The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1901-05-16
HER NAME OR HIS?
SHALL SHE BE MRS. JOHN OK
MRS. MARY7
One of the Diiemmas that Contrt,nt
the Married woman-Maiden Names
rreferrei by Those Who Succeed IN
L. for Them e yes.

Irefcrrc by hose WIN
l. for Them e yes.
What shall be a married woman
name? This Is the question one OF the
women's papers has been trying 10
answer for its readers. Shall mar
ried woman take her husbands name
and drop her own, being known as MIS-,
John Smythe Rogers! Or shai sue
keep her maiden name In full, and add
10 Il that of her husband, writing her-
self as Mrs. Mara Jones Rogers! Or
shall the wife and husband unite their
names and call themselves Jones Rog-
ers? Or shall the woman keep strictly
to her own name, dlscarhng entirely
that of her husband. and call herself
Mary Jones or Mrs. Mary Jones' Ihese
are the possibilities offered In the way
of a woman's name. and they ought TO
satisfy the ambition of even the most
indlyiduallstie college graduate of this
opening year of a new century.
That not many women care to retain
their own name without taking that OF
their husband simply shows how
powerful is social custom. II might be
said that it indicated that women are
wanting In individuality, but such an
assertion can have little weight In view
OF the fact that a social tradition reach
ing back for thousands OF years prac-
ticnlly settles what shall be the form OF
woman's name. Few women have
the time or the energy or the courage
to battle with an established rule of
this kind, and the number of men can
not be much larger. If it were they
would wage the battle for the women,
which they now show no inclination
for doing.
However, there are not wanting ihdi-
cations that women are gaining In In
dividuality, fact that Is shown by the
increasing number who do not wish TO
lose their maiden names when they are
married. Yet there also seems to be an
increase in the number of women who
respect the conventions of society and
merge their names in those of their hus-
bands. If John Smith is a prominent
man In business or politics or literature
it is natural that his wife should wish
to have the social advantage Of his po-
pularity. II she calls herself Mrs. John
Smith 1t serves not only to Identify
her In the minds of all who know her
husband, but ii adds to her social stand
ing and position. That most business
men and politicians would take adyan-
tage of such an opportunity ought TO
excuse the women for so doing.
Why should a woman wish to aban-
don her own name, that has become
identified with her personality and that
is in real sense part of her indlyidu-
al self? The fact seems to be that as
soon as women make place for them
selves in the world they do not desire
/ TO abandon their maiden names. Pro
| fessional singers, actresses, artists and
others refuse to give up what has be-
come Identified with their successes
| This increased sense Of personality
that Identifies itself with a name known
to the public and that has its profession
al and business value has no doubt its in
fiuence In causing women to refuse Il
marry. The popular Idea of marriage
that merges the wife in the husband
and In his children must have its inhu
ence on women who have sought Il
work out career for themselves.
1t is highly significant, however, tina
women should wish to keep their owl
names, not merely because they do no
wish to marry, but because they hay,
gained the vantage ground of the full
recognition of personality. Is Mrs Rog
ers herself, or Is she merely an appen
dix to Mr. Rogersi Is she to speak II
her own name, or must she always re
fer to him" In order to know what I,
think? Perhaps suffrage for women 4
not gaining rapidly, but vast chang
has been brought about In the last half
century In the recognition of the indiyI
duality of woman. The women VIII
quote him" are growing small In mum
Der and the women who have opinion
of their own are rapidly increasing. Ii
the meantime marriage does not 20 oil
quite so smoothly as formerly, simpl.
because the husband is no longer 'lor,
and MASTER" and two wills must b
reconciled instead Of one being ignored
In due time, however, when the tran
! stion has been made to the full recognl
, tion of individuality in woman, 1t vii
be found that marriage has becom
more ideal and happier That womel
, will ever go back to the old submlssly
: way. having once tasted freedom, II no
to be supposed. Therefore. marriag
, must henceforth be real partner
: ship of two personalities or else wome
will more and more refuse to marry
: Boston Transcript.
LOOK JUST LIKE a FOREST.
4 Tribes of India that Esca ne the Polio