The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-09-22
Shall Women Have a Chance to Learn a
Trade.
FROM THEODORE TiI.TON's LETTER To TIE II
LorIs LAR0K CONGRI-ss, AUG. ], ISL.

FROM THEODORE TiIToN's LETTER To THE ST.
LOUIS LABOR CONGRESS, AUG. >, 1871.
II | could he in st. Louis at your
meeting, would beg a hearing in per-
son in behalf of an idea specially inn
portant to the working classes; namely,
Encouragement of your crafts, and
particularly of the finer mechanical pur-
suits, so as to give to women an equal
chance with men 10 earn Il livelihood
by well-paid toll.
| believe in women. SO does every
man who remembers his mother, his
sister, or his wife. Eagerly do / share
i'm the sentiment that every man should
support some woman-his hearts mate
whom he loves, and for whom he strives.
The chivalry which makes the strong
sex the natural protector of the weak
runs i'm every true mans blood. Nor
can any one he 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 livelihood than they can
earn with their own weary hands and
who have no other comforts than they
.
wages.
Now, these women to earn money,
must learn trades. But in entering
trades, they compete with men; for men
are already in all trades-even to the
making of women's shirts and chill
dren's pinafores. Asa consequence men,
instead of being their natural protectors,
become in reality their natural enemies.
For instance, in my own business,
which is printing, / know of bearded
and brawny compOsitors who, while
picking up at their finger-ends com
Portable living at their eases, will red
den i'm the face and shatter the third
commandment in emphasizing the
proposition that women have no natural
right TO set types. And vet the swiftest
tpye-setter ever saw was n woman.
The world is large enough for both
seXes-Otherwise God would not have
set them both in it. Being in it, and
having both to fight bravely the battle
Of life, they ought each to help and not
to hinder the other in winning the vic
tory. IL must he a mean man who would
grudge IA woman her chance to earn an
honest living. What ifthat same mans
wife should become widow, or his
daughter an orphan, and what if either
or Soth should be bitterly forced to
work at trade for the sake of filling
their children's hungry mouths ? | can
fancy that such "A man would he repent
ant in his very grave mt the remorseful
recollection of having closed the gates of
opportunity to any struggling daughter
of God.
Suffer me, therefore, to say point
blank Though | mean no offense by it,
that if the capitalists have hitherto Op-
pressed the working-men, and this
must confess, so also the wOrking-men
have hitherto oppressed the working
women, and this yOH must confess.
Nor confess il only, nor better IL i'm
part, hut reform il altogether. Let the
old grievance he now brought to hap
py end. You are body of noble and
generous souls. Speak at st. Louis Il
word that shall gladden. the heart of
every woman i'm America who tolls for
her daily bread. From the center of
the continent to the boundaries thereof,
send out n declaration that you will
hencefOrth bid women "A cheerful well
come into all your trades, and add to
this the just and brotherly pledge that
for women as for men fair days work
shall bring fair days pay.
Finally, after having done this jus
ticc to woman; after having gallantly
received her into the trade of her choice;
If then you cannot bear to see her soil
ing her white hands with its CRIME, and
you want to get her out of it, why, sieZe
the first golden chance to Dldrry her out
OF it-and take my word for il, she will
then graciously leave you the monopoly
all TO yourselves.