Woman’s World Column – March 19, 1885 | Archives of Women's Political Communication

In 1885, Catt (Carrie Lane) resigned from her position as superintendent of schools in Mason City, Iowa, and married Leo Chapman, editor of the Mason City Republican, a weekly newspaper. She became co-editor of the newspaper and started a new column, “Woman's World.” This is the first installment of the column.

The “Woman’s World” will be devoted to the discussion of such questions as purport to the welfare, the social, political and intellectual position of women. It will contain news of interest and reports of woman’s work throughout the world. It will welcome communications from its readers and will hope to win many friends. Let those who are interested in the advancement of women speak their sentiments through the “Woman’s World.”

There is a rapidly growing sentiment among women to endeavor to make themselves self-supporting. The example of lives made miserable by dependence is seen on every side and girls are profiting thereby. In New York City, within the lifetime of one observer, the number of employments open to women has increased from twenty-six to fifteen hundred. The benefits of this change can scarcely be estimated. Girls are no longer forced to marry to secure homes, and wives need no more bear the abuse of unkind husbands because of their own incapacity for self-support. Women are everywhere more intelligent and more respected. Society has been elevated and purified. Let the good work continue. Let every mother see that her daughter is prepared with a trade, profession, or work to enable her to meet any fate the future may have in store for her. How quickly wealth and influence may take wings and those accustomed to its luxuries compelled to face a cold world, is proven by every daily newspaper. But if the strong young hands were trained in some employment, and minds healthily active and independent, fond parents need not spend days and nights in anxiety lest their delicate daughters be thrown upon their own resources. Teach your daughter it is truer womanhood to make and hold a position where she can earn a livelihood than to be the pampered and petted belle of society. Teach her that she is refusing life’s grandest offering when she dawdles away her time with novel, dress and foolish pleasures. If she has talents, teach her to develop them; if she has none, teach her to make talent by energy. At all hazards teach her to be a woman and not a mere doll-baby.

It is a mistaken idea that girls are to be cared for and supported in idleness. Your daughter may marry well, as the saying is; she may never know want, nor even have a desire ungratified; but quite as likely she may be obliged to walk in poverty all her life, she may be left a widow with children to support, or she may be left with a debt to pay. How is she to keep her family from starving, herself from wearing out, and her home bright and cheerful? You have taught her nothing. She may play the piano, sing sweetly, paint pictures and thus be called accomplished, but in none of these is she expert enough to earn a livelihood. She perhaps can sew, but she can make only starvation wages at that. What then? Ah, what indeed! Would it not be wiser, O, ye mothers, if you would insist that your daughters know one thing thoroughly, the knowledge of which would make them independent? Has your own helplessness made you miserable? Then do not let your daughter repeat your experience. Ah, but your foolish pride tells you people will think it strange that your daughter works for a living, your friends will talk about it and perhaps laugh over it. Perhaps some of them may, but more probably you will make converts to your plan, and your example prove a boon to many a girl. Try it.

The Dakota legislature has lately had under consideration a bill granting to women of that territory the right of franchise. After passing both houses Gov. Pierce returned it with his veto. His reason for doing so was that so radical a step would retard the movement of making Dakota a state. No doubt it took him a good while to conjure up that excuse. It is not a little humiliating to an intelligent woman that the decision of a question which should give or take away the just right of all the women of a territory, should be entrusted to the caprice of one man.

Recently 2500 weave-women employed in a carpet factory in Yonkers N.Y. made a strike. At three different times their wages wer cut down ten percent and in addition were docked for every conceivable reason. They were watched; if a weaver dropped a thread she was fined from one to five dollars. It is reported the fines alone amounted to $15,000 annually, while one-fiftieth of that sum would pay for all the damage. The employer refused to take back the strikers except upon a further decrease of wages to which they were forced to submit.

The W.C.T.U. of New Orleans have a suite of rooms containing a restraunt, a bakery and a sale room. In the sale room are to be found all sorts of fancy articles and woman's handiwork. The proceeds of the establishment are devoted to the advancement of the temperance cause.

Chapman, Carrie Lane. 1885. “Woman’s World.” Mason City Republican, March 19.

PDF version, courtesy of the Mason City Public Library