Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-09
SQhe =Bee:s- Home Ma8azine:*Pa8e
Man-Made
World
BY REV. MABEL NJ. IRWIN.

Man is woman's executor, not her ex-
ecutioner. as some would have US believe
at least, he was never intended by ma
ture to be.
When all is said and done for and
against woman's suffrage; when women
all women-have the ballot, as they ul-
timately will; when there are no more
thou shalt nots'' to hinder her progress
toward things political, as none now in
things educational; when there are no
more antis, male or female, to limit for
her sphere OF action, then she will grad
ually realize that man, in the scheme of
things, Is made to execute the will Of the
woman, and this, too. in matters polit-
ical as well as in matters sentimental.
In the realm Of sentiment man has al
ways found his greatest freedom and de-
light In the doing OF the will OF the
woman he loved, of serving his lady.
And were she not ignorant in matters Of
government did she know what she
wanted done, and would make known
her political convictions. he would hasten,
i'm this as in other ways, either as pri-
waite individual or public official. to exc
cute her will
AouI EA1AND II 10 OhAg W ~-ehN ~
simply by observing. that one really un-
derstands or knows a thing. it is neces-
sary that woman not only have access to
the ballot, but that she use It.
IN the doing OF this she will naturally
scquaint herself with civics and govern
ment in general. She will thus become
fit adviser and counsellor with the men
of her acquaintance in family life. 1t
is in this realm that she will ultimately
exercise her greatest political power.
Though privileged to cast her ballot for
any man or measure that appeals to her
as making for the good Of the community,
though privileged at times to serve in
public office, yet far and away above
the direct influence Of her own voice
through the ballot box, or as public SER
want, will be the voice of woman in
counsel within her own home.
Woman, above ALL, is the maker Of
public sentiment;s and. as we well know,
it Is public sentiment that makes all laws
of any avail, even though written large
on the statute books Of a state.
When the sons of family know that
the mother is quite az well acquaiAted-
has taken pains to inform hsrselfsof mat
tiers OF oivics-as the father, her advice
and influence upon the eve of San election
win be received with far more attention
and respect than heretofore. TITS only
mother who thinks sor will find no place
in the young mans mind.
II may be argued that since it IL moral
integrity that is needed in government
rather than more definite knowledge.
mothers-and women in general-can
mould the acts of men to moral issues,
while they themselves have no political
privileges or knowledge. But 1t is easy
to sec that 30 long as women's intuitions
and emotions are moderated by men,
and women regarded as an intellectual
interior, man viii fancy himself the ar
bitter Of the worlds destiny, and that
everything outside his little home do
main will be considered by him, and the
woman as well, as his kingdom alone.
II is not true that this is simply "a
man-made world"-indeed, 1t could not
be- Even though man has made the
laws. It is woman who ever and always
makes--or unmakes-the man at her will.
either as sister, sweetheart, wife, or
most Of alias mother.
Woman has played her part-and a
large party-in the making OF the world,
such as It is, and 1t Is futile for her to
say that she has had htassor no part in
it.
With the nations at war, and the men
of the nations perishing on battlefields,
or eager to again be at their brothers
throats. having lost all sense of brother
hood, woman must remember that once
some mother Graded each of these sons
on her breast, and that the mother, far
more than any other, has the making
and moulding of the character OF her
child.
All the Inheritance Of i'll does not come
by the way of the father, nor all OF the
good from the mother. Like mother
like son." may be as true OF common
men as of genius.
1t is but fitting. then, that woman
should admit her share of Ill., as well as
of good, in a world that is in the making
sharing with the man the shame as vel
as the glory Of things already attained.
BY virtue Of her motherhood the
woman has always been-and must evel
be--a more potential agent in world.
making than man. In her growing recog
milton OF this fact lies the hope of thu
future. IT is the seed of the woman tina