Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-11-14

| " sH' p'aAci VI ptltT pOllLaChI DIlNl-
ieses. but Is more concerned in Sc
curing legislation for the protection
OF the bodies and souls and domestic
rights of wives sisters and daugh-
ters, this political recognition of their
existence has given them more stim.
uius and encouragement than anv.
thlng That ever happened. The yerv
iact that the free trade party. which
includes some of the most conserva-
i've ana stubborn opponents of the
advancement of women, has invited
them into the contest. is of itself n
recognition never before given of the
power and right of German women IA
think. to speak and to act for them.
serves. 1t is an acknowledgment also
Oh thelr ability and influence of their
equality with men in thought. argu-
ment and oratory, and hereafter no
one can say that they are not com
petent to determ me what is for their
own welfare.
until the present month no Ger.
man woman has ever been admitted
10 IA poiiticat consultation She has
Deen denied the capacity to under
stand political questions. hence 1t is
OF ltsef tremendous triumph for
her sex when the names of women
appear with the names of men in the
list of speakers at important political
gatherings The magnitude of this
triumph cannot be understood NV
people who are not familiar with the
restrictions that restrain women in
Germany
| fI,l..
The committee In charge of the
| campaign of the opposition TO the
new tariff law are starring Fran
Sschulerath Cauer and Frau DIR.
Augsberg at their most important
meetings throughout the whole en-
pre-. and intend to keep them upon
The stump as long as the tarff is un-
der discussion. AS they travel abour
the country they organize and edu
cate women's clubs to fight the pro
posed tariff. and appeal TO every class
and social stratum. because there is
not woman in Germany. they ar
cue. without direct and vital inter
est In the questions at issue--particn
larly factory operatives and wage-ear-
ers.
To all women of limited means the
proposed tariff threatens serious EN-
barrassments. and it is the subject
OF the crusade now just beginning to
convince every woman in Germany of
The consequences to herself personal
iy OF the enactment of the proposed
tariff law. They calculate that ey-
cry wage Garner will be compelled to
work at least twenty.seven days in
| the N
pay the difference between the pres.
ent and proposed per capita duties
upon food and clothing The pro-
posed advance of duty upon the aver
age amount of bread and meat con
sumed by the working people per
capita Will not be not less than Sl3T5
year. This is this minimum of the
financial burden, they argue. that will
be placed upon the shoulders of every
wage-earner by the government II
the proposed tariff law Is enacted, and
they proceed to show that 1t will be
impossible for the great majority Of
working women to survive such an
ordeal. They certainly cannot ad-
vance even II they do not 20 down
II will repress their intelligence. pro
hlblt their education and condemn
them to perpetual servItude. accord
Ing to the arguments advanced by
the anti-tariff women. Their chill
dren will snffer even to greater
extent. They will be denied the
comforts and may OF the necessities
of life. and compelled. like their fore
fathers. to live upon black bread and
potatoes.
| The effects upon the higher class of
women was described by one of them
as follows: "If / have to ay increas.
ed taxes | cannot live upon my pres
ent income. | am comfortably stu
ated nova widow with three
daughters-and we have adjusted our
habits and lives to the circumstances
in which we were left at the death
of my husband. am able to send
my daughters to school and obtain for
them instruction in music, drawing
and other accomplishments appropri-
ate to the social position we occupy.
But this can only be done by practic-
ing economy and denying ourselves
every luxury and extravaganza. I'm
der the new law the price of food.
|
Everything else we require will be ad.
vanced. 1t is probable that rent will
go up with the rest. and that the peo-
pie who are teaching my daughters
Will have to ask more tuition because
the cost of living will be increased
for them, but there IL no way in
which | can Increase my income. and
its purchasing power will not be 20
great as now. That will compel lis
to readjust our lives and cut down our
expenses In every direction. We
shan have to take a smaller apart
ment. deprive ourselves of comforts
to which we are accustomed. wear
cheaper clothing and eat cheaper
food. Every woman In Germany will
be affected In a similar manner The
smaller the earnings the greater the
suffering"
Similar arguments are being ad
vanced to the women OF the nobility