The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-12-31
mot RAISED TO WORK. y

We find, under this head, an article
in the Albany Democrat, setting forth
the case of destitute immigrant fam
lily in that city in this wise:
We are told that some of the members of the
Albany Ladies' Aid Society, having been in
formed that a certain immigrant family in the
vicinity Of this city were in destitute circum-
stances. called at the house and found a full
grown young man perched on stool, squeak
ing out harmony from an old fiddle, and three
or four big husky girls out on the floor with
their partners. dancing with the vigor Of Modoc
Indians. The girls all belonged TO the destitute
family, and upon the charitable lady callers
informing their mother that they were willing
to assist in finding honest employment for the
girls, at good wages, the mother reared back on
her offended dignity, and loftily informed the
ladies that " her girls were not raised to work
out, and she wouldn't allow them tol"
This account is supplemented by the
declaration that this woman is but a
sample of thousands of more conspicu-
Gus cases. More than this, the author
deplores the fact that many women en-
tertain the idea that paid labor is de-
grading, and he actually goes so far as
to assert that this is false idea, and
should be done away with as soon as
possible. What, o, what is to become
of the idea that women should be kept
within the sacred precincts of home if
the erewhile defenders of the faith"
thus advocate throwing them upon
has e
sublime sentiment that "women are
supported and protected by men," if the
nOisiest trumpeters thereof thus double
upon their track and declare that
women should be self-sustaining Is
not the mother here snbjeeted TO such
oevrre censure, following in the beaten
path commended by all who oppose
equal rights, teaching her daughters
the doctrine of dependence, instilling
meanwhile into their minds the in
tensely wOmanIy (?) idea that they are
to fold their hands in do-nothing help
lessness, and wait with what patience
they may for husbands to appear upon
the scene and bear them away to life
time of service without salary? The
girls referred to were evidently pos
.sessed of some native energy, which not
all of their conventional training con-
cerning the doctrines of "woman's
sphere" could quite subdue, and were
perhaps excusable under the circum-
stances for ''dancing with the vigor of
Modoc Indians"
An editor who loses no opportunity to
cast opprobrium upon a movement
which has done so much toward abol-
ishing the cardinal idea of the nonen-
tity Of women, and proposes to rest not
until women are thrown upon their own
responsibility, their individuality and
political equality acknowledged, should
certainly be the last person to censure
an outgrowth of a system he SO valiant
ly upholds.
To show how utterly inconsistent
some of our opponents can be, let us
quote further from the article referred
to:
Many women entertain the idea that the sex
is degraded by paid work-that to do anything
for money is TO remove the person who does it
into a lower state of "society." That this feel
ing exists may be evidenced every day, and
that it is a false should be taught as fast as
possible. Certain women have, it is true, made
so distinct mark in the world for themselves
that they have the proud consciousness that
people welcome them for their works sake
though their work is paid for; and partly
through the influence OF their example work is
now beginning to be regarded here and there
as worthy OF IJs nIre, even If done by women.
For our own part we can't see why a man
should be respected for his honest labor, while
a woman is degraded. This is a false and per-
nicious error OF the great fraud and sham
called society" and is the very bane and
curse Of this Western empire, where every
man-and most women-must be the architects
of their own fortunes.
How does this gleam of sense tally
with the following slur upon women,
found elsewhere in the Journal quoted
Mrs. Livermore says that marriage and
home are not all that a woman wants. That is
just right. They would want something more
If they were in heaven-probably want to fly
down ana snow their azure robes.
Mrs. Livermore is one of the women
who have, Notwithstanding the flippant
slurs Of narrow-minded, intolerant
men, "made so distinct mark in the
world for themselves as to have the
proud consciousness that people well
come them for their works sake"
Slurs, ridicule, and innuendoes are
alike lost upon those who have risen,
despite of them, to dignity, place, and
power, but fear of these things is what
keeps Thousands of less conspicuous
women in the position of pensioners
upon the grudged bounty of men.
We repeat again, those who are op-
posed to the social and political equality
of women should be the last ones to
complain of their helplessness, or grudge
them support, which they "toil with
dark and crooked reasoning" to prove