The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-05-28
WOMEN HELD BACK BY FEAR FROM
MOTHERHOOD.

The following letter from reader seems to be
worthy of place in the editorial column Here it is:
1t is becoming more and more common to hear the
charge made against the American woman that she has
lost crushed out the desire to become wife
and mother.
Various reasons are assigned for this but have seen
mention of what believe to be the principal cause
believe is because nation has refused to protect the
home that the American refuses to become wife
and mother She has wept prayed and petitioned our
national and state to throw around the homes
of the country from the greatest this
world has known but instead of granting her request
this Gland of the free and home of the brave has gone
into partnership with the home destroyer; the only
reply weeping, petitonng womanhood received is "Go
make homes be patient bear children and each year
will lay only about 100000 of them in drunkards graves
Besides the toll of death the mother knows that other
hundreds of thousands of children will be brought by
drink to almshouses, county ails, pentenaries and
asylums.
Is it not that woman loves poodle dog more than
baby that she chooses the dog
Does not society itself place the higher value the dog
If the pays her dog tax and puts collar the
dog the law protects her pet from theft and saughter
but tell if you how does the state protect her boy?
AT best the state jas the boy and breaks his mother
heart when he falls into temptation and yields.
How the mother protect her boy when society places
the stamp of its approval upon drink and drinking places
Don't you know that when woman brings child into
the world she CANDLES life for life? She deliberately
turns from health and goes alone down far into the valley
of the shadow of death, not knowing if she shall remain
there if she shall forth leading by the hand
another tiny little life
Do you realize that thereafter her life and her aims are
submerged in the loving srevice and that shall
new human being to carry forward the marvellous chain Of
human lifes
Ought not the whole world love and protect her when
she counting the agony and the travail naugt reoices
that she has brought forth child?
Yet, and especially if it be child there is from the
first haunting fear The fear that her boy may fall to
the level of the brute through liquor The fear Of that
curse which of all things that make him lose his love
for his fellows, his mother and his God And yet you
collect tax from saloons and say that you ''no the
guardians of our BROTHER
l know, Mr.. Editor, know I know how the mother
watches the baby, the child the youth and the
grown to man estate. How she watches him sleep
ing and waking; him of the dangers of drink but
too often it avaeth not Ere the blush of youth has left
his cheeks she has him offered sacrifice on the
altar of nations greed. What wonder that a woman
buys ranch, goes into sheep raising instead of raising
boys?
Wool growers protected and if the wolves should
abound our government would pay much head for their
destruction but the destroyer of souls protected by
law-his business is legalized
When the voters of the country make the raising of chill
dren safe business then will daughters become
wives and joyful mothers of children; and there will be
great rejoicing throughout the land and may that day
rom