The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-02
JUDGES DECIDE NEGATIVE
Four Phases of Question Presented,
Suffrage, Domestic Science, Edu-
cation and Domestic Hygiene
Both Sides Given.

The subject for discussion at the
Saturday club meeting at the home
of Mrs. Nellie Cressner, was "Re-
solved That Modern Conditions
Have Improved Women" The gen.
eral subject had been divided under
four heads-Suffrage, Domestic
Science, Education and. Domestic
Hygiene. Eight ladies had been
appointed for the discussion, four
taking the affirmative and four the
negative.
Mrs. Winnie Humrichouser had
been asked to take the affirmative OF
the Suffrage division, and she ans
swered the question, "Have modern
conditions improved women?" by
saying Yes, emphatically, yes, yet
had I been asked my preference as
to this subject 1 would have said
"Modern conditions are improving
women" AS a separate sex, wo-
men through the ages have had
little chance for improvement. Re-
sponsibilities they have always had
but the rewards have always beer
absorbed by the head of the corpora
ton that bears the name. Every
woman is the daughter of Almighty
God, as every man is his son. Fo1
each the path of destiny and duty
is the same Neither mems right:
nor women s rights should be con
sidered. but human rights-th,
rights of all. Men and women rise
and fall together morally and In
tellectually. History shows tia
no nation can enslave its women
but the next generation breeds 4
host of inferior men whose neigh
bors soon realize their inferiority
and profit by it. Women do mo-
seek to shirk responsibility. but
seek to know how best to meet tn,
forces of evil that are constant,
making our responsibilities greater
and our rewards less.
Mrs. Humrichouser gave com
parsons of the women in countrie.
| where they are given the right o.
suffrage with where this is denied
them, and told of how the defea
met in the late primaries in Chica
60 was really victory. as shown.
the large gains made in this direc
ton. She told of the way suffrag
was given the women of othe
lands, and of many states now hav
ing it-showing that Parliament
and legislatures have given tn
rights. not by submitting the ques
ton to popular vote. She showe'
that in the states where women vote
the laws governing the hours o
labor for women and children, tn
best appropriations for education
and methods that benefit humanity
are better and more liberal than i
states that have denied this right
She declares that responsible
broadens and deepens that char
acter. Mrs. Humrichouser cor
cludes that when we find Clar
Barton, Jane Adams, Rev. Ann
Howard Shaw, Mrs. Ella Stewart
Mrs. Watson, and innumerable othe
noble and unselfsh women workin
for their sex, regardless OF al
social distinctions and inconveni
ences to themselves. we cannot he,
but conclude that modern condi
lions certainly have improved VIC
men, to have brought forth such
type IN such colossal number.
Miss Alice Klinger had The mega
tive side of this part of the subject
She said, The woman s power
for rule, not battle-and her intel
lect is not for invention or creation
but for sweet ordering, arrange
ment and decision. She compare
the days of our grandmothers wit
} the life of the modern women, whe
: divorce was rare, and considered
: disgrace, when good housekeepin
was a virtue. Dress was not al
: lowed to fill the mothers though
from one society event to another
Home was where mother was. Sh
J declared that ambition for publ
place robs women of the gentle
graces. While neglect Of house
, keeping is objectionable, neglect @
children is worse. The America
, girl in the home is conspicuous b
her absence, and the life of tn
German girl was compared wit
i that of our girls and declared to b
: the ideal. Our households are ma
chine-made from the clothes W
wear to the food we eat. In he
paper Miss Klinger emphasized tn