New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-13
VOMEN as WORKERS.
CAPABILITY OF COMMUNICATIVE sALA-
RIEs-AID SOCIETIES.

been given TO tho woman question:" 1t is questionable
whether 1t has been treated in proper So far.
the discussion OF the subject TO be far theO
retca than practical and has been confined to simple
statements OF abstract principles reasoning from Them
while little any attention has been paid to the facts OF
the matter. In other words, the question has been
viewed more In its political and social its econOmi
cal aspects and while general discussion OF these
has taken place. hardly anything has been added to the
latest argument Of Mill and Herbert Spencer the sub
ct While the great importance Of bringing all the facts
that throw light the before the public Is
sefevdent, yet, with the exception Of Mrs DaPs late
any aiusion has been made to this part Of the subject and
seems to be taken for granted mat the agtatoTs Tor
female suffrage right In declaring that the ballot Is
the only possible remedy for the present evils OF women
But the labor question Is far too conpeaed to be set
tied Ivy such panacea Many other considerations must
be thought Of aud 1t highly Important that these should
be brought before the public and fairly discussed There
subject TO know what occupations are open to women,
what new ones have been gained to Them what Is their
| competing with men, and tho conditions
under which they labor and these it is the object of the
present article TO set forth.
During the past ten years many occupations have
been opened to women. and general Improvement mas
Sewing Machine the increase Of manufactures during
the and the demand for hands to I'LL the places O
soldiers have all tended to their advantage. Besides
entering largely into engraving printing, decorating
coorng photographs &C. they have also tried designing
success As teachers they are entirely supersedng
and they have entered into many mercantile employ,
and satisfaction In All trades requiring guicness and
dextey and particularly ut machine work. taey are lar
superior TO men, both In learning and praccing te W0k
Their quick perceptions aud fneness OF tOuch give mem
great advantage, AID notwithstanding tue popular
| opinion to the contrary they nave GOOD
mechanical taste and can adjust machine
NAM y Kinds Of LAHORE have SeSn ABANDONED 6y partly
because they imagine they have OutgroWn the' Dut eay
because they cannot compete with women All OI9I
nary sewing light machine work. and most labor requlr
Ink delicate manipulation has come INTO female nanusI
more rather than losing In supplying the necessities OF
life men have the advantage Dut Women nave tne
share IN supply ing the Injuries Ont ~ nearly SHY e
poyments In the ~ 1867 there Is not one
| In which do not share The number OF those III
which they are exceeded by men IS limited IN making
bread candies ewery boots and shoes, paper haugngs
syerware leather pOckei-books printing ana
shirts cloa and clothes generally caps hoopskirs em
boidery, hosiery. millinery, artificial noHers SIX cord
pets furs and umbrellas they far superior to men 10
IL rather singular that though very fey women make MAKE
there were only 90 women making hosiery ~ b
| number OF hoop-sklrt makers has increased In
New-Iork IN the same period from Lag 10 over opvV
whatever may be the theoretical opinion OF the capacity
~ women the show that In almost every branch OF
labor they can compete fairly with men Where no phys
cal mpcdimrnt exists ard where they have the same
fa1es for learning the business they stand fair
equality, and this too, In the absence oil my PeNo'
training which Il generally given 10 men. I'm all occupa
tious which women fonw temporarily they must be ex
pcced to have less than men, who generally enter
business with the intention Of remaining IN II TOT IRE
but whatever women undertake In the sane spirit tneY
succeed In quite well According 20 the United states
Census Of 1890 the average or monthly wages men P 70
women and girls little over SO, the PURCHASING
power OF which was equivalent 10 np"arugI kV nov
Since the war their pay has increased III i S I'LL,
proportion ms those ~ men, but II b stu much lees ah
the latter In most places they receive auop, % %
