The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-06
WOMAN OF TODAY.
......s............s.ssssssss


Melsey A. Booth OF Houston at the recent
association at Temple:
Woman of today--her environment Is MS
widely different from her sisters of the last
century, or even decade, as day Is from
night, ahdsany woman who fails to recog-
nze the fact and does not try to keep
abreast of the times will find herself rele-
gated 10 the shades of an almost forgotten
past In other words, she becomes II back
number In this day OF push, whistle. whir
and flash.
Steam, which was once regarded as Gle
of the grandest discoveries Of the ages, VIII
soon be supplanted BY electricity, which is
reyolutionizing the motor power o, the
world. But | did not intend writing d
homily on electricity, but simply 10 chow
fiom this the grand and rapid changes IN
all other conditions OF the present day.
| Who, in his waking or sleeping dream.
ever thought until very recently oi The
present bicycle, which can cover siace
almost as rapidly as locomotive, ANA over
any Kind Of Il road. Woman mus pdsh
| forward or be pushed back. There can be
| no standing still. She must assert herself
or sink forever into insignillcance; become
| hewer OF wood or drawer of water: 10 he
| like the patient OK who moves at the point
| OF the goad or the masters lash oh.
| woman, of this Texas land, have you IN
| higher ambition than this Do yoC Guy
| aspire TO become society's butterflies OF
| fashion, to strut your little day upon the
stage of existence, then disappear without
having accomplished enc deed worthy q
| sentient being?
| mr. ole fnr anti rtypt re
| (Which is generally construed TO mean
woman's SUFFRAGE | am for woman's rights
| in the abstract, though have no quarrel
| with those who may differ with ME.
| Wonen's rights means to me the opp6r-
tunity where all conditions are equal; The
privilege of entering any field useful.
ness where she can earn an honest living.
| Generally, when woman attempts any
thing out of the ordinary rule
or beaten path she is sure tc
| stir UP some harry who constitutes
| him or herself an all-suffcent critic, and
raiges the howl of impropriety or lnef
| ficiency for. be it remembered. men axe
not the only ones who decry woman in her
| attempts to rise. Her own sex are more
merciless critics than men. which demon
strates the fact that time and force of long
usage have forged chain whose links arc
hard to sever, but patience, pluck and per-
! severance 6onquers all things. Woman of
today is passing through a crucial state.
but she will come forth from the chrysalis
condition. full fledged and ready for every
i good word and work.
| | know | am venturing on dangerous
ground when | approach the ballot box
Men draw the line here, and guard it as the
Il apple OF their eye, we'll knowing that II
woman could voice her sentiments there
| would occur some radical changes. Men
say woman unsexes herself when she, goes
to the polls for the purpose of casting a
| vote; that it is not her sphere
or spear las Aunt Samantha puts
III: that it is unfeminine. Granted We
are told OF two evils. 1t is wisest to choose
the lesser Woman endeavorng to protect
herself from disgrace. poverty and heart
break In placing temptation out Of reach
Oh husbands sons and brother ought To
receive applause instead Of censure. II
NotlnR unseXeS woman | ask in the naSe
OF common sense. what does drunkenness.
do for men?"
On you say men have rights which mus,
not BIZ infringed upon
God pity any one who could advocatA
such rights; rights to make himself a de-
pauched drunkard and loathsome brute; 10
, pnel wneih ms loved ones with chagrin and
oitter humiliation. OH says some enc. |
ala not know you were writing temper
ance lecture; ! thought your article was
intended to point OFT to woman how to be.
come independent. Surely this would be a
condition dcvoutly wished for; to saw tn at
woman, no matter how capable or willing,
should live and move in circumsnribe
sphere under the edlct: Thus far shalt
thou go and no farther" 1t is the Iamast
and most absurd argument ever adduced to
prove a fact. Why not be magnanimous
and say; The field is broad enter in and
possess as far as your knowledge inteIli-
gence and capacity permits" Freedom o.
thought and action is a principle born In
the human soul, as keeny enjoyed as the
bird when he spreads his wings and trllls
MS song as he floats in his native air. In.
temperance is crying evil of TODAY vet
there ne other evils, while not so dehas
ing, are far reaching and should receive
prompt suppression Strong drink lays q
heavy hand on woman, making IT harder
and more difficult for her to find work.
None OF US like to be even remotely asso-
ciated with drunkard. giving preference
TO woman whose husband Is sober man.
however worthless In other respects, than
run the slightest risk of coming in contact
with an inebriate Ought not this to
orlng tinge OF shame to the cheek of him
who advocates his rights to dram drinking,
which road eventually leads to drunken
ness? Little by little the thatch goes of
the roof
The other evils to which referred ara
rings, monopolies aud trusts, which can
coHpine 10 raise or depress, at will all the
necessities of life. To the poor 1t means
almost starvation, and TO all classes /,
means uncertainty, anxiety and foreboding
OF ruin. II woman was entitled TO the
franchise. and could throw her strength
numerically, against these combines, She
could do much TO cripple, If not entirely
break them up. oh, think hear some one
say she would be bought or coerced like
many men do not believe it.
| women.
Christians, possessed OF stronger faith
more trustful and God fearing than men
consequently her desire would be to do the
greatest good TO the greatest number with.
out fear or favor know woman is ex.
tolled and great stress placed on her ms the
one -eminently fitted and designed tc
shine N the home circle; that this is heI
sphere and mission In life; that Of all the
bright stars that shine in the galaxy Of
good deeds hers Is the one that eclipse:
. all others. am willing to grant all tina,
can possibly be said OF woman exceIling II
all that pertains TO good home government
Here she trains the children and shapes tn,
destinies OF future generations. II she pos.