Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-14
WOMAN IS NOW
EQUAL OF MAN
IN ALL WAYS
Rev. William n. Gardner Says
People Fear to Take
Stand.
by REV. WILLIAM II. GARDNER,
of Hnmmonton.

BY REV. WILLIAM II. GARDNER,
| of HnmmOntOn.
Woman is evidently the most in
| teresting subject on which to write.
A compilation of the most represent
i've books on this subject shows that
the greater part of the authors are
men who have with much learning
considered every activity and rela-
| tionship of women: her place in ma
ture and in history. Her duties have
been prescribed infinitely and her linn
itations established. Notwithstanding
all this learning and labored prod
ucts of the masculine brain the es-
sential fact of the interesting sub
| ject has been left untouched because
considered from a partial and one
sided point of view. The subject has
therefore been mistreated and misun-
| derStood. Such authors have been
most concerned about their own kind.
1t has become high time that women
should decide for themselves their
place In the service of the common
welfare and write themselves into
| history and into government. Vast
areas of fact regarding the qualities
of being, the possibilities for larger
and more complete human life, at
tainable through the equal participa-
ton of the womanhood of the land in
life's affairs, has only just begun to
be touched by careful observers and
thinkers.
1t is curious how easily some peo-
pie are scared. In the absence of
anything terrifying they make for
themselves some bugaboo and then
scare themselves by It, All sorts of
dreadful things are due to happen,
If women were to vote, or to attain
to equality with men, or become a
self-governed citizen. There are those
who see the home destroyed, children
neglected and things generally going
to the dogs. On a recent occasion
a notable woman, Madame Curie,
sat on the platform OF the British
Association for the Advancement of
Science and had a part with the
men scientists of the day, her genius
recognized and herself a peer of any
of them. Yet on that same platform
in 1909 Professor II. e. Armstrong
was reported as saying In an address
that the success of women's struggle
for equality with men would compass
the destruction of the race.
Revolt of Woman.
The most disquieting feature of
the tines he said, lis the revolt OF
women against their womenhood and
/ their claim to be on an equality with
men and to compete with men in
| every way.
There should be no question of
equality raised. When comparison is
made between complementary factors
the question of equality does not and
can not come into consideration. 1t
! IS clear that should the struggle arise
and it is to be feared that 1t is
coming upon us-there can be but one
issue, women must fail, and in failing
/ must m 1,a,- n ~
How dreadful all this is. Here is
an illustration of the old adage about
borrowing trouble. II women must
fall In making good their claim to
equality, this professors alarm and
fear are amusing. People generally
know who Madame Curie is, but do
they know who Professor Arm
| strong Is?
Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst is A
woman desperately in earnest-as are
thousands OF other women, because
they are housekeeping mothers
and because they believe in the
preservation of the home. and of
womanhood and of childhood. JntelIi-
| gent women are seeing the danger
1 that threatens the economic stress of
the time is bearing hard on woman
! hood and childhood. Men do not all
see II and feel 1t as do women, 1ust
|
immersed In business and immature
politics can not see 1t. There are
socially disintegrating forces working
| to destroy the home and debase
womanhood under male suffrage alone
that are recognized by intelligent
women who would save society from
+ the downward course. but are help
less without economic independence
and political action.
Thaan l. in
in law with idiots, criminals, paupers
and children, and put under tutelaee
as inferior beings. Such laws appear
to express the sum total of the male
conception Of women's place In his
tory and social relationship. Until
the male conception enlarges suf-
f1ciently to emancipate women from
| this classification and to give them a
position which gives to them the same
guarantees as to men, the right to
| life, liberty and pursuit of happiness
there can be little more social
progress The point has been reached
when democracy with all that 1t car
ries Of equality and fraternity must
broaden or society will collapse.
Woman's suffrage is an important
phase Of the broadening, liberating
movement of democracy. Woman has
the same right as man to life and the
these. Woman Is asking for no less
and no more. It is first of all a hui
man right. 1t is right of self gov
eminent and the control Of her self
The right to make the most of her
qualities of being Here then is the
question: Shall women govern
them? Shall women join with men
in the administration and legislation
of their common affairs, or they for
ever to be held in a state, of tutel-
age?"
Victims Of Brute Force.
Women have through the ages been
made the victims of the brute force
of primitive man.. This kind of force
may not today be so dominant or
at least is not openly displayed.
Yet 1t has survived In the more re-
fined forms of law and custom. Many
a man holds over his wife the claim
that by law he Is her master. In
spirit this is heritage from old
Roman law, from which English juris-
prudence has come, which gave the
husband and father the power of life
or death over the wife and children.
For lack of economic independence,
political action and the right of self
government many women collectively
and as wives and mothers suffer inn
positions and distress which they
choose to bear silently, because they
practically have no way of escape
in the present stage of social prog
ress.
Intelligent and far-seeing women
with convictions concerning the
greater freedom of privilege. and
right In the future, are providing a
leadership for a time when men
and women together ahalI ma rtjcfna re- |