The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-05
WOMEN p
 SOCIETY.
1oR PERMANENT EXHIBIT
 OF WoMAN'S WORK.
Oy Hrs. .. 2k as0ottss)


 1oR PERMANENT EXHIBIT
 OF WoMAN'S WORK. More and more as woman strives 10 loosen the shackles of inertness and helplessness. which she has worn for aEes. as befitting her, according to the established place given her in the plan 'of human economy. more and more does she and does man set her apart as a newly discovered species to be in vestigated. It seems the preconceived idea of rising woman that to become nan's equal in any domain of labor oc- cupied so long by him alone, she must, as a first step toward the realization of her dreams of success. separate Aerself from herself-or. so to speak. from him-and then invite his inspec- <ion and the worlds surprised admira- ton of her perhaps feeble achieve ments. ;t seems true as in Olive Schreiner's Three Dreams in a Desert" she says of the woman who is attempt ing to rise while man stands beside her offering no assistance. He cannot help her; she must help herself. Let her struggle till she is strong.
 "And l cried. At least he will not hinder her! See, he moves farther from her and tightens the cord between them. and he drags her down.
 And he answered: He does not un- derstand. When she moves she draws the band that binds them, and it hurts, and he moves farther from her. The day will come when he will understand. and will know what she is doing. Let her once stagger on her knees. In that day he will stand close to her. and look into her eyes with sympathy"
 Why this separateness when woman strives to become more and more working feature in the affairs of hu- manity? It would sound ridiculous if in a newspaper write-up of an exposi- tion Mans Department" were exploit ed as an attractive item. "Woman's Departments" in all exhibitions smack of the same side-show business. as is bespoken by such labelling signs as sThis is the work of the inmates of the Blind Asylum" or This work is done by the lunatics," or What the negro is doing," or These cards were written with his toes by the armless man" Woman is penned off like all the other freaks. and for her endeavors she gets the kind of admiration that would be awarded a little poodle who stands upright on his hind legs and begs for a lump of sugar.
 When an article is invented, or some- thing Is accomplished in the arts, sci ence. sculpture, medicine, literature. or manufactures, it should have its place, according to its worth in the industrial or educational world, no matter wheth- CT it be the work of man or woman. Unless woman does something that is of value and it to live alongside of work of the same line done by man, having taken the chances of the sur vival of tine fittest" side by side with his, she should not wish to exhibit at all. The latest pen to be prepared to hold womans work is the proposed Per manent Exhibit of Woman's Work" which the Womans' Industrial ana Pa triotic League is striving to establish in Washington. The purpose is to have there permanent exhibit of the hardiwork of women; the object seems to 'prove womans' worth as an indus trial factor and her value as an educa- tor." The opening Is to take place in Washington as soon as the required sum is raised to warrant Congress in making an appropriation of $1Oo,000.
 The plan. as gathered by a writer from the new prospectus. is as follows:
 Their Agreement.
 One forcible point made in the cir cular as an argument in favor of an appropriation is that the Federal gov ernmcnt has given SIP, 100000 toward promoting the various expositions in the United States. The Philadelphia Centennial was given $1 ,000, 900, but this was afterward returned. The exposi- tion at New Orleans in 1881 and that at Atlanta in 1889 received each $1, ,000, ,000 the Chicago Exposition was given $5,- Oe0. GOO. and a similar amount was re- gently voted to the St. Louis Exposi- ton. The Buffalo Exposition received $20O.000 from Congress. It IS claimed that such generosity toward exposi- tions in the past warrants the passage of a bill to appropriate $100,000. It is proposed first to raise a considerable sum by private subscription before any appropriation by Congress shall be made available.
 Mrs. Charlotte Smith, as President of the Women's Industrial and Patriotic League, has enlisted the interest of prominent and wealthy people in the proposed exposition, and during the summer an earnest effort will be made to advance its interests. The Advisory Board comprises forry-four men of prominence from all over the country, being headed by Lieutenant General Miles and Lieutenant General Scho- field, Major General Wood. General Wheeler. General Fred Grant Admiral Schley and ex-Vice- Pre- sldent Morton. The National Board. composed of wo- men. is headed by Mrs. Phoebe Hearst and Mrs. T. F. Roessle.
 Plans and Progress.
 The Washington Industrial Branch League has pledged 5000 toward the permanent exhibit, and has already raised $1,000 Of that amount. The league proposes to hold fair for one
 month to obtain the remaining $400C needed to fulfill the pledge. Mrs Smith has contributed $10.000 from heI own private means as a nucleus with which to build up the exhibit. She commenced the work alone over ( year ago. and since then has conducted a large correspondence with nationa legislators and prominent men anC