Lady Cook at Home.

Manawatu Herald, 18 October 1894, Page 2

Lady Cook at Home.

In the St. James' Budget of 17thAugust last appears an interesting interview with that remarkable woman, Lady Cook, nee Tennessee Chaflin, from which we clip the foi- ' lowing which will help to disabuse i the minds of many who at present conceive a wrong opinion of her • aims and actions : — . . •• Will you tell me, to begin with, Lady Cook, what are your ideas m the general problem of woman^— what can be done to improve fcei* position and raise her social status?" " Everything, if woman berffilf would only hold out her, hand and help us. The men are with txs ; hit ' though some women -understand jnd ! come and help us with open hearts,

now many are tnere who nang Dac« and even refuse to believe that knowledge on vital subjects is not impure. I hate devoted my whole life to the im^rQvomeiJfc of the .huifiaii raCet *and;" said. Lady Cook laughingly, as bni tftise^ faei ; bejtutifttl |a<je fjuphed to a delicate sheU»pink with the levvour of her enthusiasm, " I have no - time for patching fig-leaves to hide naked truth." " Now, Lady Cook what of these prejudicial accusations \Vhich hamper yotjr cause ?" " Words— empty words. What 1 advocate is protection for the woman against designing men. Look at the hosts of poor young girls who are thrown upon the world like fledg-. ■^ing from the nest. What protection have they ? Their very ignorance leads them into the shoals and quicksands where too often they are wrecked. Will their sister-women make an effort to save them, or will they shrink from them lest they be contaminated by contact ? Woman's tyranny over woman alone bai-3 the way to progress." " I ara told, Lady Cook, that you hold very strong views," I interpolated. "Up to now what you have been preaching is only charity." "Indeed, I feel strongly about many things — tho Deceased Wife's Sister Bill for instance. I consider it iniquitous that a man should not be allowed to marry his sister-in-law when all the evils that follow in the wake of consanguinity are propagated by marriages with, cousins. Who is more fitted to take care of her sister's children than a sister ? If you require the protection of the law to keep your nearest blood relation from robbing you of your domestic happiness, whom can you trust ? Why, husbands will require to be put under a glass case. That the children of such marriages should be branded with the stigma of illegitimacy seems too oruel for words. On the Continent such a state of things oould not exist. That innocent children should be mnde to suffer their whole lives long is a poor encouragement for virtue and a legal encouragement in favour of vice." " Tell me, Lady Cook, what you think of the poorer classes collectively, and what can be done to help them practically." "lam always lost in admiration of the poor. They are possessed of virtues that should shame the rich — "* their patience, their charity to each other, are admirable indeed, and the pale spectre of envy never haunts their homes, lo break down the imaginary social barriers and learn to know them as they are is fit work for women. The poor buy everything at a greater cost than the rich. Is this meet and just ? Why should wb not have emporiums where the poor could buy their goods at >• reasonable prices ? They should be able to borrow money at 2£ per cent. A money-lender in the East-end who t loaned sums of a shilling told me that he was always repaid to the minute, and that the honesty dieplayed by the poorest was wonderful. Then the laws phonid be more equitable. What, for instance, are called bigamous marriages in the lower strata become morganatic when we reach the highest. My first care would be to give labour to the poor ; and shield the women when they are driven to desperation by a drunken husband or some of the manifold evils that beset them, instead of allowing them to be condemned by aooiety to despair and annihilation. Every effort should be made to put down baby-farming ; its shameful abuses are notorious and of common occurrence, as you know. I would spread knowledge where knowledge can be of use. . I think, for instance, that all girls should be taught at least the rudimentary principles of medicine. We want real women, capable and helpful. The time for dolls has gone by. Man needs an intellectual mate, for by mind alone oan a woman keep love at home and preserve the sanctity of marriage. We are only a very little in advance of our time, believe me, for the day is rapidly approaching when woman will rise up in her majesty and power as the maker of men, to demand not only suffrage but her absolute equality with man. Hitherto they ■ have asked for bread and have been given a stone 1"