The Seattle Literary Club’s Debate on the Future of Womanhood
In an era of rapid transition, local voices gathered to debate whether women should practice law, medicine, or politics—or if they should be spared from the 'mire' of public life.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Literary Club met as the local theater last week. The subject for the evening's programme was: 'Woman, what can she do?' Mrs. Boffom read an essay on 'Eminent Women.' Young Mrs. Tot recited a poem on 'Woman's Silent Influence,' and a tenor soloist sang 'Queen of the Earth' with fine effect. Then the chairman suggested that some one might like to make a remark, and Judge Coeid rose to his feet. 'I've been greatly edified by these exercises,' he said. 'I tell you, I feel proud of our women, when I think of the magnificent things they're doing. Woman's delicate hand has knocked at the door of every profession, and man has gallantly welcomed her in. A late writer maintains that she can even shoe horses and paint houses. And now, just one thought before I sit down. I don't believe, when the whole world is open to women, that any should seek to crowd into a calling proper only for men. I refer to my own profession, the law. The law is too low for woman. It would drag her womanhood in the mire.'
'I must say, I don't agree with you there, Judge,' spoke up Dr. Clover. 'For my part I'm glad to see women in the law. I think they can do lots of good in the profession. So long as the most refined woman is liable to be dragged into the law courts, on the slightest provocation, I can't see for the life of me why she shouldn't practice in those courts. To my mind, it is much more in her line than medicine. I thoroughly disapprove of female doctors. Women haven't the nerve and self-control for that profession.'
Young Mr. Van Struther, reporter for the Leader, chimed in: 'We've always aimed to keep right up abreast of the march of progress. I thoroughly approve of women doctors and ministers and lawyers. But there are some things that I have too much respect for women to want to see them thrust into. And one is journalism. 'Twould lower their moral natures. Besides this, their constitutions never could stand the strain of night work.'
Alderman McKevitte of the Third Ward rose, thrusting one hand in his jacket: 'There’s a thing on top of the earth that makes me mad: this infernal talk about letting women into politics. I don't believe in dragging lovely women down into the mire of politics. Great Scott! Who would want to see his wife or mother carrying a torch in a procession? The next you know they'd be even aspiring to the office of Alderman. And I hope I'll never live to see the day that they'll sink so low as that!'
“Woman's delicate hand has knocked at the door of every profession, and man has gallantly welcomed her in. ... The law is too low for woman. It would drag her womanhood in the mire.”
The patronizing 'protection' of women from the 'mire' of public life reflects the gendered civic debates of the 1880s, shortly after Washington Territory briefly granted and then revoked women's suffrage. While the specific professional barriers discussed have shifted, the tone of exclusionary gatekeeping in local political and labor discourse remains a persistent echo in Seattle civic life.
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