Some More About “Women."

Fair Play, Volume I, Issue 25, 1 September 1894, Page 5

Some More About “ Women."

[By Fabian Black.]

, Old Fogey dom and Mrs. Grundy are dreadfully exercised at the evident loosening of those conventional stiff-starched ideas respecting women, which are regarded as “ strictly proper.” ; Their-alarms are groundless. It is as ridiculous to expect the whole of mankind to deteriorate through gaining greater liberties and more favourable opportunities, as it is to anticipate evil from the emancipation of a sex. It - would be idle and useless to attempt to foretell what position woman will occupy and what she will do in that social state where true freedom is possible. But that she will be' true, noble, and sweet, and develope new; and. higher qualities without losing those we now prize her for, need not be doubted. How far that time is off is difficult to say. It depends on ourselves and —her. ■■■• -

There can be no doubt that the first effects of Woman’s advent in to'political life will be—in fact,-has been already—the means of [promoting legislative restriction of those male vices which militate against the happiness and welfare of the Home. There are millions of women whose World is described by the mention of that name; ; and ..to whom the difference between prosperity and poverty, comfort and misery—almost between Heaven and Hell—seems to depend entirely on the question— Drink. It is useless to talk to them about Trade Unionism, Socialism, or any scheme, or means, by which the wages of the workers ihay be raised or their position bettered. They instinctively feel that any additional increase would only be spent on beer and dissipation. Whether their husbands earned one pound per week or three, it has hitherto made but little differ- - ence to the home. They remember the time when he still preserved a character which afforded some foundation for the exaggerated ideal they fondly believed in'; and when affection, hope, humble aspirations midst cheerful b.ut homely surroundings, painted, life with a roseate hue. Where the decadence and. destruction of such hopes and happiness have been due to the influence of intemperance—as it has.been in numberless cases —the victims are filled with an implacable hatred of-the vice and the trade. All other questions and subjects seem trivial and unimportant in comparison with the stamping out of the main cause of their affliction.

What length woman will go to in fighting the liquor traffic is a question to be answered in the future; l am inclined to think that her • pluck, aggressiveness, and determination in this struggle might be prophetically pourtrayed by analogy from an incident given by Bret Harte in one of his sketches“ Of a drunken infuriated man, beating.with.blind and insensate rage at a cottage door. Inside—a pale, determined woman, with suppressed energy and steady resolve,., heating the poker.''This may be an overdrawn metaphorical illustration, but' I am certain that woman is going to bring about some most unlookedfor changes. Her political freedom. will enable her to reform society in her collective capacity by forcing the legislative abolition or amendment of measures which inflict disabilities! and injustices; but her.“economic freedom.” (that is, When every woman is able; at will, and at. anyr time, to earn her own independent of husband, father,-or brother) is the power which will regenerate and; purify society. Just imagine what it means; The men- of; to-day can hardly r realize;;iti Its full signification is.that womanwill demand-/rno not detiiand— insist on-having/ full control of her own person. It means that every\wife will

be as-pecuniarily independent of her husband as the titled lady who has satisfactory settlements.. 'She will bo more so. Long before this both the marriage laws and the modern conventional ethical notions about marriage will have altered. In divoroo there will not be ono. law for the man and another for the woman. Marital claims and privileges;Will then be subject to consent not submission. The woman will have the power of veto, and will exercise it. IlUreatmont, brutality, infidelity, or drunkenness in the husband will result in Ihe pronouncement of a decided ultimatum that “ he shan’t board with her,” and result-in separation, temporary or permanent/ ’.The -moral effects which will bo produced on society can hardly be imagined. They will be moro beneficial than all the religious; teaching ' and repressive 44 Social Parity” tinkering the world has isen. My male friends, you’ro staggered; you"don’t belidve iti Well just look beneath the surface, or beyond thd’ltatfth 6f ; your own nose, aud you’ll sec certain indications of thecoming - change. The time when drunken brutality, verging l on to delirium tremens,, can ill-treat children, smash crockery; defile ~ the sanctity of homo, asperse wifely honour and fidelity With’ oaths and language fouler than the charnel-house breati/whioh gives them utterance, or commits crimes which, but for the protection of u legality" and “ priestly mumblings,” would bo answered for at the gallows or at the triangles, is soon to be relegated to the barbarous post. So likewise will the equally brutal and infilelity, the callous indifference, and studied.heart-breaking neglect, which hits tortured and destroyed many a loving trustful nature, meet with its own voward. Note the contrast even now, where but a modicum of liberty is yet enjoyed. In New Zouland you will find no batteredv disfigured, broken-spirited creature pleading for tbo ruffian that has illused her ; and you see her educated, cultured sister ready to risk the odium and publicity'of the divorce court sooner than tamely submit to injustice, oppression and shame.

No I my ecclesiastical and orthodox friends, your warnings and denunciations will have no more ofleet against the coming change than King Canute’s commands had against the swelling tide. “Whom God has joined lot no man put assundor.” What God ? What has fho Chrisiian God, the God of Truth, Love, Justice, and Humanity to do with a largo propoition of modern marriages ? You must mean Mammon The farc:o;l travesties which provide the woman with a gilded slavery, or a respectable subsistence, and enable the preservation and legal transmission of property, are of the oarth/earthy ; arid the widest stretch of the imagination cannot sanctify thorn with the supposition of being heaven-inspired, or the outcome of human free-will. The contract which binds, fresh, girlish innocence to Mate, cynical, middle-aged worldliness—what is there to hallow itl With men, it is work, fight, or starve; with women, it is marry, or .lead a life of toil, worry, and irapeouniosity. The altar is set up—in permanence—and the victims annually sacrificed. Deep down in their hearts the sex have long revolted against the scandalous profanation of the highest and most necessary human institution. Even the mercenary, matchmaking mother, in her weak moments—when true womanly nature prevails—has her qualms of conscience. She. too/haa been but the creature of circumstance. Dire necessity compelled her. She secretly applauds when heart and soul triumph over material interests. When woman is truly free such orea*» turcs will not exist. In the meantime, she will steadily work to improve her condition, sometimes turning into blind avenues and having to retrace her steps—often mistaking “ effect” for " cause,” and returning with fresh vigour and more experience to renew the conflict with patienfc and courageous, vigour, confident of victory in-the end. Whatever happens, ’ Woman, as a sex, is to be trusted, The instincts which have impelled her to fight against evil, and to seek after power, will guide aid control her aright when she attains it. Though her admission to equal human rights with man may involve vast ’ changes in the social and legal relations between the sexes, yet there need not he the -slightest fear but that the virtues—of * chastity, love, and fidelity—which have ennobled the woraeii of' the past and jpresent, will be a fully, distinguishing feature fr*/ the " Woman of the future.”