New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-09
TIE SECRET DOINGS or SOROSIS.

LAST MEETING OF THE SECOND YEAR--A SEN
sIBLE SPEECH on WOMAN'S WORK ~ MRS.
ROBERT DALE OWEN.
The ladies OF SOrosis turned out CALAMITY on
Monday in spite Of the snow-sorm. Twentyone
members were present aud number Of invited guests
The reports Of the Secretaries were read and accepted
and great deal of business relative to tho coming an
mail meeting was accomplished. The Art Committee
sent in report treating principally OF the Ladies Art
Association Of NewYork. and giving an account OF the
work done by the lady designers belonging to that
society Mrs Ella NJ Cymer read the Lady ofShalott'
and two essays furnished by the Literature Com
mttee.
The most interesting feature of the OCCASION however
was a speech from one of the ycePresdents Mrs
Robert Dale owen OF Harmony, Ind she expressed her
qualification az the growth and Improvement oil
soross since she last saw II, upon me Occa-
sion Of its first meeting at Delmonicos, ana
then asked permission to say few words upon the
sulect Of labor All over 40, she was sure must
have felt like herself, that something was radically
wrong in the present system OF socety-some element
WAS wanting to make life what IL should be. something
needed vet be done for woman. She thought-and she
wished TO be understood merely as expressing her
opinon without dogmatisng-that this something was
correct idea OF labor Now 1t was impossible to main
tain healthy mental condition without proper physi-
cal condition, and the general physical condition Of
American women was bad. They were oyerworked and
undcIpaid She asserted that moro than haii Oi inc
actnal work Of the world done by women, and
quoted various homely instances. much to the amusement
and delight OF her audience. Take shirt she sad think
OF the amount OF woman's work connected with that
one article OF mans apparel. With the cotton or fax
that IL is picked for nay in the mines whence
the ore that the TOnwOrk OF the looms that
weave H. TAKEN her work begins. and with the making
the washing the ironing the sarchlng, the mehdlng
the sewing Of buttons II continues as long as the gar
ment lasts The truth is said Mrs. owen einphacay,
womans work not estimated IN the expenses OF living
Every thousand dollars In money that comes into
house has two thousand added 10 by her labor ana
go Iona as irOnc the prOrdiHq Of mans tO0d MtV ran
0orer him as then choose. All this vast amount OF 40
nestle work has DO done, and ought 10 be done well
There was no why IL should not he held IN as gh
estimation as esthetics which all very well IN their
way no reason why it should not be thought quite as re-
IL up as having u pecuniary and intrinsic value,
and TO make every Rirl feel, upon leaving school
that she was TO select eWOfk Tor herstH
and that unless she had peculiar talent IN hnOte!
direction that domestic labor high ana elevated
"a auy She declared that no young woman should DC
willing to marry unless she able 10 support herself
and coud feel that did not choose husband that she
might become dependant. She did not approve, now
ever of married women earning their own living. She
thought 10 would ruin all The men in america " heT
,rires supported hemseres their domestic duties proper
ly perforrned were enough for them, ana should DC
recognized at their proper value
Mrs Owens remarks were eagerly listened TO- ana
warmly applaudcd by the ladies' several OF whom ques
toned her further upon the subject Her GENIAL iorcble
manner gave great effect to the wise aud nlOtherly
character of her cOunscs after the reading OF the es
Ilups Les Miserables,' and the Club adjourned at
lItc