The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-19


9 q strong interest. IN the school suffrage.
along the same line as that OF Gov. Roosevelt.
ought 70 be accepted as authority that they
The proposed, Bill makes. some radical
ehanges IN the school system, but protects the
school boards.
50 many letters come every week telling Of
latss that Mrs. MARI; b. craisio Of IBrookiyn
they formed a library association. With. the
helP OF a lew gentlemen they struggled along
an, appropriation OF public funds ard enlist the
aid OF Mayor Van Wyck. He appointed a board
o. directors COMPOSED entirely OF men, ignor-
ing all the ONE who had been the life Of the
qrst ncl o. this Board, was to appoint Mrs.
Miss Susan Il. Anthony writes from Roches-
ter. n. Y:
We have another grievance here in this city.
throneh this Leglslature cutting the school board
week the Democrst and M P SSTon 'ey'p h.. P pad inte spS sSss
from scores of distinguished men and women every
mHnded that women should be on tho board. and Of
az the women only tto have failed to make the
lated a petition to the Legislstnre and got il signed
by over one hundred of. the most influential men Of
nor did tho petition ask that any portion OF the
boM shout be women im,;; 1t is surely most amazing
among the men arc always sure 10 remember to for.
yet to include women.
That is the question. Have women been so
long ignored that men really and truly tail to
remember them on such occasions. or do they
forget on purpose
magnincent plea OF the Catholic Bishop Spald-
ing, in Washington for the highest education
last week the Lord Bishop Of British Columbia,
n an ADDRESS to the, woman's EIpiscopal
Board OF Missions, declared strongly Tor an
enlarged Snhprp for wOmpn'E activities. The
present women's. church organizations are
not sufficient for the needs q a community. he
especially urged them to take an active per-
sonal interest in school board politics"
m TnS s %a%Sn P ,ossho rs T Nc RSnr ,ees Ia |" T n."e2 are
well.mesninG men may he; hey cannot attend I,
can DO. Woman has a place on the school board.
= But the School Board is not the only field in
which women must labor.
Such words as these from the heads Of great
church organizations are full Of hope. The
religious element in the nature, OF most women
dominates all others and 1t will have to be ad-
mitted that In the ear stages of woman's
evolution the Church was among the most
powerful Of the hindronces There never has
been denunciation 80 strong as that which
came from the pulpit. st. Paul has bcen the
Without parallel. and for the great body Of
Bile that did not have its sanction, For reasons
which will seem inexplicable to future genera:
ions the Church mas Deen tenacious beyond
all other institutions In defining woman's
sphere and keeping her in it, The majority Of
ministers are still extremely conservative on
this question. believing that by Uniting her OPP
pOrtunitias the Church can absorb all the
wealth of her labor and love.
\ few. however. are far-siRhted enough to
recognize that, the wider her influence and tho
larger her, field Of action. by so much, the
greater will be her power to carry forward the
WORK Of the Church. The so-called woman
question" could be solved In q comparatively
brief time If the ministers Of all denomination
would declare fNr absolute freedom for women.
social. civil and political, and assist them In the
effort to obtain it. The chief necessity Is for
women to stand together in their demands.
sufficient number to create the public senti-
ment which must be behind a reform ORR revo-
luton. Most women are born into the Church.
Their activities. which must have scope. re.
ceive most announcement along the lines oil
Church work. and naturally they acknowledge
the authority of its head. whether 1t be Pope,
Bishop or country parson.
1t was not until women began to get out OF
this narrow life and think for Themselves that
they made any demand for larger liberty for
their sex. Most Of them. however, still await
the sanction Of their spiritual advisers before
they JOin in the efforts for full emancipation
from the restrictions that have come down as
an Inheritance from the dark ages. When
ministers not only sanction but encourage
such action. there will be a forward movement
on the part of women whose momentum
no power can resist. After this end has been
accomplished they never will return to their
former religious al bServience. but they Will CO.
operate with all good forces for the regenera-
ton OF the world. with results which at least
millennium. IDA Hustled HARPER.
WARRINGTON e.