Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-06-03
MRS. JULIA ". Howe
MAKES few COMMENTS ABOUT
MODERN SOCIETY WAYS.
Has Just Had Her s1st Birthday, and
Discussed American Womanhood-
Cocktails for Women Shock Her
Curse of Fast Life-Five O'Clock
Teas Have Lost old-Time Charm.

Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, the grand old
woman of America, authoress of ''The
Battle Hymn of the American Repub-
lie, who has just passed her 91st birth
day at Boston, Mass, today discussed
the part American womanhood is play
ing in the 20th century life.
Mrs. Howe believes that other women
could live to be 81 easily if they shun
the fast life of society and look with
old-fashioned horror ON the insiduous
and invidious cocktail. Mrs. Howe s
ideas are not so oldfashioned as her
precepts for living. For instance, she
has lived long enough to see the en-
franchisement of the women throughout
the United States.
Insofar as the rights of equality go
Mrs. Howe believes that American
| women are just beginning to attain
! their rightful plane.
Chimes and conditions have certainly
changed since l was a GIRL" said Mrs.
Howe; ''some changes have been for
good, others for the worse. We were
all shut in and can go back in my
memory and see myself, like a damsel
of olden times, shut up in the castle of
my home.
81 have been shocked to hear of the
prevalence of drinking among society
women of today. The cocktail habit,
as I believe it is called, is the curse
of modern society. That is one of the
leading phases of fast life in society.
1t is alarming.
Imagine the regret with which l
have heard that some women have even
acquired the breakfast cocktail habit,
and am L right in that2 / am told it is
a habit of drinking before breakfast
in the morning in order to acquire an
appetite. 1 shudder to think of the
harm which is done to women, not only
physically but morally, by this custom.
Even the o'clock teas, which were
once so staid and decorous, have
changed, and liquor is associated with
the delicious and delightful tea which
gave the name to the fashionable repast,
Idleness Leads to Mischief.
"Society will change with the equal
franchisement of women. In recent
years the wealthy matron and girl have
had no way in which to spend their
time but in frivolity. Their idleness led
to mischief The ballot will impose a
duty upon women which will give them
something to occupy their thoughts
. |
silly and harmful pleasures that pass
from some smart society.
F'Happy old age comes only from
health and clear conscience. Health
can only be kept by simple and quiet
living. do not decry society at all;
only some of the phases of it which
have grown up from the last 20 years
"The old-fashioned ideals are the
best. Every woman who attains Ger
tain age comes to realize this and
breaches it's doctrine. Give us good
old home with its easy comfort and its
tranquil air of perfect peace and domes
tic tranquility. No divorces, no sudder
voyages to Europe upon the merest
within.
Harm by Great Wealth.
"Perhaps great wealth has don'
much harm to American society. d.
not know. 1t has done some harm IL
the manner it has caused men ant
women to be dissatisfied with theil
homes. 1t makes them seek the gildet
hotels, where one can have his bidding
done by pushing button. The hote
life of today is very harmful. 1t make
people lazy. 1t removes domestic obi
cations.
"some day it will be all changed
Some day all people, rich and poor alike
will realize that the old-fashioned idea
were the best, after all"