The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-09
ZTHE. TIAIEs: .RlgHMoND VA. WEDNEsDAY.MAY9 1900.

winning drndgery. So in many localities
The cry is going out to women TO come y -.
the rescue OF the municipal housekeeping
which at present is a national disgrace.
But is this appeal accompanied by the
offer to clothe them with the needful au-
thority; to give them the power of help
ing elect the officers who administer the
municipal laws; to fill certain OF these
Offices themselves. if need be;;ito handle
the necessary funds: to be. in short,
factor in the government of this CITY!
When the services of women are needed
they are then in position to make terms.
and that time is approaching in the mu-s
inequalities at least. Women Should be very
slow about organizing themselves INTO
STRENGTHENING and tree-planting br!sades
while men alone hold the city purse.
strings. draw the official salaries, and ex-
ercise supreme control. Although it should
be duty and a pleasure for women 10
share the burdens, yet they should break
themselves of the habit of working with
out pay and without authority.
If Virginia makes a new Constitution,
as she talks OF doing. we shall expect the
editor of the Richmond Times to advocate
a clause in it giving municipal Suffrage
to women.
This editorial makes another strong
point when it says. ''The members Of the
IVon7an's Club do not spend their time
in idle talk, but In discussing questions
of pI;biic concern There is wide
gulf between the church sewing circle
Of a generation or two ago and the Wo-
mans Club of to-day. During the transit
ton stage between the two, the women,
who were Just beginning to try their
mental wings plunged wildly into ancient
history metaphysics and various sub
jccts which would appal the savants.
y good many of them are still founder
ing in these depths. but in almost every
community now are found organizations
of women studying the live. practical
questions OF the day and utilizing the
results of their study as far as they are
however, that not in the smallest par
ticuiar Can women influence municipal
affairs, the management Of the schools,
the cleanliness of the streets. the beautt-
flying of the city, the condition OF jais,
almsilouses and other public institutions,
except by permission Of men. While
one might suppose the latter would wei
come the cooperation OF women IN what
surely is as much their sphere as mans.
the reverse is true, and in all the past
years their assistance has been scorn-
fully declined. It Is only OF recent date
that they have received the slightest
recognition, and even this. for the most
part, because they have crowded them
selves in and begged for it.
In all parts of the country the women's
clubs and councils are making careful
study Of political economy municipal
government, public school questions.
sanitary measures, the cause, treatment
and prevention of pauperism and crime,
all matters in fact that stand for ctvliZa-
ton and progress. The Association OF
Collegiate Alhmnae. our most highly edr-
Gated body of women. have spent several
years in a systematic investigation OF
drainage, ventilation and sanitation gen
orally preparing most valuable collec-
ton of scientific data. While the various
organiZat tons Of women are thus engaged
an army of younger ones are preparing
themselves to be such a power in the
future as the world has not yet seem In
his address before the recent National
Jewish Womens Council at Cleveland,
Ohio President Thwing, of Western Re
serve University, said:
'As a result of the much larger per-
centage of girls than boys yearly being
graduated from the high schools of the
country, women viii soon be the edu-
Gated classes Of the community. 1t is
not a far step from this to bring out
their responsibility as factors in the life
of the new century. It is to be womans
century as well as mans, by reason of
her well-trained mental power.
It is estimated that there are 10000
women in the colleges and universities
of the United States, with the number
increasing so rapidly that at Stanford
University a limitation has been placed
upon it, and similar action threatened
at Chicago. This highly educated element
will have to be reckoned with in the
future While women were ignorant. and
while the duties of home claimed all
their time and energy, 1t was not difficult
to keep them in subordinate place;
but with trained and developed minds,
the household tasks largely eliminated,
ambition and independence awakened. it
becomes absolutely necessary to provide
new outlets for their activities. Church
and society will answer for some; others
will enter the various business occupa-
tons: but a certain portion viii turn
inshnctive'y to that division of labor
which is included under the head of
municipal government, and will demand
a rightful share of it.