The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-10-20
Emancipation of Woman

Cincinnati, o., Oct. l6.-ln speaking
on "Woman Suffrage" Mr.. HerDert 5.
Bigelow said in part:
I'm 1S48, when the first woman SUI
fragist convention was held, New
YORK editor assured his readers that
sucn a proposal, il acted upon, would
prove a 'monstrous injury to all man
kind and that "the order established
at the creation Of manhind and con-
tlnued 5000 years would be completely
bronen up
Combating the right of women to
speak in public, Presbyterian preach
er declared: Il believe the subject
involves the honor OF God.
In 1880, when the Methodist confer
ence in Cincinnati was ASKED to IL
cense a woman preacher, one brother
sprang to his feet and cried: What
wlidnes, what fan9fy what strange
freaks will we tape On next! -
The conference f4hally resolved that
ssNomen have 81 ne rights and privi-
leges in the Met Hist church that are
good for them.
In 1894, head professor lecturlng
in a theol0gi ca& 1eminary on woman g
pace in the diurch, say: Women
may sing ia reyer meeting, play the
piano or orga4F and II the meeting IS
not too public they may offer prayer. :
This was tA attitude Of men 9 gem
erauon ago. 9fsWhat!" they exclaimed.
"Woman ont Il platform! Woman In
the pulpit! The college: In the court
room il TN Noting booth; in the leg
islature! INDUSTRIOUS! 1t Is against
the ordina3es Of Almighty God! It
would brd4E up the order established
at the creation and respected for 5000
years! LIQUID prove al asting injury
to all n1knkind! 1t would give the
lie to Sc(1oture! 1t shall not be! Even
the 0rdq&Nf God is at stake!"
III thu day, the few who stood for
the ria& Of woman to q larger life
were IGie the butt of ridicule. Yet,
II thefitsht Of history, how ridiculous
are tyr opponents!
b& rather be ahead of my time,
and ffer ridicule for season. than
shalsainy fist and make grimaces In
the 4 e of advancing truth, and there
By \ Eome the laughing stock Of pos
Marlin usssfx
liberty knows no SEX" I'VE are
ind tr5ass and growth in freedom Is
our right hia was what the voice
In the wilderness SD immediately
press and pulpit flew to arms. With
shafts of ridicule and bludgeons F0i
abuse. they struck at this new thing
that had come to challenge their in
fallibility.
Yet how is it now? There are over
10000 professional women in. the
United States. There are 1000 law
yers, 1000 journalists, 5000 clergymen,
5000 literary and scientific persons,
1000 physicians, 5000 government Of
ficials, $4,000 merchants, and 328,000
teachers and college professors. And
women are gaining on men in almost
al. the occupations, save, strange to
say, those of domestic servants, laun-
derers, milliners and saloonkeepers.
And what of woman's political sta
tus today? Full suffrage in four states
of the union. School suffrage in eigh-
teen states. And some measure of polit-
ical right in twenty-three states.
In the beginning of the century,
there was born in southern seas new
nation and one of mighty promise to
the world The United States of Aus
tralia came into being and in the Sec
ond year of their national life, they
extended the federal suffrage to every
woman in the realm. Nine years befol
woman in the realm.
Nine years before, New Zealand had
set the example. Neither is the moth
er country far behind in her recogni.
ton of woman's rights. Indeed, sc
universal has been the progress of this
cause, that not even Russia has beer
able altogether to Withstand it.
All this has been done in the face
of the most solemn warnings; in thu
face of all the prophets of calamity
me heavens have not fallen. Wha
harm has come? None, save the harm
that has been done to the reputation!
of those who stood in the way.
But this is always so. The wise mer
of one generation become the fools O
lie next, and ridicule of truths apos
ties turns to reverence. contumely tt
praise, in Gods own time.
$4,000 in Michigan