female suffrage-第6章

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occupations；　to　which　they　are　well　adapted；　by　the　selfishness　of
some　men。　And　in　many　departments　where　they　are　day…laborers　for
commercial　firms　they　are　inadequately　paid；　and　compelled　to
provide　food；　lodging；　fuel；　and　light　out　of　scanty　wages。　Yes；　we
have　here　one　of　the　few　real　grievances　of　which　American　women
have　a　just　right　to　complain。　But　even　hereeven　where　the　pocket
is　directly　touched；　we　still　believe　that　women　may　obtain　full
justice　in　the　end；　by　pursuing　the　right　course。　Only　let　the　reality
of　the　grievance　be　clearly　proved；　and　redress　will　follow；　ere　long。
Providence　has　the　power　of　bringing　good　out　of　evil；　and　therefore
we　believe　that　the　movement　now　going　on　will　here；　at　least；　show
some　lasting　results　for　good。　The　〃Song　of　the　Shirt〃　shall；　we　trust；
ere　long　become　an　obsolete　lay　in　our　country。　Our　women；　twenty
years　hence；　shall　be　better　paid　in　some　of　their　old　fields　of　labor；
and　new　openings；　appropriate　to　their　abilities；　mental　and
physical；　shall　also　be　made　for　them。　And　here　they　are　much　more
likely　to　succeed　without　the　suffrage　than　with　it。　It　is　not　by
general　law…making　that　they　can　better　themselves　in　these
particulars。　Individual　fitness　for　this　or　that　branch　of　work　is　what
is　required　for　success。　And　if；　by　thorough　preparation；　women　can
discharge　this　or　that　task；　not　essentially　masculine　in　its
requirements；　as　well　as　men；　they　may　rest　assured　that　in　the　end
their　wages　will　be　the　same　as　those　of　their　fathers　and　brothers
in　the　same　field　of　work。

And　how　is　it　with　our　homeshow　fares　it　with　American　women　in
the　family　circle？　To　all　right…minded　women　the　duties　connected
with　home　are　most　imperative；　most　precious；　most　blessed　of　all；
partaking　as　they　do　of　the　spirit　of　religious　duty。　To　women　this
class　of　duties　is　by　choice；　and　by　necessity；　much　more　absorbing
than　it　is　to　men。　It　is　the　especial　field　of　activity　to　which
Providence　has　called　them；　for　which　their　Maker　has　qualified　them
by　peculiar　adaptation　of　body　and　mind。　To　the　great　majority　of
American　women　these　duties　are　especially　absorbing；　owing　to　the
difficulty　of　procuring　paid　subordinates；　well　qualified　for　the　tasks
they　undertake。　The　task　of　positive　labor；　and　the　task　of　close
supervision；　are　both　particularly　burdensome　to　American　wives　and
mothers。　Thus　far；　or　at　least　until　very　recently；　those　duties　of　wife
and　mother　have　been　generally　performed　conscientiously。　The
heart　of　every　worthy　American　woman　is　in　her　home。　That　home；
with　its　manifold　interests；　is　especially　under　her　government。　The
good　order；　the　convenience；　the　comfort；　the　pleasantness；　the
whole　economy　of　the　house；　in　short；　depend　in　a　very　great
measure　on　her。　The　food　of　the　family　is　prepared　by　her；　either
directly　or　by　close　supervision。　The　clothing　of　the　family　passes
through　her　hands　or　under　her　eye。　The　health　of　the　family　is
included　within　the　same　tender；　watchful；　loving　oversight。　The
education　of　the　children　is　chiefly　directed　by　herin　many　families
almost　exclusively　so。　Whether　for　evil　or　for　good；　by　careless
neglect　or　by　patient；　thoughtful；　prayerful　guidance；　she　marks　out
their　future　course。　This　is　even　too　much　the　case。　American　fathers
love　their　children　fondly；　no　fathers　more　affectionate　than　they
are；　they　pet　their　children；　they　toil　ceaselessly　for　them；　but　their
education　they　leave　almost　entirely　to　the　mother。　It　may　be　said；
with　perfect　truth；　that　in　the　great　majority　of　American　families　the
educational　influences　come　chiefly　from　the　mother；　they　are　tacitly
made　over　to　her　as　a　matter　of　course。　The　father　has　too　often
very　little　to　do　with　them。　His　work　lies　abroad；　in　the　world　of
business　or　politics；　where　all　his　time　and　attention　are　fully
absorbed。　In　this　way　the　American　mother　rules　the　very　heart　of
her　family。　If　at　all　worthy　she　has　great　influence　with　her　husband；
she　has　great　influence　over　her　daughters；　and　as　regards　her　sons；
there　are　too　many　cases　in　which　hers　is　the　only　influence　for　good
to　which　they　yield。　Is　there　so　little　of　true　elevation　and　dignity　in
this　position　that　American　women　should　be　in　such　hot　haste　to
abandon　it　for　a　position　as　yet　wholly　untried；　entirely　theoretical
and　visionary？

