Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-11-04
Shall Women Have a Chance to
-i Learn Trade? .1a-s.7

Shall Women Have a Chance to
i Learn Trade? .a-sar1
lFrom Theodore Tilton's letter to the ST. Louis
0i-' Labor Congress, Aug. s, 1s7l.1
d If 1 could be iu St. Louis at your meet
ing, 1 would beg hearing in person in
behalf of an idea specially important to
the working classes namely, a re arrange
ment of your crafts, and particularly Of
the finer mechanical pursuits, 90 as to give
to women an equal chance with men to
earn livelihood by we'll paid toll. y,
l believe 10 women. So does every man
who remembers his mother, his sister, or
his wife. Eagerly do I share iu the seuti.
ment that every man should support some
woman-his hearts mate whom he loves,
aud for whom he strives. The chivalry
which makes the strong sex the natural
protector Of the weak runs 10 every true
mans blood. Nor can any one be more
sensitive than l to all the pretty phrases
with which the poets paints and gid it.
But, turning from the poetry of life aud
looking at its prose, see millions Of wo.
men who have no other protectors than
their own womenly selves who have no
other livelihood than they can earn with
their own weary hands; and who have
no other comforts than they can purchase
with their own meagcr wages.
Now, these women to earn money must
learn trades. But in entering trades, they
compete with men; for men are already in
trades-even to the making Of women s
shirts aud children's pinafores. As a con-
sequence men. instead of being their
natural protectors, beeome in reality their
natural enemies. For instance, 10 my own
business, which is printing, know of
bearded and brawny compositors who,
while picking at up their fuger.ends CON-
Portable living at their cases, will redden 10
the face and shatter tho third command
meut in emphasizing the proposition that
women have no natural right to set types.
And yet the swiftest type.setter I ever saw
was woman.
The world is large enough for both sexes
otherwise God would not have set them
both in it. Being in it, aud having both
to fight bravely the battle Of life, they
ought each to help and not to hinder the
other in winning the victory. 1t must be
mean man who would grudge woman
her chance to earn an honest living. What
if that same mans wife should become
widow, or his daughter an orphan, and
what if either or both should be bitterly
forced to work at trade for the sake of
filing their children's hungry mouths?
can fancy that such man would be re-
pentant in his very grave at the remorse-
full recollection Of having closed the gates
Of opportunity to any struggling daughter
Of God.
Suffer me therefore, to say poiutblank
(though l mean no offense by it) that if
the capitalists have hitherto oppressed the
working men, aud this must confess, SO
also the workiug-men have hitherto op-
pressed the working women, aud this you
must confess. Nor confess it only, nor
better it in part. but reform it altogether.
Let the old grievance be now brought to
an end. You are body of noble aud
generous souls. Speak at St. Louis word
that shall gladden. the heart of every wo.
man in America who tolls for her dailv
bread. From the center of the continent
to the boundaries thereof, send out a dec
laration that you will benceforth bid wo.
men cheerful welcome into all your
trades, and add to this the just and broth.
erly pledge that for women as for men
fair days work shall bring fair days
pay. .ilsk 4.. ~. e.
Finally, after having done this justice
to woman after having CALAMITY received
her into the trade of her choice; if then
you cannot bear to see her soiling her white
hands with its CRIME, and you want to get
her out of it, Why, seize the first golden to
marry her out of it-and take my word
for it, she will then graciously leave you
the monopoly oil to yourselves !! 3ip III