Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-12-31
WhatSouth Carolina Owes to
Her Women.

Her Women.
S The prosperity of a state does not
consist in the fertility of its soil, the
richness of it's mines and forests, the
value of it's manufacturers, or the ex-
tent of its commerce. The wealth of a
state is in its men and women. Lands
and houses, mines and manufactur-
ers, have value only when interpreted
in terms of human welfare. Barren
sell is one thing and barren souls are
another and worse thing. Uncultiva-
ted fields produce no wealth; uncul-
ti5ated men and women only scratch
the thin surface of life for small ex-
isSence. We come therefore, to talk
to- you about the human problems.
We come with that problem limited,
fos we propose to discuss briefly
what South Carolina owes to her wo-
men. We confess that we come tim;d-
~, but at the same time we have the
consciousness Of your interest and
sympathy.
Woman's greatest influence is up
onEsocial conditions. In proportion as
her women are educated ard pro-
tected, the state prospers. 1t seems
toSus therefore, that it is vital mat
ter when South Carolina is face to
face with the question Of the meas
ure of the privileges and opportuni-
ties she shall extend to her women.
In many respects, the laws Of
South Carolina in their particular re-
lation to women hold an honorable
place among the laws of the other
states of the Union. Broad and no
bleswas the conception of the men Of
our state when they made provision
fortwoman's higher education by ad-
hitting them to the University of
South Carolina. South Carolina
women already have great number
of privileges that women in some
other states do not enjoy. A woman
may own real and personal property,
and sell or dispose of, it as she pleas
tes.SH she be married she may dispose
of her property without her hus-
bands consent. But these laws relat-
if4 Rou1 en- were enae many
years ago. They are excellent as far
as they go, but they do not go far
enough. Social conditions have been
completely revolutionized within the
memory of those now living. Among
the evidences of this revolution we
have but to recall that vast number
of women have been forced into the
business world. They did not seek the
turmoil of industry and most of them
would have evaded it if they could
have done, so, but the fact remains.
that every day increasing numbers
Of women must go into the world of
business competing with men for the
bread of life. The sorrowful truth is,
that they are competing under Who'll
ly unequal advantages. If a woman,
through necessity is thrown upon
the world, then every opportunity
should be given her by her state to
fight successfully the battle of life.
Deep in her heart the ambitious and
sincere woman says Il am faint with
hunger and 1 must have bread. I can
not be deferred from doing my best
to earn it by the fear that some man
may fail to remove his hat in my pres
ence or will sit in a street car while
I hang on to a strap. If / must l can
do without a seat in the street car,
but cannot do without bread" But
do we not wish the bread spre with
butter? And sometimes we also ike
little marmalade! A way in which
South Carolina should protect her
women is by the enactment of a min
imum wage law. Fundamentally, hu-
man beings are very much alike,
their fundamental needs do not vary
greatly in kind. There is a certain
minimum wage which, vary as it may
in different industries, should be fix
ed by law. Below that minimum
neither man nor woman can provide
for himself or herself the necessities
that keep life upon a higher plane
than just merely human. Standards
of living of course always vary. They
vary among. communities and among
individuals in the same community.
Teaching is the lowest paid profes-