The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-22

Inc truth Ia that, in this day OF strenuous
demand on time, labor and purse, neither
Of a large number Of children and they
DO not intend to assume 1t. The editors
may lecture, the preachers may preach,
the Presidents may issue pronunciamentos,
put they will not change the situation In
i nave ss1bsd dec, dSssres Intelligent psGRRs
TO regulate the size Of the family without
injury TO health or morals, and they will
regulate II.
This knowledge has proved the. creates:
OF blessings to woman. II Is often said
that motherhood IL essential to the fullest
development Of her character. Generally
speaking, this Is true; but 1t by no means
follows that 1t Ia developed In direct ratio
to the number Of children. While few
children may, and usually do, bring out the
beautiful qualities Of the mother instinct,
they often multiply so rapidly that health
is impaired, the nervous system broken
down, the patience worn threadbare and the
pleasure OF maternity Ii swallowed up In
its pains and vexations. The delights OF
readins: writing, society travel d,I must ao Dc
panionship between husband and wife
must be sacrificed to the demands OF the
nursery. the growing children and the
constantly increasing cares OF the house
hold. disappointment, irritation. discon,,
tent and depression are apt to result, and
the nature which might have been sweet,
strong and lovabe under favoring cir
cumstances often becomes soured, weak
ened and calloused. Hard conditions do
not always prove the highest agent Tor
II husband is unfaithful. drunken or
abusive. the wife with a large brood OF
children is completely at his mercy, while
If they are but few, the door OF escape Is
open and she can hope herself to provide
for their wants IL there is a physical,
fa1 toin A.
tons she need not suffer the agony OF being
the means Of perpetuating IL. IL the wo-
man have a talent which abe can utilize for
the good OF humanity, Is she has spent years
preparing herself for some special work
she need not necessarily doom herself to
celibacy. Now that an immense family Ii
no longer the inevitable result OF marriage.
the wife may have the desired quota OF
welcome children In it's early years, ana
still possess the heyday Of her life 10 de-
vote to whatever line Of work or pleasure
she desires But so long as she was held
under the ban OF the alleged divine decree.
Thy desire shall be to thy husband and he
shall rule thee" reiterated by st. Paul,
let the wife be in subsection to her hus-
band,' and this desire. rule and subJection
meant continuous child-bearing, 80 long az
the chief value placed on woman was as
a breeder. 30 long as generation after gen.
GRAFTON were kept in helpless ana de-
pendent position because OF their many
children. and motherhood was used as a
blockade for every advanced step they
tried to take-so long as these conditions
universally prevailed, there was no hope
that the stream OF their life could broaden
beyond the narrow channel OF domestic
routine. The passing OF the large family
Is, therefore, the most important factor in
the development OF woman az an individual,
an entity. a complete and equal half Of the
human race.
Just az the women suffragists from all
parts of the country started to New Orleans
for their annual convention, the Mississippi
River took occasion to overflow it's banks.
But a little thing like that would never
sweep the suffragists OF their feet. In
January, 1895. the national association
for the first time took its convention outside
OF Washington and went to Atlanta, the
home of sunshine and flowers. That very
week, however. the coolest wave ever ex-
perienced in that section OF the country
swept down upon them, killed all the oranges
and froze the marrow In peoples bones,
but the company played to packed houses
every session. In January, 1897, they went
out to Des Moines, carrying their conven:
ton for the first time west OF the Mississippi
River, and the mercury fell to 20 below zero.
the coolest weather on record In that LOCALITY,
only In February. 1893. they came to
Washington to celebrate their fortieth
anniversary. Extensive preparations had
been made and the meetings opened with
great eclat. but a day or two later the Maine
was blown up in Havana harbor, and for
the rest OF the week az far as the Washing
tonians were concerned, McCready. For
rest and Booth combined could not have
drawn an audience. but the delegates never
missed number on the programme;
All Of this goes TO show that the SUI
fraeists can't be downed. They can't be
frozen out or drowned out or stampeded by
any sort Of panic They have gone through
fire and Hood. literally and fguratively,
and they have not hauled down their nag
or omitted a convention for half a century,
II the Mississippi should inundate New
Orleans they would hunt high and dry
spot outside the city, call he meeting TO
order, read the minutes and proceed with
the speeches. According to the opposition
they have been in a dying condition for
fifty years and have received from one 10
half a dozen death blows annually during
all this time, and yet during the past year
many States have doubled their member
ship, and the income IL about eight times
what II was five or six years ago
On first thought IL seems as II the ad-
vocates Of woman suffrage ought 20 mock
en- mass@ 20 the standard OF tho Demo-
cratic party In the approaching campaign
az outlined by Edward NJ Shepard at the
Jack -on Day banquet Of the Chicago Iroquois
Club The establishment 81 equal rights
the abolitio ion Of special privileges, the main
,enance ~ democratic self government .
Even IA. DETECTION IL the 'hswless jewel.
a few days ago. ought not TO count against
this slluring programme. hut alas. the
pLffragists have been fooled this way he
fore and they understand that the promise
~ equal rights and self government applies
only 90 immigrants. Indians, Porto hioAns
and filpinos never Ia Amsricah-born
white women.
Mo 4 ! George Of Bfooklin., Mas .
having recovered from her .horts Ia dsf.a,
~. wonan suffrage amendment Ia NsS
Hamls-hif., 10 nos making an extensive
sI-akins touf thrush ~esi.rn New iDrh
H.rs ~ have anotlseT awful example - the
home sfsckins pfop-hHliiss ~ Va" suf-
ffaslsis N they ssfs nat trying "a get ilir
lsalloi NJ. Gsors. -o,lld not have Ia d"ssf'
W. G.nFs. and oil the littL Osofs"s a.
taks tho stump Ia pIi'asiil"n
IDl HisrkD H.hssh