, 1874-04-05
Replies to Mrs. Wynkoop's Arti-
cIes.
Why Sewing Is 1ll-Pnfd-..Sone SuE-
rehtious TO Working-W0ncn.


with 8 scowling face, discovers some trifing
omission, and makes it the pre:ense for deduct
ing something from the miserable pittance she
has earned. The poor woman goes sway weep
ing; aud, when the curtain rises again. it dis
closes room, "amall but neat, With numerous
children, who cannot have any milk with their
bread, because the wicked man, ETC., ETC., etc.
Now, all this is pathetic enough. It has no
doubt its prototype in real life. God forbid that
l should make it tho subject of pu1poselcsa
satire.
How our tender. childish hearts b1ed, how hot
our indignation grow, over the story. Since Ne
heard it, however, some Of Us have come to ma
ture years. We hope our hearts are not less
tender, and that our heads are wiser
aud. through observation and the exercise OF
some reconnaissance,
We HAVE FOUND THAT
employers do not, as rule, 0ppreBs their en-
ployes out of pure diabolism.
That it is necessary to do business upon busi-
ness principles.
That the supply Of any kind OF labor always
regulates, and must porforce regulate, the price
paid for that labor.
That no man Will pay 81 for piece of work
he can get done for 81.
That when superauity OF labor exists in any
department, the wages for that particular kind
of work will be low.
That this law is as inevitably operative as the
law that water will rise to its level, and no
higher.
That in spite OF the wretched wages paid to
women who sew for the shops. more than
enough women can alWSJ8 bo found TO- do the
work at the prices paid.
That now. for years and years, women have
paraisted, and do still persist in crowding this
one avenue to livelihood, in face Of the fact
that there is demand for labor in many othc1
departments which the supply does not eauaL
When this sn1rQNful STORY Of the sewing
woman is told, tnefe is always IN lntlrnation
that somebody is to blame. The inference is,
that Society aud the employer are coujointy re-
spoasible.
Now, Society haa plenty Of sins to answer for.
Indirectly, in several ways, it Is responsible ior
tho present status OF things pc: example: So
ciety is responsible for tho notion that it Is 8
more refined and ladyAke employment to run
sewing-machine than to make bed, or cook a
dinner, or grow Strawberries. But
VIE MUsT NOT MAKE SOCIETY TILE scAPEGoAT
of our individual shortcomings. Moreover, 1t Is
the part Of common sense--which in these mat
ters is far more serviceab1e than sentimentalism
TO take things Us they are. Il sowing Is u
paid do something . else Desi"ss Snn q eeT. h.nd
actually pursued BY women. They count up to
the hundreds. But, without the figures, one can
sec how numerous they are. l don't propose
Ell enonch the past winter. One or more Of the
girls have told uB frankly that they prefer to
spend the long, u~pald, weary hours N eeWins
to working in anybody's kitchen. The chief
reason, I have Observed, is, that the seW1ng-glrl
Is free on Sunday and in the evening. Ergo, It
ia better to work ten long, weary hours for !
cents an hour !-six days, for ten hours day.
earning $2.40, out Of which ale must pay her
board than to scrub, and wash, and cook, ior
STA week, and three comfortable meals day
Af 1~1% nm
or two in the evening! will not stay to de-
monstrate what believe to be the fact, that the
average bouse-seryant has many leisure hours
in the week as the Average saving -woman We
will Let it pass that it is
GREAT DEAL MORE GESTEEL
to starye on 81 cents day thau to fare sumptu-
ously as "n1enial." What want to suggest
is. that there a.e some other things to be done
in the world besides sewing. There are children
to be taken care of; there are slck people to oe
uuEsed; there is fine laundry-work to DO done ;
there arc shops to be tended, schools to be
taught, types to be sot newspapers to be folded.
photographs to be colored. There is hardly any
thing manufactured or put up for the market
| which docs not require at some stage woman
hand Some OF these things are, unfortunately,
also "menial." Many Of them are, dare say,
oyercrowded- But some OF them ottar 3 TO
muneratiye field to the willing Worker. HOW
hard it is to find good nurse; and, when tound,
does she not charge 9l5 "ook lot ner @ servlcesf
lleAI- i4a! NV NJ t1~"*eo-t 49,
know d woman who does tho houseworh for .
family Of five, and earns from - to Slz week
There il tho neglected.
ALMOST VACANT, FIELD OF HoRT1crITohE:
Women can do most of the work IN green,
house, OF garden. Let me also suggest that
| cabbages pay; that tomatoes, and cucu1nbers,
and radishes, and string beans do not go peg
pipg in the market. TO be suro one cannot be
agenteel" The chignon and train must be sac
riced corsets put or and gymnastic suit on; on
eet sun-burned But, it is nowhere, except in
Sensational novels, that men admire thln white
fingers, pale complexions, and slender figures
| pIImpuesy. 1oundness, enlbonpoini the hue OF
perfect health, carry of the palm the world over.
But MI this is vain. II woman sews for
livelihood, depend upon 1t II 10 because sno nasa
reason, or fancles she has one, tor preferriug it.
Let any lady talk with one OF these ovorworked
poorly-fed girls !; let her suggest any ono OF .
| hnudred alternatives which occur to her,-and
win either be Ga honss RI reison Rs SeS ~ bs
run 1r tRe ncrsnn in question cannot do any
One Of tue other things suggested.