The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-08-24
Practical Female Education.
SHALL WOMEN HAVE A CHANCE TO LEARN A
TRADE?-LETTER FROM THEODORE TILToN
To THE ST. LOUIS LABOR CONGRESS.
Office of the Golden Age. !
New ork Aug g. 1871 (
Nembers 81 Me ConrentLon:

Onice OF The Golden Age. !
Newly ork, Aug 8, ISIS
Members Of the CongentioR:
If | could he in st. Louis at your meet
ing. ! would beg hearing in person Ia
behalf OF an idea specially important to the
working classes; namely, arrangement
OF your crafts, and particularly of the finer
mechanical pursuits, so To give TO women
an equal chance with men TO earn livpl-
hood by well-paid toll. l believe in woman.
30 does every man who remembers his
mother, his sister or his wife. Eagerly do
! share in the sentiment that every man
should support some woman-hs hearts
mate. whom he loves and tor whom he
strives. The chivalry which makes the
strong sex the natural protector OF the weak
runs in every true mans blood. Nor can
any one be more sensitive than | To all the
pretty phrases with which the poets paint
and gild it.
But, turning from the poetry of life and
looking at its prose, see millions of women
who have no other protectors than their own
wOmanly selves; who have no other COM
forts than they can purchase with their own
meagre wages. Now these women, 10 earn
money, must learn trades. But in entering
trades, they compete with men for men are
already in all tIades-even TO the making OF
women's skirts and chilcren's pinafores.
As IA consequence men. instead of being
women's natural protectors, become in
reality their natural enemies. For instance.
in my own business. which Is printing |
know OF bearded brawny cOmpositOrs who.
while picking up at their finger ends a com
Portable living at their cases. will redden in
the face and shatter the fourth command
ment in emphasizing the proposition that
women have no natural right to set types.
And yet the swiitest ~ pe-setter | ever saw
was "A womOn.
The world is large enough tor both sexes,
otherwise God would not have set them
both i'm 1t. Being in it, and having both 20
fight braVely the battle of life. they ought
each to help and not to hinder the other ia
winning the victory. 1t must be a mean
man who viii begrudge AZ woman her chance
TO earn an honest living. What IL that
same mans wife should become a widow, or
his daughter an orphan, and what il either
or both should be bitterly forced TO work AT
trade for tile sake of ling their children's
hungry mouths l can fancy that such a
man would be repentant in his very grave
at the remOrseful recollection of having
closed the gates ofOppOrtunity To any strug-
CLING daughter of God. Suffer me. there
Tore. TO say point blank (though | mean no
offense by it) that if the capitalists have
hitherto oppressed the working men. and
this must confess, so also the working men
have hitherto oppressed the working wo-
men. and this you must confess.
Nor confess n only. nor better it in part.
but reform it altogether. Let the old grirv-
ance be now brought to happy end. You
are body 81 noble and generous souls
Speak at St Louis a word that shalt glrdden
the heart of every woman in America who
Tolls for her daily bread. From the centre
of the continent To the boundaries thereof
send out declaration that you will hence
forth bid Women a cheerful welcome into
all your trades. and add To this tie Just and
hrotherly pledge that for women as for men
a fair days work shall bring fair DAYS
pay. Finally. after having done this ju~iice
TO woman after having gallantly received
h into the trade of her choice; il then Won
cannot bear to see her soiing her while
hands with it, CRIME, aud you want u get
her out of it, why. seize tbs first golden
chance To marry her out Of it-and my
word for il. she will then graciously leave
you the monopoly all 10 Yourselves!
Fraternally your fellow workman.
THEODORE TILTON.