as much men, though where they Woik py tho Pcce
smart hands will often earn the same Their average pay
I'm most kinds OF work from 20 u $40 per week IN pro
iuens Is the pay less than &c. and NJ the same tne
fbe number Is small where the average Is over 30
Tvceuonal eases of high salaries often 10 be met
with In every Kind Ot business there VIII De one OF Two
Hook sewers viii make ~ high sll; binders and com
pns,ors S3 uphosercrs and silYerhurls SE hooP
poyed az one place. about 100 could earn 70 per week
30 more paid not over slG 20 received over sO ana
4 maker valentines IN nnOihrr place was pau so, hi
worker In har so both OF which were eH * y1
there nrc female employees receiving upward OF so as
relnosdng clerks who get $500 which much
man would aud 10 rm IN TINS CITY belongs TIC
honor Of paying the highest salary which any woman re-
ceiycs I'm ths IN In any other country namely 5000
which rs paid female manager In the dry GOODS trade
highest salary paid TO any female principal In New YORK
- op sna sSE ~" in arIs receives o. 500 and tho
principal Of public school In 81 LOUIS gets 800 Al
these facts prove that II women are allowed the same p
potunos they Will make Themselves quite as valuable
me genera, change from day wor, 10 piece work which
has taken place most kinds 81 business has been of
great benefit to the women rs well as men Those who
nrc capable and quick Low earn far more than they
did before and IN les time also gentleman OF large
experience states that some girs ~ ne employ can NOW
made IS under the old plan. Employers generally agree
that the change quite as much to their dement, as Tor
| that OF their hands.
II is Of great Importance 10 know. too. whether the
health OF Women h much affected 10, general labor TX
cept with lowest and most destitute class, u Is proh
able that such II not the case lnhealth VIII result
from some occupations rs continued sewing, working
on machines but. in general, the only evils incident
! 10 ordinary labor are the exposure In going TO
s rnT C IN eloso and ii.ventated rooms or
! where the work Is actually Injurious IN Itself.
| The only real fault that be found with women
workers /. Of tboroughncss In every kind OF labor
this complaint is made-that women are lot ambitious
aud DO not perfect themselves rs thoIOush as men 40
Various reasons account for this but the man one seems
10 be the feeling which every woman has. That &C some
time. not long distant she VIII get married ana thore'
fore Il u worth while to give too much time To what
viii be merely temporary employment man looks Tor
ward 10 lifetime OF labor woman 70 nut pilcl period
while the one learns all he can the other learns NO more
the greatest obstacles IN The pathoi women ~ IS he
almost unanimous opinion OF experienced persons mat
any woman Of capacity can get employment In the city;
but unfortunately, the great mass Oh Wot AIg women hts
40 ignorant be unit for any but the lowes KIND or
labor OF the 1900 applicants for work at the Working
Womens Protective Union In this city last year only i0O0
were capable Of taking ordinary situations IL Ia among
the class that the greatest suffering aud desutu
ton they are the natural ana helpless prey OF
mlddIemen and INSCRIPTIONS employers Unable To nt
| themselves for higher labor, they must continue In
their present appalling state untl some means 20 edueato
them, larger openings for unhkled labor De found
ureudlce against becoming servants Hardly any OF the
second generation Of emgrants viii go INTO service, ana
housekeepe dependent on them, or have 10 do the
work themselves, and what Is worse, competition In the
important that this prejudice against what Ia one Of the
Inost secure and honorable employments should be re-
lower classes Of both 10 the name OF wOrknRe
labor of all kinds thought TO be lowering and TINS iee
seldom inculcat tho dignity o labor AT tho new work
ingwOmen's Home In Elzabeths it Is only win grsat
difcuy that dodgers be obtained, simply ON account
OF this prejudice against It's name and the women VINO 90
go there of much better class than was eA
THE aystem OF IL another great eVll. arHc
manufacturer who wants quantity OF work done VII WI
not deal directly with u; Tn n bmt forces
them have resource TO mlddemen who BUY g tf
| "A "a