The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-01
FEMINIST IDEA
SPRUNG in 1860
Miss Anthony Talked Of Eco
nomic independence" Want
ed by Sufragists.
EDITORS FOUGHT THEM
Miss Hall Quotes Some Newspapers of
Earlier Days and Argues Against
Giving Vote.
By MISS FLORENCE r. HALL.

| After the band OF 100 men and women
had succeeded in getting up the first
| declaration of sentiments for women s
rights in ISIS they We're much surprised
To find that their list of grievances met
almost universal ridicule
Even at that dav women could not be
| persuaded that they were suffering
very much. One of the most interesting
editorials on it appeared in the
Mechanics Advocate. OF Albany. some Of
| which is worthy of reproduction:
we are sorry to see that the women
IN several parts of this State are holding
what they call 'womens rights conven-
lions and setting forth a formidable list
or those rights in parody upon The
Declaration of American Independence.
Now. 1t requires no argument to prove
that this is all wrong Every true
hearted woman will feel that il is I'M
womanly. Society would have to be rau-
iCally remOdeled in order to accommodate
itself to so great a change in the most
vital part of the compact of the social
relations of life. and the order of things
established at the creation of mankind
and continued 5000 years would be COM
pletely broken up. This change is i'm
practicable. uncalled for and unneCes-
sary. II effected it would set the world
ny the ears. make confusion worse con-
founded. demoralize and degrade from
their high sphere and noble destiny
women of all respecta bic and useful
classes and prove a monstrous INJURY
to all mankind. 1t would he productive
OF no positive good that would not b.
outweished tenfold by positive evil 1t
would alter the condition of women with
out lettering their condition. Besides all
and above all. it presents no remedy for
the real evils that millions of the indus
trious, Woodworking and much suffering
women of our country groan under and
seek to redress"
Does This Apply Now:
or course. this editorial is sixty
five years old. but are its truths not
up 10 date? 1t mentions the degra
dation of women that would come
and if any one believes It was mere
academic prophecy let him consider
another editorial OF last week. hel1ei
"A Degradation and Disgrace to
Woman Suffra ge" in a suffrage news
paper III regard to the appear ace
of suffrage speakers at a recent prize
fight. 1t says: Women ought not
20 into the sewers TO talk suffrage
or go into disorderly resorts-least of
all appear in a prize-fght gathering"
The old labor editorial mentions the
uselessness of woman suffrage and
the tact that it presented no remedy
for re"; evils. Has history rot borne
out that statement? Where has
woman suffrage during lis forty-ive
years in Wyoming. twenty-three years
in Colorado and nineteen years an Utah
and Idaho remedied any real evils. or
brought one original good measure
for the benefit OF women and chill
dren?
Rather. all the measures of pro-
lection to women have ben attained
in spite of feministic teachings-and
feminism is new only In name.
In 1860. Susan r. Anthony appeared
before the New York legislature to
demand equal right" Did she ask
for better laws for women? No. she
wanted their privileges wiped out al
together. as the following sentences
from her speech. reported in the Of
fetal History of Woman Suffrage.
show: ANY legislation that will do
for men. We will abide by most
cheerfuIly. Undo what man has done
for us and strike out all special
lie gislation for us. We do not tax
man to take care of us. No. the great
Father has endowed all his creatures
with the necessary powers of self
defense and protection.
These women who are called mascu-
line. who are brave, courageous, self
reliant. and independent.
This is our type OF womanhood. Will
you help us rise it up" she asked, after
drawing a graphic picture of the supe-
riority of the Amazon type of woman.
Has Feminist Idea.
The legislature would not. whereupon
another "womans rights" convention
was held to protest some more against
laws. But does not Susan
F. Anthony's speech show that the
idea of economic independence now
talked of so much by feminists was
hers. According to her views. nature
had made women able to take care of
themselves without mems help-just
as Charlotte Perkins-Stetson-Gi Gilman,
he present leader of feminism, be-
ieves that it lis a poor sort of wom-
an that cannot take care OF herself and
lne child" If she could, there would |
still he two children too few-as the !
average woman must hear three chill !
iren if the race is to contlnue-put
ma thematics never worries feminists.
At the convention of 1860. the COM
plants were mostly about the alleged |
wrongs" of married women. Elizabeth |
lady stanton. one Of the leaders, wrote |
It that time that outside Of marriage, |
here was nothing for women to want
except the elective franchise. Conse-
Iuently, another 'protracted search
was made to find more grievances
They found that divorce was more
iberar' in the Western States. and.
therefore,. made that the basis of COM
,laint. 1t all disguised Horace Greedy
% that in an editorial in the New
fork Tribune of May IA. 1860. he said:
Having introduced easy divorce as
me of the reforms which the new order
# things seems to demand We re-
suggest that hereafter these
MEETINGS shall be called not in the name
# woman. hut in the names of wives
Iiscontented."
Plenty of Money on Hand.
But even at that time there was plenty
: sympathy-and money-for the women
rho thought they were suffering. At
he 1860 convention. Susan B. Anthony
tated that they had received "a 5000
from an unknown friend.
ad inherited a large sum from
,oston merchant. and had gotten 100000
rom the founder of Vassar.
Also, the present promise Of Mrs. Bel
,ont, the suffrage leader, OF as high as
100 a month to suffrage workers after a
hree years course in suffering" seems
retty cheap when We learn by the his
,ry of their movement that Henry Ward
,eecher a man, got his $50 a speech
, advance from the suffragists of that
eriod,
And so. the agitation has been kept
p, In 1855. when the Fifteenth Amend
tent was passed. the suffrasists thought
ney could vote under 1t and organized
heir National Suffrage Association In
SO in order to take out the word male"
-hich was then inserted into the Federal
They have importuned ev-
~ session OF Congress since that time
Or this amendment, which was frs;
sked by Susan B. Anthony. but it has {