Woman’s World Column – April 30, 1885 | Archives of Women's Political Communication

Carrie Chapman Catt (Carrie Lane at the time) retired from teaching after the end of the 1884 school year and married Leo Chapman, publisher and editor of the Mason City Republican newspaper, in February 1885. In the March 5 issue of The Republican, Catt’s name appeared in the masthead as co-editor of the paper with Chapman, and on March 19, the first installment of her new column, “Woman’s World,” was published. The Mason City Public Library has microfilm of every issue of The Republican from 1885 except one, and Catt’s column appears nearly weekly through early November. The Chapmans sold the newspaper in April 1886, and there are no extant copies of the paper from that year.

About two weeks ago a petition, signed by 500 business men of Sioux City, was presented to the city council requesting that a license of $1,000 be allowed the hotels for the purpose of selling liquor. The petition stated that it represented $10,000,000 of property. A counter petition was circulated and also presented to the council. This petition was signed by 600 women who stated they represented 500 husbands and 1060 children. Yet the dollars won and the hotels of Sioux City will hereafter dispense liquor to the thirsty five hundred. It is difficult to understand how these 500 men could gain such an ordinance when the law of the state is so emphatically contrary to it. Dubuque and other anti-prohibition cities are discussing the theme preparatory to following Sioux City’s example. The end is plain. Unless some action is taken to prevent, prohibition will be completely undermined by this dodge and soon be a dead letter on our statute books. As Caesar said centuries ago “Men believe what they wish” so it is to-day. If a man has an appetite for drink he knows prohibition is unconstitutional, unjust and an insult to personal liberty, all the statues, women’s petitions to the contrary not with standing. Therefore it has come to pass that 500 Sioux City women must bear the humiliation of smelling the vile odor of liquor on the breath of 500 Sioux City men and know this example may lead their sons to ruin, and are yet powerless to check the evil. What does it matter, to these lawmakers if they break the hearts of a few suffering women? 500 men can now gratify a senseless appetite; 500 women will weep and grieve to see loved husbands and brothers debasing themselves to this appetite; 500 men can now congratulate each other upon having overridden a statute law; 500 women will console themselves with prayer to remove the dread evil from among them once more. But when weighed in the balance, $10,000,000 sinks the scale and the souls of 500 husbands and the lives and happiness of 1060 children rise and thus council are taught how to vote.

Whether prohibition is the correct way to control the liquor traffic or note the agitation of the temperance question will not cease until a settlement of some kind, is reach whatever that final decision may be. Temperence workers without exception are convinced that it cannot be accomplished without the aid of woman’s ballot. Those women who were most radically opposed to woman’s suffrage when they first interested themselves in the question of temperance are now its staunchest defenders. Experience has shown them the meager influence of a non-voting class of people and inspired them with a determination to change their condition.

A novel step in the line of woman’s suffrage has been proposed in Massachusetts. The legislature has been considering a bill to instruct the census-takers to learn the opinion of the women of the state upon the subject, but it was not passed.

In regard to the education of women, a radical change has come over Europe during the past few years. In 1870 women were first admitted to the University of Sweden. In Russia women may now pursue their studies in the great universities. Last year for the first time women entered the university of Brussels. About a score of women are now in attendance at the university of Geneva, and the number of women us much larger at the university of Zurich, among them being several American girls. The way is now open in Italy for women to pursue a collegiate course; and in fact many are availing themselves of the privilege. There are probably more women pursuing a collegiate course in France than in any other country in Europe and the number will soon be much increased through the operation of a law establishing intermediate schools for girls.

—Ex

The Woman’s Journal, of Boston, is doing good work for woman’s suffrage by publishing pamphlets containing arguments for the cause, written by prominent people. These leaflets are to be had for a trifle and are for the purpose of free distribution. It is the proper was to educate the public and much good may be expected from it.

Notes About Women

Miss Isabella Oates has been appointed vaccination officer at Fording bridge, England.

Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher has written an exceedingly interesting article on Early Marriages and Long Engagements, for the May number of the Brooklyn magazine.

The widow and children of the late President Barrios, of Guatemala, have reached San Francisco. Mrs. Barrios’ parents live in San Francisco, and she will make that city her home. It is said that President Barrios settled upon her and her children a fortune in real estate valued at $8,000,000.

Mrs. Marietta B. Severance recently celebrated her twentieth anniversary as teacher in the public schools of Davenport.

Mrs. Isabel Hooper, Henry Ward Beecher’s sister is giving a series of “conversations” in Boston upon the subject of spiritualism.

Thirty-four female Arab soldiers were killed in a recent battle with the British.

Dr. Mary McLean has been appointed by the St. Louis Board of Health, assistant physician at the Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell has been nominated for one of the Board of Poor Law Guardians, in Hastings, England.

The Rev. Anna J. Norris, pastor of the Unitarian Church at South Platte, Nebraska, has assumed the editorship of a department in the Nebraskian, entitled “Home and the Church.”

A strike among the women workers in the overall factory at Dubuque, exists. The advance asked is ten per cent, which the girls say was promised them this spring when rates were reduced several months ago.

An association exists in the United States, whose object is the rescue of France from infidelity. Mrs. R. B. Hayes has been its president and Mrs. Garfield is now one of its vice presidents.

Mrs. Sharp, of Spirit Lake, has written a book descriptive of the massacres of 1878 and 1862.

Mrs. Elizabeth L. Saxon, of Louisiana has been engaged in the W. C. T. U. work in Tennessee during the past year. There were but four unions a year ago; since then Mrs. Saxon has organized fourty-eight unions with 1,550 members.

Mrs. Frances E. Townsley has been regularly ordained and installed as pastor of the Baptist Church at Fairfield, Nebraska. She is the first woman ordained by this organization, has been about ten years in evangelistic work, and is described as an “earnest, godly woman, full of power.”

Chapman, Carrie Lane. 1885. “Woman’s World.” Mason City Republican, April 30.

PDF version, courtesy of Mason City Public Library