, 1874-11-29
A Grand Feminine Onslaught Upon
the Rev. hlr. C0llyer.
Indignant Ladies' "Go for Him " on the
Subject Of "Poor-Houses."
English Servants and American House
keepers-Aot Time to
Do "Carm."



the Fair Sex.
Why Do Not American Women G.
into Domestic Service.
70 the Editor ef The Chicago 15i1une:'
SlR: Some time ngo, in trying to max
women out OF work understand that could nc
help them, said that, if we're SO situated.
should go into domestic service, and advise
them to do SO. I think that no ono who know
n1o doubts that, in such case would do as
have ea1d; bnt once knew philosopher VIII
WAS wont to Say, "Some people differ from othe
people," and this indicates that some people &C
differently from other people in HE circum
stances; aud, as the question Of work to
women iB Of too much importance to DO lghtl,
dismissed, and as each one has some right O
choice. We may not measure all by ono pattern
and set aside the claims Of those Who are lonso
or shorter than the standard Ho is no states
man who would tcsisate for q people irrespcct
i've Of their peculiar characteristics no philan'
t1ropist who would aid them regardless Of thoir
tastes To the philosopher, nothing is moro TN.
Reasoning and unreasonable than Caste yet he
cannot disregard 1t. for he knows that
IT RULES TIE WORLD.
Say that men are starving in India, and that
british statesmen and p1ilanthropists wish to aid
them. Can they do this by sending over ship
loads Of bread, biscuit, and canned meats? Az
suredly not, for they know that these men Ill
perish miserably rather than eat the cooked food
Of Christian, and so lose their caste. So their
Christian bencfactors send them whole grain.
Tens Of thousands Of American women aro per-
ishiug, eoul and body, for want Of paying work.
Snail American statesmen and phlIanthropists
say to them, "Come into our kitchens!" when
they know that. to do this they would lose caste;
and. for their REFUSAL leave them without assist
euce?
We are told that American men do any kind OF
work, why not American women2 This is
mistake. American men will keep merchants
books, sell his goods and deliver them, take care
Of and drive th8 horses used in his business,
handle mis- boxes sweep his store and the pave
ment in front Of it, wash his store-windows and
clean his bottles; they viii drive the omnibus
or Etreet-car in which lie goes to and returns
from business but they will not drive his pri-
vAte carriage, will not clean windows or pave
ments in front Of his dwelling, will not cook his
dinner, Or wait behind his chair while he eata it.
More to the point in this case, they will not 60
down his area-Eteps, into bis kitchen, to hunt
wives. Now, the preachers md other good and
wise men, tell us that it is the bounden duty 6!
all women to be wives and mothe,s but how
can they be, without husbands? And, if Ameri-
can women go into Kitchens, and American men
Will not follow them there,
HOW ABE THEY TO 11AnRY2
Moreover. to be successful as domestic ser
want. q woman muEt have good, stout waist d
pair Ut rough. strong hands, aud substantial
feet,-th1ee requisites to which American lcen
have an especial aversion 80 that one who in
si=ts on American women hiring out to do house
wo,k simply urges them to accept life of ceub-
acy, which should be glad to see them do if
they would be happy in 1t !; but that large class
Of people who teach that love is woman's life
are very Inconsistent and unreasonable in asking
them to accept occupations which would cut
them or from the hope Of having families Of
their own. Some may dispute my position that
snail waist, delicate hanoH, aud compressed feet
unfit a woman for houseWu1k, and point to the
tens Of thousands who work, in their husbands
houses. sixteen OF eighteen hours day; and
point them to the tens Of thousands OF Ameri-
can women and children who fill premature
graves. The Irish emigrant sat on the stle and
waited for his Mary, whom he must have in the
ehurchyard, with her baby on her breast; but |
the American mothers who are so laid away as |
direct consequence Of the oyerta1,ng of their |!
crippled and distorted bodies may be counted bv |
the thousands. The perils Of the birth and care |
OF children. to American women, caused By those |
d1sdgu1enents wh'ch are necessary to please !
American men, are now more than equal to those |
Of tho battle-held. Would it be wise to add to |
thoeo peri1B By the strain Of hard work before /
marriage, even If that work did not cut OF the |
hope Of marriage?
Our girls are brought up like hot-house plants,
Gnblect to my accident which may break the |
walls OF tioir giass-prisons; and, this morning, |
thousands OF them are shlyering like butterflies
caught IN au autumn-etorm. It ia easy for m |
old beetle to say what she would don their place
ou- they are not beetles. Shall they be held re-
eponslbe Tor that system of caste which is na-
eionai. which stamps personal service Us menial |
and bar to promorioa7 We have had q rail-
ephtter Tor PRESIDENT; but his wife was a gen
tleman's daughter. accustomed, from infancy. to
ease and elegance. No private coacbman expecta
70 nave lis annual messages read to Congress;
put 10 every woodchopper this is Que Of his posi-
plAt1es. No BcrTont-girl can reasonably e1nect |
to DO the wife OF Member Of Congress but
practically set
TIE SEAL OF 1SFEn1oE11y
On those who engage iu domestic service, vhi1e
professedlY seaching the equality Of all; and 1t
upon the weak. |
American men hare established schools. col
!eees, and universities at cost Of millions and
taxed women for their support. These insttu- |
s.ons .a a1e :esgned to aid young men and boys to
fet away 1ro1, mere manual LABOR and reach the !
Ea1neo professions; while, from most OF them
kHss aud women aro excluded. The land |
Is luil Of workshops in which any boy can
. yarn trade, 1t no II uadesuu!on have any obiec-
uon; but what provision is made for teaching |
6..s 10 bo efhclent laborera in any one depart
ment n Of the worlds work7 Would be Wong
.ncompesency? Would men gcnerally be c. connie @
tent tn 'apo1eia Il left TO pick up knowledge Of
tr tie ana there little. as girls generally do?
Il :" Education forms the common mind 81
Why do ne not educate our glrls to soma hand;-
erals or profession by which they can ret liy-
1n% Aud, it is the duty Of the State ar |
people to do this, why should an institution for
east e1 object te branded as an eieemosynary
easaolishment? Are our colleges pud mi.
;a cinities designed for paupees Are our hotels.
1'nas noor hnd owned BY joint stock companies,
poof,houses ~ They are not generally so es.
c;s,a e;etaso; yet when the Ladies' Educationa So
ing house se 70 ia sts5t h;s board
d1nnSas.ions Do n for less money than they now
sshed iaea m;cst iodsings, and in which those who
nat r,a nn t,'a aaey could earn living. they wers
,.an. Sn tIe threshold Of their enternrise hr tw
nopaar opa ciergymen, both educated in iostn, ;me
sumption that their efforts Would fstar ".tn ens as
es'n the assertion that their proposos paupes
.,. WOULD BE \ roon- -HousE"i A'Ae4