The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-12-29
HOM[COND|T|ONS
REACT ON FAMILY
SENSATIONAL ADDRESS BY MRS.
GILMAN BEFORE AMERICAN
SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
OWNERSHIP OF WOMEN
Operates Against Motherhood--Not
One Home in Thousand At
tempts to Provide For
Child Culture.

Atlantic City, N. j., Dec 2S,-The
American Sociological society began
its annual meeting here today VITA
a large attendance Of prominent
men and women from all parts CT
the country,
Mrs. Gilman's Address.
a remarkable address on How DO
Home Conditions React on the Fam
ily?" was presented by Mrs. Char
lotte Perkins Gilman. She traced
the biological, sociological and eco
noic history of marriage, the home,
the family, and in the course of her
remarks made some rather unusual
If not startling statements relating
to motherhood, the modern home,
the servant question, and the rela.
tions of husband and Wife. Here is
ono striking excerpt.
The industrial conditions of the
modern home are such as to delay
and often prevent marriage Since
the home is supposed to arise only
from marriage, it looHs as though
the situation were frankly suicidal
So far, not seeing these things, we
have merely followed our world cd
habits of blaming the woman She
used to be content with these condi-
tionS, we say she ought to Dc now
back to nature The woman refuses
to so back-the home refuses to go
forward and marriage waits. The
initial condition of ownership, even
without servltude, reacts unfavorably
upon the kind of marriage most de-
sired. A woman slave is not wife.
The more absolutely woman Is her
own mistress, III accepting her hus-
band and her life with him the
higher is the grade Of love and com.
Darionship open TO them.
Again tho economic dependence OF
The woman initiates against true
marriage, In that the element of the
economic profit degrades and com
love and so Injuries the
family. It may be said that the fam
lily with the male head cannot exist
N Il pure form without its original
of absolute personal
and exploitation Of woman.
When the ownership rs no longer
hat Of a true slavery but enters into
he contract stage, when marriage
'ocomos an economic relation. then
indeed IT is degraded. polygamy is
4 low form of marriage; but as mod
'rn pOlygamists have held II at leas:
tends to preclude prostitution. The
higher marriage toward which we are
ending requires a lullgrown woman.
10 ones property or servant, self.
and proudly independent.
Such marriage will nnd expression
n a very different home"
Effect On Motherhood.
In the course of her remarks about
he reaction of modern home condi.
ions. Mrs Gilman said IN part:
Ownership of woman first inter.
ereH with the power Of selection so
'sscntial to right motherhood and
,econd cnforces motherhood unde-
ired, a physiological evil. The en-.
uant conditions of female scryitude
S an injury in demanding labor in.
with right maternity.
MI in lowering the average .cf
leredity through the arrest of sociai
development in the mother II Is not
.ood for the race that majority Of
g. female parents should be uu
killed laborcrs. plus few unskilled
dlers.
IN poverty the oyorworkod womaT
.roads maternity. and avoids II if she
an. II she cannot. her unwclroup
nd too frequent children are not
What is needed to build NJ our per, /
'le. Ia wealth. the woman becomes 1
Perpetual child. greedy anil ire +
ponsible. droads maternity anI !
Noids II IL she can. Her children I
rr fow and often faL Neither the
cnaiiiuus of ths poor home nor o.
be rich tend i8 a JOYOUS and com /
.etent maternity
In this ono respect fhe home uu
er present conditions ts proven sH
'iitt ffitIf4' I.t 'Nf fanny. IN fi~eIt
tends 10 REFUGE rbr hirthrstc. or a.
1ael the quality ,f tfe most numer
us children. and a1 of them insert
b. limitations of a se-fIe of an ir
s.Trnsihie motherhood
Child Care srd Culture.
Ce~.r- 20 tLl subject 0f child saret
1f culture NHs Gilman lerIar
bat rIf modern home cnnIitiafs
resent market uufircss fnr tret
.ora committed % the home. -Natf
r0 home in THOUSAND she saff 4
,a- attempts 90 make provision fe- [
'I' culture. % the nome has huf
lH room that room is a kitchen. but !
.v indeed ere tte families that can
ford a uurserg. ChiiT care 81 uh'TIr /
licrliuate ro kitchen service. ths
Cue is a complicated f1consisteHtl
Vur 1f Industries. On wfich the
lii must Vait for SPARE m0usHtsl
attrltiou. Hhich attention shen
s.rrf fe that 90 q f1-rr - -.- .ss-- :