New-York tribune., 1869-05-07
MISS PENNY's MEN AND WOMEN. WORK AMI
WAGEE

THINK AND ACT SERIES oF ARTICLES PERTAINING
TO MRS ATD WoMES WORK AND NAGEs, by vIk'
GINA PEEEY. l2mo. PIP. S72 PhhaueIphia' CIAA-
ton, Remsen d HahelhngeE
Miss Penny has taken a conspicuous position among
the laborers for the improvement OF the condition OF
women by her writings and the subject Of female
industry and its compensation The present work
is in some sense the sequel to her previous contn-
buttons in this department and forms valuable
and almost exhaustive repository OF facts Tor lts
elucidation. The point which she urges with the
most strenuous appeals is the Importance of training
women to wider range of useful occupations, giving
them familiarity with worthy employments, and
thus enabling them to gain al honorable competence
and to lay by something for sickness and old age.
Miss Penny's remarks on the comparative prevalence
of poverty among women, if not entirely novel, are
pointed and forcible.
There are almost twice many poor women In differ
ent countries as poor me9the & Deng iITy
adult population is dependent on another third IL is
their daugters aud sisters until they thoroughly ed
ucated and prepared to support henelIes AhG then'
and direct them how best to succeed.
The number OF poor in this country both men and
Of paupers d. e. those dependent public charity Is
Increasing, though II is mostly confined to Immigrants
there vagrant act II 10 not carried into eIecu-
tion We should think not In some OF our large cities,
the number OF ableboded foreigners that throng
passer by. paper, book descriptive OF real or pre-
tended afcton The most heart sickenng feature how
ever the idleness and degradation In which moot pau
pers and Of the poor that are not pauperS rear
In order TO make the wicked who destitute viru
GUS first and clothe them They better listen TO
and counsel when comfortable Much crime
undoubtedly arises from lnabnlty 10 supply PhfsicA
wants honestly Give the poor werewarded labor, not
aims. The poor often charged with being improvl-
dent They spend iayIshly while they have anything,
aud then suffer want They seem unable ~ regulate their
expenditures udicousy arises from not being trained
10 habits OF prudence, system aud economy. They arc
usually generous 20 those OF their own caSs that are W
rank higher in the social scale To have place OF safe
deposit for their surplus funds however TRIVIAL III amount
is calculated 20 encourage prOyident feeling. II Wall
render them industrious and economical
The OF females In cities arises, In part from
greater number OF employmeDts being open 10 them.
Another cause Is the great variety ana excitement ana
the superior social and religious adVautages Afforded by
city fe In many parts OF the country there is need
emale help but principally ID the branches OF domes
tic labor. =. a.. ..,... ,,..,..
70 town ve and there meet with reverse Of fortune
are even helpless than those who have In
the resources open TO women for gaining livelihood
and they more likely TO have friends that direct
the noise confusion, and eXctemonts OF the city.
vlrtuous woman, the Of her sex, has claims
and discussed, and young Chdren should always on nc
OF their helpessuess, be provided for-ndeed all
awful thing that woman may sarye OF freeze because
10 any community fund should be set apart by every
and TO furnish employment TO such AT reason
able prices. Many WOrkwOmen fare than Drutes
Their subsistence IS uncertain. They have not
wherewihal 10 obtain, while brutcs can obtain subsst
ence at liberty to seek It, Some destitute yet yiItuous
women not treated well the hOTsesand servants
Of tho rich. They are always provided with food and
made comorab but IN many cases IN our large clties
comfortable. They suffer fTsm cold and hunger, aud
the want Of attention insickness Hard times, the
son of the year. existing epidemic, Is often made
by socalled beRevOen societies aud govern
for sueh an excass and II there were justhable
There would not be so many nfantcdes, nor so many
ion wa
making comfortable and wholesome provision for the
poor women Of their various communities. Vienna sets
example the rest OF the world In the provision it
AT one time I'm Peru all industry was controlled and
managed by the STAKE the inhabitants being laid out into
professions and the very hours OF work rega
When government society provides remunerative Ia
Dor to those capable Of performing and secs that such
They under Obligation to furnish food fuel aud
What woman in a city is there engaged in domestic
mann labor for support that can lay by one dollar,
two dollars, or three weeki Many OF these women
would be glad TO hire themselves by the year for their
food and clothing What destiny awaits the children OF
such What tme has the mother to form and es
absh the character OF her children even II she DO oOm
petenti VIII continual groveng In the dust 70 obtain
enough to keep life In the body will the wretchedness
and misery that arise from such extreme poverty be
ikey TO produce creditable ctzens-moral and intol-
lectual beingsi
Compare the number OF old women seeking work, or
asking charity, N the streets of city with men occupied
n TIE same wa5 aHd which Is the argeri Compare their
con1lOn WhIch mas the more haggard, careWsrn, over
worked appearancei
~ would btarlle persons In better circumstances 10
learn tho large number Of worthless and disspatef, o.
indoent men, who do nothing support their families
The number Of married women, In keW-YOrk City, that
earn living for themselves apd their children and, In
numerous cases, foT their husbands aso would
any but New Yorker stranger IN the city who ha8
learned the fact from observation. Nor s The fact
sorry 10 say eoned 10 HeW York. that large number OF
children among the poor, and men also, supported
by the hard work Of the women o, the crying sn tho
shame, Me disgrace, Of strong, healthy man, not only
TO provide for his family, but even spedin1
The earnings Of ms tcci But day Of ret1bntlOn is
coming, and terrible viii be! Many struggle, that
God only knows, Is made, even in the middle walks OF
life by so1e wives and mothers to provide for their
Iles and keep up an air OF respectablity.
Women In nearly every country, Franco and