The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-03-13
LARGE INTERESTS OF WOMEN


called tho interests Of women" m Jour
nalism and literature Is worth mote than
a passing thought to the; wotnari who
reads and thinks and who can 3dt.ayy cofi..sss
cusions between say 1904 md 1901 WI
Il one hundred years has made ii al ffer.S
ence certainly To-day all phnsea so1%
feminine social life are, under correntEs
limitation. tery properly recognized sns
legitimate matters of interest to the
world through tho medium Of the press
and tho pen of the novelist. II. a AN
Tho broadening sphere Of von1an's
work. the organization of historic and
patriotic societies. the entrance Of fwo--.@s
inen into professions, the college train.
Ing and the club life OF women are bring
ing them into journalistic notice from
d higher and more serious stand point
81 Gradually. with the change Of co.'s
dltions, tho truth has come home to tl1eA
twentieth century woman that " fletl-sS
ever she makes u Claim upon tho worlds
notice, 1t must be supported: that what
ever may be the nature Of her dernana.S
whether her ambition IS to DO cons deredS
a social, a professional or q iterary
star. she must make good her preten--#
zion. II she does so, she full fills condts@
tons and receives Justice. 81 III SI.sgSssss
TIrD OLD CRY ABATIISs IA 81 OH
The old cry that has been raise SsDA
long and so-often as to tho ihea itaIity&
OF conditions governing manly and q We
manly recognition. must Of necessity&
ahato when women have rlghtfully 5rneasy@
Eured themselves and acknowle dyed theirS
limitations. If they can supply tho 6worfSs
which tho world wants. that world aisA
Satisfied. 1t is too busy to pause and
inquire into tho sources Of supply and
10 diffe1tedltlate about a question of SHex.aA@
The trouble generally arises from tha4
fact that women essay many things for
which they arc either not qualified, prA
for which they have been poorly pre-
pared. When this IS tie case, their pro-
low the market standard command M all
poor price Nine times out Of ten lack
of success is attributable, not to Lack
appreciation butEto lack of merit S$lGas@s
$S WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE q S5asfS
Now 1t has come to%p pass that $every{wo
man. who aspires to dominate Society
must have the personality and the eff
5vironment, as we'll as the tact. the nlen-S
taltty and the graciousness which Is thu
suro foundation for such prominc nce.#
Tor she Is weighed In tho balanc Which
precedent and unwritten law has 4esta lb,. ssS
lished. II she DO found wanting rs then
society will have none Sof her,
Ks What IS true In this instance Is 5cqually%
true in others. Along all lines of Thought
and action. in which women are moving
/! 20 an end, they are required to stand
( the test 3of sharpest competition, as they
5lnove. The world comedies nothing t0s
them. Their own hands have pulled Oil
barriers down. They have placed them
selves alongside men. II they weary Or
fall out OF rank. that is not the worlds
business. nor should the world be ~ ex-H
Epected to concern itself over weals1ings.s
Only those who keep step are taken into
q account, and they are never q the ness
who feel themselves aggrieved. NJ sSs3
WOMEN STANDARD RAISER sa$
A..
ever. may be the station Of life inFwhicRS
they jnre placed, or the wo * which sEias
comnlrted to their hands. 4 have til ;inF
their power to raise tho standards ana
smooth tho way for those who come gaf-N
forwards The obligation is rs pom the
house and homekeeper to profit by her.
knowledge of Inheritance and to improve
conditions and complex domestic prob
lens. AS other women express tharl-#s
selves III their several vocat Ions 8 and
so expressing take their places they are
either helping or hindering the prosressS
OF womankind at large and especially
Of succeeding generations Of women
TEE BEST IN HER POWER r. fsisf
And this realization should help every
woman; nay 1t should compel her In
small. as we'll as great things. 30 do. the
best In her power. to avail herself OF all
best In her power. to avail herself OF s:lilS
advantages she can command ana OF All
tho teaching that Is q free glft from the
hands Of the past and the present. .ss
Above all should sho discrlninat to clenTls- .s
Nv as to her talents. and walk straitly
along tho path to which they poin p0 1ssssss
sessing her soul in the large pa tlei.ca.E
which underles oil frultion Of promtsg
as a necessary and wlloleso me discipline.
First. 1.-THE blade; then the ear. az ter -
ward. the whole grain In the ar .iiis .s. sl
principle governingi development In litess
us we'll as in nature. q principle th nat
cannot be bent or broken or diverted a' It
tho will OF any human soul.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning. endoW
with prophetic vision as to tho mission
OF womanhood, wrote In her "Dranln#oo a. N5
Exile, the following impassioned exhor-S
tat!on to her sex, which all may Tead@
with advantage: II 3isss
"Frenceforward, rise, aspire
Unto the Gains and rnagnanimltles sta
Tho lofty uses and the noble ends.
The sanctified devotion and full work, iSs sS
TO which ye arc eloct forevermore, ''sssls SssS