Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-11-22
Sex and Wages.

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erty, az all things charity"
Sex and Wages.
DIR. Holland, in Scribner's Monthly,
puts in a nutshell the reason of the inev-
liable though much abused difference be-
tween the wages paid to the two sexes for
the same work. Quoting from the Chris
tan Union this remark, I'VE feel intuit-
lively that when woman does the same
work as Il man, she should have the same
pay" it comments as follows:
The words look fair, and sound well,
and seem good yet it somehow happens
that intuitive feeling has very little to do
in settling the knotty problems of the
world. and nothing to do in settling this.
We all know that always, in all countries,
the average wages of women have been
lower than those Of men. To what is the
fact attributable? Legislation has not
determined it; public sentiment has not
established it. There is a law somewhere
in which it has its birth and finds its per-
pctuation. The rapacity of power in the
hands Of brutal men is responsible for the
oppression of woman, here and there, in
the matter Of wages, as it is for the OPP
preston Of man; but it has nothing to do
with the general fact to which we allude.
Nor is the law of demand and supply
of which so much is said, primarily or
principally active and discriminating in
this matter But there is law, easy to
find by the candid observer, and impossi-
BILE to be set aside, which establishes the
inequality that the Union deplores. 1t is
the law that that instrument or agent of
labor which has the higher value shall
command the greater return for use and
operation.
The owner Of the mastiff that turns a
chum cannot expect to receive for his
work as much a, the man who furnishe, a
horse to perform the same service. The
horse is hundred time, more valuable
than the dog as a motive power. 1t is the
dog. and not the horse, that settles the
price at which chuuning can be done We
may feel intuitively' that the dog ought
to command the price accorded TO the
horse, but the fact Is that the horse must
come to the dogs price or lose his work
at the chun entirely The illustration
is homely and, perhaps, extreme, but il
has the advantage Of being forciblc. Let
us try another. The cheapest penknife ;
man can use i, one that has a single blade
adapted to the making Of pens. If he in
sist on having one that bears not only
penknife blade, but also gimlet, cork
screw. toothpick, glove buttoner, screw
driver file saw, lancet, and hoof-hook, h,
must pay for it the market price. II,
must not expect that because he propose
to use only the pen-knife blade, he cal
buy it at the price of the penknife.
1t is entirely legitimate to divide labor
crs into three classes, viz, men, women
and children. There are points, undoubt
edly, in which woman Is superior to man
but man is certainly her superior as a la
borer. He has the larger stronger, an,
harder frame, and is free from many q
the disadvantages which woman as a la
borer is obliged to encounter In agricul
ture. he clears the forests, breaks up tn
land, and cultivates and rcaps. He quar-
ries or cuts the material of houses, an
builds them. He lays railroads all over
continent, and furnishes them with CT
gines and cars, and operates them. H
constructs ships and steamers, and nav
gates them. The great work of produ,
ton and commerce is done almost excl
siyely by man. If woman spins, ma
makes the spindle and the power tn;
drives it, if she weavcs, he invents an
builds the loom. In short, he is Just
much more valuable than a woman, a.
laborer, as a woman is more valuable thu
child; and tits this fact which dete
mines that his wages shall be greater tn,
woman's. 1t is pretty generally unde
stood that women are quite as good teac
ers as men, yet we know that as ru
they do not get the same wages that ha
been paid to men in the same Office Y
may feel intuitively" that they ought
have the same, but only in exceptional i
stances will they have. The more gene
ously woman is paid for her labor, t
better will all generous men be please
but the truth is, that the labor of Meth
men nor women is paid generously in Il
world, as a rule Both must be conte
with justice; and justice determines I'll
man, as the most capable and valual
laborer, shall receive most for his tin
here are some kinds of work that be
can do as well as men, but nobody clai
that because a bobbin-boy, in a mill, c
do as much and as well as a man at
particular work, he should therefore ha
a mans wages, or even a woman's. /
just wages are those which his value as
general laborer will command-no mo
no less. Man is responsible for ma
sins against woman-sins for which
are glad to see him called to account
but for this law he does not happen to
accountable. Human legislation can
more change it than it can modify
phases Of the moon. No new power
sumed by, or bestowed upon, woman, v
aid her to overthrow it. Her value as
laborer is limited, and her wages will
determined by her value as laborer
large. If woman could build house
steam engine, a ship or a bridge.
could command mans wages at teach
school, but she cannot. and she must t;
the wages of woman.
Learning of Christ.
We speak not now of any specific or
that is necessary to make a man