The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-04-24

what depths of squalid poverty and
wretched discomfort hosts of women have
been reduced who were reared to luxury
and accustomed to the loving, tender So
licitude offriends. These, untitled to buff
fet the waves of adversity, which they
never expected to encounter, finding
themselves confronted by life's stern re-
alities, are forced to enter the ranks as
Iaborers. But where shall they begin T?
What shall they do? Would you know?
Then enter that magnificent structure,
on whose imposing front appears in
attractive letters, "Boot and Shoe Man
ufactory" Pause not OH the first floor,
where novelty of design and exquisite
ness of Workmanship everywhere
claim attention, nor yet on the next,
where goods of less pretentious appear
ance await purchases, but on to the
third, fourth or fifth story, where,
-crowded in dusty, dark, il-ventilated
rooms, with nothing to enliven the
gloom and scarce a ray of sunlight to
cheer their hearts, hundreds of ill-fed,
overworked women toll from six O'Clock
in the morning till nine at night for
scarce enough to sustain life and shield
them from the jnclemencies of the
weather, while the children of many of
them roam uncared for on the street;
and If perchance in retraeing your steps
your eyes rest on the rows of spruce
clerks below who revel in broadcloth
and jewelry, and sport kid gloves and
fancy canes, just ask yourselves in all
eandor why the women do the drudgery
and men fll the light, pleasant positions
the first fora mere pittance, the last for
munificent salary? Visit next yOn
clothing emporium. Here you will see
only men occupying the sales depart
ment, and acting as overseers; but If you
choose to investigate you will find, as
before, in darkest, gloomiest rooms, an
army of women whose lives are wasting
away under the unendurable weight,
not so much of overwork as of under
pay. Thus you may pass from one
mandatory to another, and everywhere
find women toiling harder than the
men in the same establishments, and
receiving insolent rebuffs more fire.
quentIy than dimes; and tell me why il
is so, if not that the proprietors, emu
lous of Influence and power in the land
pander to those who can secure them the
coveted good, while they take NEAR
advantage of the helplessness and ne
cessities Of those who can give only
labor in return for gold
Why is it that in factories the clerk.
and overseers are all men, while the
operators on those cumbrous, noisy
looms and the performers of all dirty
disagreeable work are women-why
but the owners have respect for the in.
fluenee as we'll as the labor of men
while women possess only the ability tc
labor.
In the present restricted condition OF
house servants, it is well that Cinnamon
and inventive genius have driven most of
our girls from an employment, which
must tend to degrade them mentally and
morally. Thanks TO the Chinaman +.
All honor to Inventive genius! In view
of this the real condition of the masses
of our women, what wonder that many
whose taste for the beautiful in dress
aud adornment has been cultivated to
the detriment of every moral eonsidera-
tion should, as Sheridan says, "be called
away by particular business, but leave
their characters behind them"
One familiar objection to giving
women the ballot is that they cannot
fight, and unless they WELD the sword
, they must not vote. This has alway:
appeared to me too insipid for even pass
ing notice, but as some may attach
greater Importance to it than / do We
D will notice it here.
First-Was every legal voter called
r into active service during the late civi
T war? If so, what about that substitute
business, which was carried on in suct
a lively manner? What of the mel
who sat in the Senate and Legislative
! halls? What of preachers, teachers
D doctors, lawyers, merchants and trades.
men, who were never once missed from
\ their accustomed places? What weep
ons of warfare did they use, and wha
enemy slay in battle2 What of sutler
I and others who followed the troops t.
I make money, but took care to keel
4 aloof from any any encounter? Wha
# of chaplains and hospital nurses ,? II
: this last many brave women proves
themselves of inestimable value to tn
Y nation, though their names may neve
! appear among those of Der heroes
) Who can tell how many lives wer
: saved to their country and their fami
t lies by woman's tender care and deli
: cate attentions? Women there were
# and not few, who willingly sacrifices
r ease, comfort, health; and even life itseli
a in the arduous duties of caring for tn
: sick; duties which methinks max
: equally as noble a sacrifice as if they ha
y fallen while spilling a brothers blood
IT One instances: A lady, (whose three chi
Ie dren-a daughter and two sons-ha
d been early left to her entire support b
It a worthless, drunken father, who ha
d labored necessarily sometimes teaching
sometimes sewing, that she might SUI
te ply to them the place Of both parent
y on seeing her eldest son, mere boz
D. and her young. .son-in-law enlist in IL
p Sixth Maine Regiment, determined
It accompany then, 10 the .scane OF. actin