The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1900-03-09

that women are becoming a Formidable
factor in the intellectual. industrial and
economic conditions, by reason Of this
mental growth. and herein are the 70
kens Of epprehcnsiOns and unrest. The
world wor. il held ont to them. h4t
again Il note Of alarm is sounded from
Nh" watch tower they are displaciH2
man. the legitimate wage Garner: they
are completing economic problems by
receiving less hire for their labor.
since they mnst live, they are threat
euing the stability Of social n3trHe-
lions, the family and the home. Again
are they forging letters tor themselves.
and from 'su bordinates and inferior"
they are bcrome. by the cruel exactions
Of physical need. mans enemy and
rival How we hing these soulless
rrocds 10 oar DasJms' What a clock
We make Of conservatism and religion
But this question Of labor and monop-
oily. these industrial revolutions, poIiti-
cal, social all these are but the courier
avant Of Il greater evolution than the
world yet has known. 1t requires no
prophetic mind to see that mind is gain
ing accend.ucy over things If ba-cr
mould, That With our enlarged cOnctp-
ton. nf the dignity and strength Of the
human intelligence, we are equaIizing
surely, az 'sexes, we are blending forces
in the battles TO be- fought: we will yet
Share the gIorirs of victory.
What Is the basic principle Of this
revolution that each succeeding day
f0reahadOws with increased intensive
The rccogniti0n If women, not merely
az daughters Of men, ~ but as creatod
and equal jntelligences in the harmony
of nature. It has been a painful, a tn
dious journey; every step has been
tracked with blood bnt withni it ha
been Il passage cheered with the con
scionsness Of right. sustained by that
fifth that sees in truth the ultimatumD
Of the souls best desires.
Many of the harsh and tyrannical
conditions that governed the lives Of
women have been obliterated vastly
many, but the spirit Of the law by
which they are bound is not yet thor
oughly NubdUed.
The battles that have been fought
l19t, when Charlie. Fox said, 1T
has never been suggested in all the the
and projects Of the most absurd
speculation, that it would be advisable
to extend the elective franchise to the
sex. - the battles waged and won
since then have been stupendOus. Then
her humanity was questioned; now her
spiritual and moral force is the corner
stone Of civilization. Then individual
ism and masculine indivualism was a
science today socialism is a religion.
This is the true Significance Of the
peace Congresses; Of the trinmphs Of
arhitaation Of y demand for an equita
bio division Of labor; for q practical
epotheosis If an ideal Republic, where
government snail be of, for. and by
the people
Nv ,u,,,nvr 20 great 10 MONT II SO.
today ~ the trust; as those gov
arnmental policies that cannot subSorve
he best interests Of the masses; rs Il
liscrlmin0tive Legislative power. IL.
)ur present recognized citizenship sut
to cope with these evils? Wo
mans attitude toward these matters
'ann0t be called in question; then does
lOt the very conservation Of our repub
lean form Of government demand her
'~ervires as a citizen, a voter,
Wonmn's intellectual growth, sum
narily, is absolutely commensurate
With her freedom, With enlarged op
.,ortunity has her mental development
;ept pace, until freed from a limited
reception of egotistic good, she has
'ronght human, racial qualities into
he larger sweep Of humanity and hu
nauity has been revivifed.
mot woman. but the condition of
women, has always been n doorway Of
VIII
The ru~dimgntary tenets being de
tr0yed by a process at once involuuta
Y and fOrceful, the stress Of necessity
nd education, our human mother
God is not creating anew, but Is setting
rec. Nor is this change a thing of
rophecy. In general terms it has al
eady rome. Neither is it 4 thing ia
lead for; the potential spirit Of social
volntiou, of racial advancement il
rgiug it on We may Illustrate, but
ever permanently abort it,
There are mighty forces striving
'ithin our souls; n latent strength is
stir that is lifting us ont of our passive
eep and drawing us nearer to the
Of humanity. And yet from the :
of humanity we are barred. De
'nceless, still are we subject to "restric
ons, bonds as illogical in theory as
MUST in practice, Helpless, we may
Emulate rs we will, but demonstrate
e may not. The query persists in
.%rusting itself upon my mind, Why =.
.ould | be amenable to a law which
yes not accord me recognition? Why
deed should owe loyalty and allie
ance to a government that stamps my
with the badge of seryilitv and