Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-03-24

reforms, improvements and philan-
tropics from the earliest beginnings
of history till the present time we
should easily discover that won en-
have acted an important and vital
part in the progress and accomplish
ment of all of them, and often times
not aided alone, but instituted the
reforms and improvements.
We know that the colonial danes
refrained from drinking tea that
they might thus help a little In Sc
curing the tea without the unjust
tax.
Years later, when the rebellion
was raging, both federal and confed-
crate women were untiring in every
line of work which the conflict open
ed to them, in their labors for the
cause defended by their brothers.
| believe | am perfectly safe In the
statement that the brunt of the bur
den in the temperance movements
has been carried by women and a
great part of the time under great
discouragements. And when equal
suffrage is considered, we need no
prompting to remind us that that has
been women's work from it's initia-
ton. with its final success, how
ever, where it has attained sue
cess, accomplished by mems votes. J
| could continue in this way in
definitely, for there are the child
labor" Juvenile courts" humane
societies., f'homes for working
girls" shorter hours for working
women and girls and almost num-
berless other reforms, all of which
have been carried to their present de-
gree of usefulness in the purpose for
which they were instituted, by the
Jealous and unselfish labors of the
women of our land.
The work OF municipal cleanliness
and beauty has also attracted part Of
this labor and great success has been
achieved here also. A few weeks
ago Miss Robinson read a paper be-
fore a meeting OF the p. E. o. chap
ter on What Women Have Done for
Municipal Improvement. From this
paper and data which Miss r. had
collected for its preparation we
learned of work that women have
done in other cities and towns OF our
land, which is nothing less than mar
velous. This work included every
thing from the cleaning of alleyways,
abolition of unsightly bill boards and
securing misrepresentation ordinan-
ces in small villages and towns, to
the erection of better tenement
houses, public play grounds for chill
dren and maintenance of beautiful
parks in the large cities. But
must not reproduce Miss RS paper
here for that is not my purpose.
1t is surely reasonable to suppose
that if women in other places can
do things" for the beauty of their
towns and cities, Pullmen women can
do things for Pullman, and Pullmen
women are going to do things.
Please do not infer for one mo-
ment that | intend to convey the
idea that the women of Pullmen are
in any way negligent of the needs of
our town or Indifferent to any call
made upon us, for 1t Is very true that
we are in a large measure respon-
sible for the splendid civic morals,
superior in many respects to like
conditions of our neighboring towns.
You might asy why should we
take up this work when we have so
many other interests" We enjoy
our study clubs, our church relations
and our social afternoons occasion
ally. Why take upon ourselves any
other responsibilities to detract from
our homes and other prescribed du-
ties? Well. you know. to shrink
from or desert a duty is not a trait
of American womanhood. and Pull
mans women are thoroughly Ameri-
can and we consider it our duty to,
at least. assist in this work, the time
for which Is now upon the citizens of
our town.
1t is our duty for sereval reasons:
First, because it Is necessary: IL any
one wishes proof of this statement
just take a stroll in any part of Pull
man you may choose and you will
not walk many blocks until your
natural taste for the clean, the sweet
and the beautiful will be irritated II
not wounded by some Of the eye
sores that you are sure to meet. And,
as these eyesores are here in our
midst, it is necessary that they be
healed. 1t is woman's sphere to
help. BE thou helpmeet" may
take on other interpretations than
that of one woman assisting one man,
her husband, in his personal or pub