The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-24
WHAT OF THE "NOMANLY wO-
MANs"


OF late years the tendency has been to
tear down the barriers which separate
women from the sphere of labor formerly
occupied exclusively by men. Newspape S
are no longer chroni ling the appearance
Of the first woman lawyer" or the FIRST
woman DOCTOR" or the first woman con-
tractor" We now have women In banks.
in politics, in railroad offices. in the gov
eminent departments, in the telegraph o.
fees; they have been licensed as steam
boat commanders, they work at building
houses and surveying land, as well as in
the learned professions. Are womanly
women doomed?" asks Mr. Henry T.
Finck. in the Independent; and discuss
ing the question, he makes 1t clear that
in his opinion, the drift is in that direc-
ton.
The womanly woman is that one whose
kingdom is the home, whose crown is
modesty and virtue and whose pleasure
it is to practice the domestic arts. II is
the overweeuing femininity of this indi-
vidual that places her upon a pedestal and
causes her to be worshiped by man. But
how will 1t be when. by giving her
mans education, a mans sports, a mans
ideals. a mans manners, a mans feel
ings and tastes, we shall have lifted her
down to mans level? Is it well that
there should be no differentiation between
the sexes with respect to occupations?
Among the savage races, Mr.. Finck points
out, the women are masculine, cruel. with
out one soft Establishment to render them
desirable or lovely. Masculinity among
our own women, he thinks, wou,d
assert itself, as in the case Of the
savages, and our women would ultimately
be advanced" to the relative position o.
savage squaws.
Fortunately, there is a ray of hope AL
ready there is a reflex action against the
! invasion of mans domain by women. A
! tendency to revert to male labor is noticed
| in the large cities and In the government
departments in Washington Not so much
is heard now of the demand of agitatcrs
for womens rights" including the bal
lot, as was heard few years ago, and
1t may be that the pendulum will swing
0eE
proper sphere, the home. 1.-THE womanly
woman is the antipode of the hard-work-
ing, notwithstanding. early-aging savage
woman. She is the highest and latest
product of civilization. and manly man
will never allow her to retrograde 10
mannishness if he can help it,"
When all of the foregoing has
been said. however, a great and
vital point has not been touched.
All women are not so Fortunate
ly situated as to- be removed from the
necessity of earning money. Frequently
adversely overtakes a formerly prosper
Gus family, the death of the bread win
ner ensues. and the care of providing food
and raiment falls upon the shoulders OF
a woman. If she is unprepared to meet
the crisis when 1t arises, she is in a pitt
able plight. That women should know
how to work and earn money is a truth
so patent that 1t needs no argument.
Every girl growing up should be taught
some kind of useful employment. in an
ticipation of a possible time of need. How
to give our women this necessary educa-
| ton without making them mannsh, or
unwomanly. is an important question. II
is doubtful If there is any broad and gen.
eral answer to It. Parents must consider
| ID for themselves from individual stand
points; and it may be depended upon that
! the well-bred mother-the mother who Is
herself a womanly woman-wlll se.dJm
make an error In her solution OF il.