It　will　be　said　that　all　women　are　not　married；　that　all　wives　are　not
mothers；　that　there　are　childless　widows　and　many　single　women　in
the　country。　Quite　true；　but　in　a　rapid　sketch　one　looks　at　the　chief
features　only；　and　home　life；　with　its　varied　duties；　is；　of　course；　the
principal　point　in　every　Christian　country。　The　picture　is　essentially
correct；　without　touching　on　lesser　details。　We　pause　here　to
observe　also　that　almost　every　single　woman　has　a　home
somewhere。　She　makes　a　home　for　herself；　or　she　is　ingrafted　on　the
home　of　others；　and　wherever　she　may　beeven　in　that　wretched
kind　of　existence；　boarding…house　lifeshe　may；　if　she　choose；　carry
something　of　the　home　spirit　with　her。　In　fact；　every　true　woman
instinctively　does　so；　whatever　be　the　roof　that　covers　her　head。　She
thinks　for　others；　she　plans　for　others；　she　serves　others；　she　loves
and　cherishes　others；　she　unconsciously　throws　something　of　the
web　of　home　feeling　and　home　action　over　those　near　her；　and　over
the　dwelling　she　inhabits。　She　carries　the　spirit　of　home　and　its
duties　into　the　niche　allotted　to　hera　niche　with　which　she　is
generally　far　more　contented　than　the　world　at　large　believesa
niche　which　is　never　so　narrow　but　that　it　provides　abundant　material
for　varied　workoften　very　pleasant　work　too。　Let　it　be　understood；
once　for　all；　that　the　champions　of　widows　and　single　women　are
very　much　given　to　talking　and　writing　absurdly　on　this　point。　Their
premises　are　often　wholly　false。　They　often　fancy　discontent　and
disappointment　and　inaction　where　those　elements　have　no
existence。　Certainly　it　is　not　in　the　least　worth　while　to　risk　a
tremendous　social　revolution　in　behalf　of　this　minority　of　the　sex。
Every　widow　and　single　woman　can；　if　she　choose；　already　find
abundance　of　the　most　noble　occupation　for　heart；　mind；　body；　and
soul。　Carry　the　vote　into　her　niche；　she　certainly　will　be　none　the
happier　or　more　truly　respectable　for　that　bit　of　paper。　It　is　also　an
error　to　suppose　that　among　the　claimants　for　suffrage　single　women
are　the　most　numerous　or　the　most　clamorous。　The　great　majority　of
the　leaders　in　this　movement　appear　to　be　married　women。

A　word　more　on　the　subject　of　home　life；　as　one　in　which　the
interests　of　the　whole　sex　are　most　closely　involved。　It　is　clear　that
those　interests　are　manifold；　highly　important　to　the　welfare　of　the
race；　unceasing　in　their　recurrence；　urgent　and　imperative　in　their
nature；　requiring　for　their　successful　development　such　devotion　of
time；　labor；　strength；　thought；　feeling；　that　they　must　necessarily
leave　but　little　leisure　to　the　person　who　faithfully　discharges　them。
The　comfort；　health；　peace；　temper；　recreation；　general　welfare；
intellectual；　moral；　and　religious　training　of　a　family　make　up；
indeed；　a　charge　of　the　very　highest　dignity；　and　one　which　must　tax
to　the　utmost　every　faculty　of　the　individual　to　whom　it　is　intrusted。
The　commander　of　a　regiment　at　the　head　of　his　men；　the　member　of
Congress　in　his　seat；　the　judge　on　his　bench；　scarcely　holds　a
position　so　important；　so　truly　honorable；　as　that　of　the　intelligent；
devoted；　faithful　American　wife　and　mother；　wisely　governing　her
household。　And　what　are　the　interests　of　the　merchant；　the
manufacturer；　the　banker；　the　broker；　the　speculator；　the　selfish
politician；　when　compared　with　those　confided　to　the　Christian　wife
and　mother？　They　are　too　often　simply　contemptiblea　wretched；
feverish；　maddening　struggle　to　pile　up　lucre；　which　is　any　thing　but
clean。　Where　is　the　superior　merit　of　such　a　life；　that　we　should
hanker　after　it；　when　placed　beside　that　of　the　loving；　unselfish；
Christian　wife　and　motherthe　wife；　standing　at　her　husband's　side；
to　cheer；　to　aid；　to　strengthen；　to　console；　to　counsel；　amidst　the
trials　of　life；　the　mother；　patiently；　painfully；　and　prayerfully
cultivating　every　higher　faculty　of　her　children　for　worthy　action
through　time　and　eternity？　Which　of　these　positions　has　the　most　of
true　elevation　connected　with　it？

