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 else has
any rights but to serve her, for the future absolutely depends upon her.
So does the future of our society depend upon its mothers. In our
species there are many and not one, as in the bee-hive. If there were
just one individual who was to be the mother of the next generation,
even our politicians would perceive that she was the most important
person in the community, and that her rights were supreme. But the
principle stands, though, as it happens, human mothers are not one in
each generation, but many. They are in our society what the queen bee is
in the hive, and the future will transcend the present and the past just
in so far as they are well-chosen, and well cared for.
To the best of my belief this principle has not yet been recognized by
any one.
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