The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-12-22

sociation of women is highly import
ant:
The Independent position of Amer
ican women in the home and society is
the wonder of Europe Scarcely an in
telligent foreigner, man or woman.
who comes to us, but expresses this
astonishment. The burdens which ma
ture puts upon women everywhere,
they bear in common with their sex,
but under circumstances of such free
dom, homage and chiyalrous respect
as obtain nowhere else in the world.
Their rights. privileges and immuni-
ties as faithful wives and mothers, al
though they may not attain to the per-
feet ideal, ar nevertheless beyond what
any other body of women enjoy.
The history of American legislation
proves that for fifty years or more men
have been busy, often quite of their
own unsolicited goodwill, in improv-
ing the legal status of women in mat
ters of property rights, Inheritance
rights and the custody of their chill
|dren. And these prerogatives extend
far beyond woman's immediate social
and domestic spaere. 1t is the testi-
mony of many excellent women work
ers in philanthropic enterprises, both
public and private, that when legal
laid is necessary in carrying out their
plans for the well being of the poor
and unfortunate, if they go to the legis-
latures as women, not as politicians
working in connection with any poll
tical party, they have no difficulty in
gaining their ends; while as members
of opposing parties their bills would
be held up session after session.
Thoughtful women who are engaged in
the highest enterprises of womanhood,
home making and soul building, the
work of social amelioration, and the
care of the poor and unfortunate, can
not see how they would be the gamers
| by possessing the ballot
On the other hand they do feel that
the burdens they are bearing, and Of
which nature has made it impossible
that men should relieve them, are
quite equal to those that men are bear
ing for them in the police regulation
of the outer world, statecraft. and the
material and intellectual uplift of the
race There is therefore a proper
Equality between the two as burden
bearers, and one which conduces to
that sympathetic union and co-operf,
ltion between them which nature mas
levidently intended. To place upon wo
linen, therefore, in addition to their al
ready honorable and onerous duties, q
share of the duties properly belonging
Ito men, they feel would not only be
unjust in itself but would lead to con
ditions of rivalry and pickering which
would lower the moral tone and the
sense of harmony of both parties
Science indisputably proves, and ex
lperience confirms the truth, that wher
1.-THE wholesome restrictions of nature
are observed, domestic relations art
the source of that altruism, which is
the handspring of all progress. The
revolution Of the race requires peace
and harmony in the home, and every
thing which tends towards competi
tion and independent and perhaps con
ltending motives, opposes Natures be
lnevolent and progressive designs
Neither men nor women are as We
perfect, but to thwart Natures eviden
Intention, in leading them along thei
lunited way, toward a higher plane, Ger
Itainly will not make them better
A temporary disarrangement of tn,
equal division of labor between th'
sexes has been caused by the absorp
ltion of much tnat was formerly con
sidered woman's household work int
great manufacturing and commercial
enterprises, thus drawing the womel
after their work into shops and fac
tories, and indeed into almost all tn
occupations which have been consider
ed as belonging to men and boys a
wage earners. 1t requires little oh
servation and study to see that thi
process has many evil results. 1t low
ers the wages of men and obliges then
10 forego or to postpone marriage
thus tempting them to immortality
and It draws off from household sery
ice the very class upon which house
holders have hitherto depended fo
help. The great dearth of household
service has become serious trial t
Families, and together with te rEisinl
of wages in the home to & gree. ar
proximately corresponding to the low
ering of mems wages-a very notice
able gain to women let US observ'
with which the ballot has nothing t