities. or under
stand that some natures are made only for
others OF kindred kind. Marriage may
not be perfectly ideal state, for there IS
no perfection on this side Of the grave; but
1t is certainly a more satisfactory arrange
ment than a five years contract; and II
will not be by the women of today.
The New Womn' played her cards very
badly; she showed her hand too soon, and
her attack on marriage reused all the an
tagonism of her SEX and she has succumb-
ed to the unanimous feeling of Englishwo-
men in its favor. Nothing is more interest
ing than to note the complete disappearance
of all the apostles of the new-woman move
ment-her preachers. her literature, her
drama have collapsed. and the British mat
Observation-Disclosures serenely over the
ashes. The feeling shown by them on this
one point is the most characteristic of the
sound common sense which Is the disting-
uishing attribute of the average English
woman, and about this question, as on
capacity, and self-control which it is i'm
possible to exaggerate. They have passed
through a transition period which has given
them create rpower and independence than
has ever been enjoyed by women in the his
tory of the world. They have shown al
intellectual capacity whose existence was
doubted, but whose influence is only begin
ming to be felt, and they have proved their
power to be the friend and companion OF
man by acknowledging that they are infer
ior to him In many respects. The greater
glory of theirs STILL however, for they. IN
seen, unfeit. have really welded the power
of the world: and as the greater the man
the greater his glory so is the woman he
loves the more powerful