And　then；　again；　let　as　look　at　the　present　position　of　American
women　in　society。　In　its　best　aspects　social　life　may　be　said　to　be
the　natural　outgrowth　of　the　Christian　home。　It　is　something　far
better　than　the　world；　than　Vanity　Fair；　than　the　Court　of　Mammon；
where　all　selfish　passions　meet　and　parade　in　deceptive
masquerade。　It　is　the　selfish　element　in　human　nature　which
pervades　what　we　call　the　world；　self…indulgence；　enjoyment；　the
lust　of　the　flesh；　the　lust　of　the　eye；　the　pride　of　life；　receive；　in　that
arena；　their　full　development。　Society；　on　the　contrary；　in　its　highest
meaning；　becomes　the　practical　development　of　the　second　great
commandment；　loving　and　serving　our　neighbor。　In　every　Christian
country　there　are　many　individuals；　especially　among　women；　to
whom　social　life　practically　bears　that　meaning。　Public　worship　itself
is　a　social　act；　the　highest　of　all；　blending　in　one　the　spirit　of　the
two　great　commandmentsthe　love　of　God　and　the　love　of　man。　And
whatever　of　social　action　or　social　enjoyment　is　not　inconsistent　with
those　two　great　commandments　becomes　the　Christian's　heritage；
makes　a　part；　more　or　less　important；　of　his　education；　enters　into
the　great　stream　of　the　better　civilization。　And　it　is　here　that　we
reach　what　may　be　called　the　more　public　duties　of　woman。　From　all
duties　entirely　public　she　is　now；　or　she　may　be　if　she　choose；
relieved　by　man。　These　more　public　duties　of　hers　are　still　but　the
outgrowth　of　her　home　life；　and　more　or　less　closely　interwoven　with
it。　They　are　very　important；　never　to　be　neglected　with　impunity。　The
really　unsocial　woman　is　in　great　danger　of　becoming　also　un…
christian。　Every　friend　crossing　the　threshold　brings　social　life　into
the　home。　The　genial　smile；　the　kindly　greeting；　the　cheering　word；
all　these　and　a　thousand　other　gracious　impulses；　are；　of　course；　but
the　first　instinctive　movements　of　the　social　feeling。　And　from　these
we　move　onward　over　a　vast　field　of　action；　to　the　very　farthest
point　reached　by　the　higher　charities　of　Christianity。　There　can　be　no
doubt　that　the　charm；　the　grace；　and　the　happy　cheerfulness　of
society　are　chiefly　due　to　women；　and　it　is　also　true　that　the　whole
unwritten　common…law　of　society　is；　in　a　great　measure；　under　their
control。　The　world　is　constantly　encroaching　here；　enervating　and
corrupting　social　life。　To　oppose　wisely；　skillfully；　and　effectually
these　treacherous　encroachments；　these　alluring　temptations；　is　one
of　the　most　difficult　tasks　possible。　To　contribute　her　full　share
toward　purifying　and　brightening　the　social　atmosphere　about　her；　in
accordance　with　the　spirit　of　true　Christian　civilization；　such　is　one
great　and　essential　part　of　woman's　work　in　life。　It　is　a　work　more
especially　her　own。　Man；　without　his　helpmeet；　can　do　but　little　here。