The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-15
FAMILY A REPUBLIC
By ADA PATTERSON

The domestic tyrant is passing. Would that we might truthfully say he had passed There are signs all along the horizon that family govern ment is being established in the home circles
 It is we'll that this is so, for the domestic tyrant is not only an unmiti- gated evil. He is a relic of barbarism. He belongs in the dust heap of an- cient mistakes with Dr. Looch and the belief that the world is stationary, and the Idea that a woman must put on the cap of old age at 30 and that we must die at threescore year and ten.
 The family motto has changed. Do as father tells you" has been turned to the wall and Come let us reason together has been substituted for it. It is in line with the march of en- lightenment of the age. It is intelli- gence applied to the problem of family welfare.
 The father, whose family trembles at sound of his footsteps. is like the buff falo, becoming extinct Don't ask questions. Do as I tell you" is a once familiar saying heard less often from the head of the house. Realizing that the pink and white faced, beardless, oldest son has eyes like his and a
  to grow stubble on his face he will develop a will like his male progeni- tor, father is beginning to show some respect for his son. He Is deigning to talk things over with him and when d family have formed the habit of talk ing things over quietly. reasonably and without undue warmth, the household millennium is near. We are upon an era of family peace and prosperity.
 There is better chance of talking daughter out of her attachment for an undesirable son of a neighbor if there be calm family council about the matter. It may be that little sisters objection that he is cross-eyed, or lit tie brothers that he "never plays ball with me except when sis is looking" will be the decisive argument.
 Whereas, locking her in her room will merely have the result of driving her out of the window on a surrepti- tious ladder, straight to an accommo- dating parsons. The word command" is fading from the family vocabulary as rapidly as the word "obey' is dis appearing from the marriage service.
 Tho intelligent mother gives more time to discussing family ethics with her children and less to fancy work with squares of linen and an embroid- cry needle. The net results are a greater profit to the family peace and progress. You mustn't go out to play this morning. Mary" 'Why not?" 'Be-' cause don't want you to. That's enough"
 That is an example of an after break fast dialogue under the former regifne. Tn tho new and better order it runs thus:
 ''It won't be best for you to go out this morning, Mary It Is damp ana the little girl next door has a sore throat. They are afraid of diphtheria. and though the house. isn't quarantined. 1t may be any moment As 1t Is, it would be unsafe for you even to pass the house." Please tell me why moth CT" Mother launches into a description of the disease. not contenting herself with the general statement that 1t is ''Jreadful'' and "dangerous,'' but ex- rlaining it's symptoms and treatment. anl telling of cases that were fatal and others that were cured aud how. By the end of the dialogue Mary is con- vinced instead of cowed. enlightened irs: cad of having been driven into the dark regions of hatred by tyranny. With tSe era of enlightened mother hood comes better childhood. Speci- mems of the spoiled child are still seen. but we are seeing they are becoming rarer.
 czarism is any form Is vanishing from the family. The father or mother is at best the president of the repub- lie. siding at the family councils by iie Qp 'ent of the goverened The do- late0 yrant dies hard but he is dy-