The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-07

them consider them distinct traucS ana, though
closely allied, they are to them as strange
as n they bore no relation whatever TO each other
For lnstance:-ln laundry work there are irouers
sarchers bosom folders, &C., considered as separate
trades By those who work At them. In like manner
he making. polishing, covering and carding OF but
tons are treated as different trades instead OF being
branches OF the same trade. The making OF bonnet
frames ana the trimming OF them also distinct
from regular millinery work. The same is true OF
ii will be perceived that some trades and callings
have greatly fallen into dsuse within the last two
or three years or are practically dead Among these
may be named the manufacture of skirt elevators,
now no longer necessary, because Of the short
dresses worn by ladies; the fabrication OF frnges,
1rs, tassels, rosettes and the like and
nair dressing, which Is now done mainly by pro-
fessonal wig and waterfall makers. Millinery IL win
be SEEM Is not very brisk at the present tme ladies
being quite equal to the duty OF making and trimming
their articles Of apparel for themselves. Bead work
ing which was the rage three four years ago,
and which attracted considerable attention by seve-
raj cases OF fraudulent oppression or the operatives
Dy employers when were published In the papers
or the trades which give the steadest employment
70 the greatest number Of working women, those
lead, such as dressmakers, sewing machine opera
tors and hnishers taioresses, seamstresses, plain
which work Is best paid are shoe operators and
binders, collar and neckte makers ana artificial
flower and feather manufacturers and as many OF
those things can be fabricated at home, the girls
are enabled to increase their weekly income thereby
Very many OF those trades depend upon the season
ana The fashions Tor their birth and existence.
THE POOREST PAID WORKERS
are those who make linen coats and button holes.
The former, by working about fourteen hours a day.
can make fourteen coats and So SO per day; but
out OF this sum basters and operators to receive
eiehtyfour cents each 81 6s per day and pressers
get fory-lwo cents day, that he actual earnings
OF the linen coat factor Is but forty cents day, I'M
less she is equal to every branch OF the business.
phe prices paid BY the manufacturer from twelve
TO eighteen cents per coat and the above estimate
based on the last named figure which, OF course, Is
hot the general average. 1t may seem incredibe
tnat women can work Tor and subsist upon any such
sum. but they do. Button mole makers are another
poorly paid class. Half cent hole is the maxi
mum price paid by manufacturers and, OF course,
those VINO sublet the work pay less, to enable them
selves to make some profit and Tor this pittance tho
women must do their work that il shall pass the
Argus eyes OF the employer, wh0 II he be III disposed
OF sour tempered, will ind fault with trlnes and
compel them to do their work again lose even
the small sums which they may have earned. IL
Is impossible, with such miserable remuneration for
their labor Tor working women ever to rise 10 con-
dition OF independence by their own unaided Efforts
Even such occupations as agents and canvassers,
teachers CLERKS copylsts conpositors clothing fac
tors and Others IN which they compete with men,
they arc paid from one.rhird TO one-half less than
their male competitors receive for corresponding
labor. Various reasons are assigned by employers
for this Distinction and It IS not probable that
THE BALLOT,
precable difference woman favor SO long as
these objections are raised and maintained.
1t is asserted that as saleswomen they are In
ferior TO men IN urbanity and accommodating quail
ties, and ladies' prefer to deal with the other
rather tnan with their own. AS tradeswomen they
are also said to be mucn more superficial
in the prosecution and performance OF their work
taan men. And this superhciaty Is explained by
the theory Of female education which teaches them
That after attaining certain age they are to become
wives ana mothers and to be supported by men.
Marriage, in snort is the ultimate OF female educa-
tion. Hence women do not engage IN business as
men do--for llfe--and they are not likely to do so
until systems OF education arc so changed that
woman shall be taught that her true sphere IN life Is
TO be "help meet for man and not his toy or has
slave. And II women are ever to stand forth The
political equals of men They must show themselves
independent OF men or their subsistence. This
equality and Independence can only be secured by
women taking trades FOR life and sticking to them
until Death or happy marriage or some other IA
vorable circumstance induces compels change.
Then, should sickness or disaster befall either hus
band or wife. the 0tner will be found q sufficient
mainstay Tor the family. 1t is this
DEPENDENCE OF THE FAIR SEX
upon the stern sex that has enabled men in all ages
and in all lands to Cypress women, and 1t is only
with the advancing progress of the present century
that men have learned to look upon and 10 treat
women some sense their equals
There are OF course some spheres Of human life
ana labor which women can never enter nor become
competitors therein with men. Blacksmiths, gun.
Smiths, horeshoers bficKlayers, masons, carpen-
tiers, plaserers, housesmiths, iron moulder, and
such like, require either muscular strength or con-
ditons of exposure to heat and cold for which wo-
men are united by nature practice and education.
But, without these, there are numerous other call
ings for which they are as eminently qualified as
men, and did tney do their work as well
they should be equally well paid. But
before women can enter many or those occupations
In competition with men certain preJudices which
now exist against the sex must he removed, and
they must show themselves as competent as men in
those pursuits IN which the sexes are In compe-
tition. Where sucn distinctions and so much COM
petition exists among the sexes wages must remain
low and
MANY TRIALS AND MUCH SUFFERING
must be the lot OF ALL And this is especially true OF
the Intelligent class OF females who, within q
year or two past, have sought employment at the
hands OF the Union, and who can least bear up
against adverse fortune, for many OF them have
heretofore enjoyed not only lives Of plenty but OF
comparative luxury. In Illustration OF the trials OF
this class select a few incidents from the many
that might be cited:-
Mrs. Men, an intelligent and industrious dress
maker, having u consumptlye husband and several
small children. ana who resided IN orchard street,
called at the rooms OF the Union In search of work.
Sne had been unable 10 procure employment Or
to II, and. in conversation with her, 1t was ascer
tanned tnat for more than seven weeks the food OF
the family, daily had consisted OF bread aAd coffee
only.
MEAT THEY HAD NOT TASTED
and MILK butter sugar, or even molasses were lux
uues which they had not INDUCED in and could not
obtain. Special Efforts were made in her case and
employment was promptly secured.
A person OF good address, intelligent aud neatly
attired, made application also for work. She had
been school teacher, but sickness or political indu.
ence had rotated her out OF Office. She mad no
trade. and IL was utterly Impossible for her to pro.
cure employment suited 10 her capacities. Almost
her first words TO the superintendent of the WORK
ingwomen's protective Union were:-
''What am 10 do cannot get work: life has no