Evening star., 1901-12-28
What Will the Domestic Life of
al sa Woman Be7
IMPoRqAafF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, TOO
Will Be-aCitizzens in the Political
Z World.
BETTER AND HAPPIER, ALSO

should predict no astonishing changes which
are likely to overtake women in their busi-
ness, political and home life, within the
next half century. Certainly the forecast
ing of the horoscope of the American wo-
man reveals no sign of the coming of any
startling innovation in her career for the
next fifty years. Instead that which will
come to her viii be the natural results of
an evolution already so well established
that no power can stay the tide of its on
coming. A half century ago the world re-
belled at the approach of the changes which
are now past history. The women who
wished to own and manage their own prop
erty; the women who entered new vocations
and boldly claimed their own wages; the
women who demanded the right to speak
in public, to pray In the prayer meeting
and to organize clubs; in fact, the women
who interpreted the principles of the Decla-
ration of Independence and the sConstitu-
tion to mean athattwomen as we'll as men
possessed an ~nalienable right to life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness" took
their regulations In their own hands. The
feat of Daniel entering the lions den pales
into insignificance compared with the hero
ism OF the ''woman's rights women OF tnat
day. Indeed. nothing short Of the same di
vine faith which supported Daniel could
have inspired the pioneers who "blazed the
way for the women who We're to come
preferred to endure the thralldom Of limit
ed freedom rather than face the contumuiy
which was the certain fate of her who di-
verged from the beaten path bounding the
sphere" of women. But herones con-
tinued to do battle with the prejudices of
mankind, until the boundaries of wOman's
sphere can no longer be located.
The great world has recovered from it's
shock and now looks upon the woman
movement with comparative resignation.
1t has no more persecution, no more mud
throwing to offer, and it's delicate feelings
are no longer disturbed when a respectable
sane woman does something no woman has
done before. 1t is because Of these happy
changes in public opinion that the further
extension of :woman's sphere" in the next
half century will. contain no sensational
features. Not an advance step will be
made which will not be greeted by a prac-
tfcaliy unanimous-"Of course, that Is as it
should be.3 ts4s
what viii He Achieved.
Fifty yea4s hence women will be much
| more important factors in the business
| world than they are today. 1t matters not
| at all whether men and women of our day
think women should engage more largely in
| business or not. Women will become i'm
| portant factors in business in response to
| influences quite independent Of public opin-
| ton. The ancient custom OF beQueathing
| the bulk OF the family fortune to- the eldest
son has been gradually but surely supplant
ed by the, ,SpFactice OF f,''tshare and share
alike" Since women have been permit ted
to receive and care for their own property,
girls. like boys, receive by will, as well as
by law, an equal share In the family estate.
1t will be readily seen that if the United
States produces AN equal number Of boys
and girls the wealth Of any: generation will,
through inheritance, be held equally by the
men and women Of the next.
1t is within the memory of those now liv-
ing that women were permitted to control
their When this priyi1ap,
was extended to them it was quite natural
| that in response to the restraining infiu
epces of public opinion, they should have
been content merely to hold that which
came to them, without effort to increase 1t.
/ The maj ority either exchanged their in
heritance for home or placed it in invest
ments which returned a sure interest. In
this conservative fashion the half Of the
nations wealth which came through in
heritance to women has been held as a
silent and uncounted factor in the business
world. Meantime, for generation the
rate of interest has been gradually shrink
ing until money in passive investments
yields but little.
Try Other Ways.
Fifty years ago hundred thousand dol
lars was considered a handsome fortune,
and an income of $4,000 could easily be
earned from it through investments In
mortgages and stocks. Now the same
principal would scarcely guarantee 1000
income. 1t. is no longer possible for the
woman to invest modest patrimony and
secure satisfactory returns. Her necessity
drives her to the consideration Of business
ventures which promise to net her a larger
per cent. In the meantime the withdra wal
Of public condemnation has rendered wo-
venturesome, and they. are less afraid to
risk their money These two factors will
lead women more and more into the busi-
ness world.
>,
which controls the competition Of men, will
operate in the competition of men and wo-
men. In that struggle there will be vic
tories and there will be defeats for, women
as there have been for men; but utterly re-
gardless of what the world thinks, neces-
sity will drive women in increasing numbers
to make business ventures.
There may. be some curious results, but
they will develop so naturally no one will
be surprised at them. Fifty years ago the
most prosperous business enterprise for
women was millinery, but men for a gen
Grafton have been gradually stealing the
trade until now the largest millinery houses
are owned and mar aged by men. One man.
milliner in New York has recently built
million dollar hotel with the profits Of his
trade. Fifty years ago thousands of wo-
men enjoyed a pleasant and local dist inc
tion for especial skill in the construction of
that American dainty known as the pie.
In time men looked upon the appetite of the
pie-loying American as possible source
Of revenue and Immediately conspired to
steal the art from women. The pie rapidly
disappeared from the home to reappear in
the factory, ,One factory in New York
turns out 600 Pies a day, each one guar
anteed TO be good as mother made
...os All vocations Open.
Whether tin. thee fifty wears to come wo-
men WIFI f1claina these vocations which
have always besn considered essentially
feminine, oFswhether men will possess them
entirely and will make the bonnets and
pies of theGworld is impossible to predict
If, however. these industries are forever
lost to women. II is safe to .prophesy that
the sagacity, enterprise and originality OF
women will win. compensating vocations
from men, sWhor knows but it may be the
manufacturE Of hammers and nails?
Fifty years hence women will long have
been enfranchised in the United States
They will hays taken their places In the
body politici $50 naturally, SO quietly, 80 un-
sensationalft that the event will scarce
have made 8, ripple In the stream OF human
progress. There will be no one left to mar
vel at tho claim OF woman's political rights,
and IL the subject OF woman.s enfranchise-
ment Is mentioned at all as distinct from
mans enfran anchise1nent 1t will be In won-
! der that great. men and women once OBJ
i~xiy faJv .rnfnood m he 90