Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-01-03

two must rise Or fall together. Every
organization of women in existence to-
day is ctuated by the same object that
1mpe1led Eve to eat the apple-a desire
for knowledge-and every one is try
ing to utilize this knowledge for the
betterment of social conditions.
Even the a~nti-suffrage society,", which
might be considered an exception to
this rule, is trying to block the wheels
of progress because it believes thai it
is better for women to peal the ills she
has than to fly to others that she knows
not Of.
This a been the situation during the
past half century whenever it was pro-
posed to make n change in the con-
dition of woman: That it would bring
to her and unhappineSS to
the family; if she received an education
it would unfit her for the duties of
Wifehood and motherhood; if the mar
rled woman were permitted to own
property she would desert her husband
and children; if those of the poorer
classes were allowed to control their
wages domestic chaos would result; If
women entered the trades and profess
SionS immortality would reign supreme.
In direct contradiction to these pessi-
mistic forebodings every progressive
change in the condition of women has
brought to them an immeasurable in
crease of happiness.
I'LL way All "hlCu SNSn oil dp.
proximate estimate of this can be made
is to imagine the present generation Of
educated, property-holding, s~elf-sup-
porting, capable, independent women
E. suddenly transplanted into the condi-
ton Of two generations ago-education,
( even in the common branches, placed
, beyond their reach; every occupation
closed to them except sewing, teaching
and factory work; the wife robbed of
her own property the moment she was
married, the mother deprived of all
guardianship owe her own children.
1t is impossible to picture hat would
be their humiliation, their wretched-
ness, their despair. We would see such
a revolt, such a revolution, as the world
/ has never known.
It was only because women were
I taught it was the will of the Creator
that they should be in subsection, only
because they lacked a Moses to lead
them out of the wilderness, that they
endured SO long n SO patiently.
But having emerged at last and ex-
p~erienced the joy of even a partial lib
erty, they will not pause until they
have attained the full happiness OF
complete freedom.
No one can observe the busy, broad
and useful lives of the women of to-
day, the splendid work they are doing
for the world, without realizing the
vastly increased happiness the closing
years of the century have brought to
them.
The gulf betwee us and our fore
mother is no wider than that which
exists between ourselves and those fu-
ture generations who shall have an alb
soluteIy untrammelled opportunity fol
development.
This will be possible only when there
shall be placed upon the brow of wo-
man the crown of citizenship and side
by side with man she may work for the
regeneration of the world, enforcing hel
viii, as he enforces his, by the supreme
: authority of the ballot. The most pow
erful pen cannot put into words the
happiness which will come to woman
and through her to the race, this
right is hers.