Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1913-04-11
THE BRAVERY OF WOMEN

The daily press frequently refers to
the exploits of the militant suffragettes,
and SOM of their exploits have not met
with unqualified approval. One thing
oil must admit. and that is, that some
of these women have shown great
courage. 1t takes pluck to refuse Your
food, and to stand on the streets crying
Votes for Women" must change
our usual opinion as to the bravery of
women
We have heard 1t whispered that
some few women shrek at the signt of
a mouse. and almost faint if a spider
crawls over ones neck. 1t is said that
some of them explore wardrobes. and
look under the bed before retiring.
These unseeming, fears are passing,
and most of it was due to a system of
bad education. Man himself is none
too brave, and prefers peace TO q battle
field whether at home or in the field.
There are of ours" two kinds of cCrr-
age-physical and moral. The woman
usually possesses moral courage
to a much higher degree than a man.
The average life o! the wife of the
poor or middle class man is usually one
long act of moral courage. Without it
the true wife would fail. Fol loyalty,
unselishness, cheerfulness and Difficult.
ties, the woman is generally superior t
the man. Most honest men admit THAI.
Few will admit, however. that wo.
men are As physically brave as the
average men. Read the story of their
heroisms on history's Iages. They sci
dom faltered in the hour of trial. Be
hind them are the traditions of the
past. True, this was not the case q
thousand years ago. when woman was a
slave, and sold at the mart. Don't you
recall the British queen BOadiCea? She
of her soldiers and encouraged them to
fight the Roman invaders. She fought
for her country and its people.
Have we become so interested in
baseball scores that we have forgotten
that peasant girl of France, Joan of
ArcT She lacked learning and fashion,
but she led II lost hope and breathed
victory into her defeated countrymcn.
Even when betrayed by treacherous
friends, and tortured by triumphant
enemies, she never faltered, but died a
heroine.
The history OF religion tells the same
story rs the history of war. We all
know women who laid down their lives
for others. Perhaps it was TO suck a
poisoned wound; or to receive the as
sassin's dagger; or to nurse the wound.
ell in battle; or to watch 10y the couch
of pestilence or death-they have acted
without parallel on the part of men.
Woman's love is stronger thar her
fears. What she does by impulse. man
tries to do by calculation.
SHAKESPEARE has no heroes in his PLAYS,
only heroines. The catastrophe Is
caused by the folly Of n man: the re-.
demption by n woman In all Shake
spores PLAYS we find just one weak
woman-Ophelia. This is also true of
all dramatists, whether of Greece, or
Italy, France OF England. The testi.
mony of the centuries is all in favor of
those whom we, in our vanity. have
misnamed the weaker sex. | am not
seeking to play the traitor, and to under.
value my W sex. ! wish simply TO
call attention to n neglected fact--the
bravery Of women. Men n learn from
this editorial that IL would add TO their
dignity IL they were morally stronger.
and woman could have her glory I'm.
creased, II in many cases her physical
strength were improved.