ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 63 



you my husband has done that way; when we have 

 taken new pieces of property it is in my name, as well 

 as my husband's. I say it is a shame for any woman 

 who works as a farmers wife does work to go along 

 year after year without being able to feel that anything 

 belongs to her. 



It is true that it makes a woman feel more self- 

 respect. The first time that I put thirty dollars in my 

 pocket as the result of my first month's teaching, I 

 felt like anew girl, I felt that life had something for 

 me that it never had had before. Up to that time I 

 had to ask for everything I needed, and had done it 

 with that hesitating feeling that every girl and woman 

 feels. Let me tell you, especially you farmers, that the 

 pocket-book belongs to your wife, equally with you ; 

 she has earned it and earned the property that you own 

 just as much as you have, and ought to be provided for 

 in a way which will give her that self-respect to which 

 she is entitled. It is true that the girls of this country 

 are earning money as never before, and I glory in it. 

 I rejoice that the women of this country are now in 

 almost every employment which men are and are earn- 

 ing their living when they want to. A young woman 

 has plenty of money now, plenty of situations are open 

 to any woman that will fit herself for work, but when 

 it comes to the wife, unless it is given to her as a gift, 

 she has not a cent and it produces a state of things that 

 you, my brothers, ought not to permit. The mother 

 of your son, your wife, ought to have the same freedom 

 of thought as any of you have, and the same 

 self-respect that a man feels when he has money 

 in his pocket. When we come to that state 

 of things we shall have a better class of chil- 

 dren born. I have seen many, many poor, tired, 



