such conditions, will solve all our problems. But
whilst we neglect the first things we shall permanently solve no problem
at all. We may seem to do so, but if we dishonour parenthood, if we
leave the inferior women to mother the future, the degenerate race that
must ensue will find itself in difficulties compared with which ours are
trivial, and our solutions of them impotent.

That is why I seek to draw attention to the rights not of women as
women,--for neither men nor women have any peculiar rights as men or
women--nor yet to the rights of wives as wives, but to the rights of
mothers as mothers, whether married or unmarried, whether husbanded or
widowed. The rights of women are the rights of human beings, and no
special concern of a writer on woman and womanhood, paradoxical as the
assertion may be. The rights of wives are often discussed, but I
question whether the discussion ever helped a wife yet, except solely in
the matter of her monetary claims upon her husband. Discussion and
public opinion and consequent legislation can effect, and have effected,
something for wives as wives in this matter. In other matters, much more
vital to their happiness, each case is unique because all individuals
are unique; and the discussion of the questions can amount to no more
than futile and obvious platitude.

But when motherhood is concerned the monetary question becomes worthy of
the adjective economic, so often prostituted, for the making of future
life depends upon the provision of adequate means. The whole essence of
motherhood is that it is a dedication of the present to the future.
Every mother is in the position of the inventor or the poet or the
musician for whose work the present makes no demand and no payment. The
future is being served, but the future is not there to pay. The rights
of mothers are the rights of the future, and its claims upon the
present.

It can be abundantly shown that increasing prevision or provision marks
the ascent of organic Nature; that as life ascends the present is more
and more dedicated to the future. The completeness of this dedication is
the most exemplary fact of the many which the bee-hive provides for our
instruction and following. Consider the dedication of the hive to the
queen. Realize that she is not in any way the ruler of the hive, but she
is _the only mother in it_. She is the parent, and, on our principles,
she is therefore the most important person in the hive. No one el