Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-09-25
Women as Economists.

NAL question occupy at present the at
tention of various correspondents OF
one of the Chicago papers. The Trib
une of that city takes up the subject ed
itorially and expresses the opinion
which, in these times at least, will be
everywhere recognized as inst, that
economy is the main pivot upon which
the success OF every household turns,
and that its study and practice are not
beneath the attentions of any lady.
Upon this question DIR. Lorenz Won
Stein, one of the most eminent of the
Austrian political economists, has re-
Gently made some admirable sugges
tions in lecture to the German stu
dents in that city upon woman in the
Sphere of National Economy" which
are worthy of reproduction III discussing
this important question, although his
statistical theories are somewhat at va
rance with American practice and
American management of the house
hold finances. Won Stein divides the
entire family income into two distinct
parts. The first, which depends entire
ly upon business and capital, belongs
to the husband. The second part, which
pertains to household economy, he sub
divides into six parts -Four OF these
including that part of the income to be
devoted TO the dwelling, the standing
wants, such as dress, light, fire and SER
wants, the expense of sickness, death IN
nn1 tinn and a narfaIn
sum set apart as the family savlngs-box
for the subsequent benefit OF the chill
dren, are to be under the Immediate Ju-
rsdiction of husband and wife together.
The wife alone has sole charge OF the
other two parts, which include the dai-
ly and weekly expenses Of hodsekeep-
ing. lie thereupon demands that the
wife, who thus has charge of one-third
of the lite-economy and an equal iuris-
diction in the other two-thrds, shall
make the closest possible estimation OF
all items of expense and of the prices
and quantities of commodities. Upon
this point and its importance he says:
"It is more important that girls
should know how much family with
an income of twelve hundred or twenty
four hundred tlorins should spend on
flour and meat, turnips and sugar, than
how much nitrogen and oxygen enter
into their coinpostion-most important
for them to know how much it costs to
feed lamp during winter, and how
much clothing and washing the house
hold needs; or how much fuel is requr.
ed TO cook for five persons. With this
supervision over the expenses under
her charge, the wife is to have the care
of the house and see that all things are
in order, and nothing is wasted or lost"
The good sense and sound philoso-
ply of these suggestions are not to be
controverted. While true culture is
graceful ard to be desired in woman,
and while such women as Mrs. Somer-
vile in mathematics, Mrs. Hemaus i'll
poetry, and Jenny Lind in music, have
not found their accomplishments incOn-
sistent with true womanly character,
yet the study of economy is as dignliied
and valuable as any other. Culture in
It's ordinary sense among females who
aspire to be considered literary, such as
acquaintance with the secondhand learn
ing Of periodicals, aud miscellaneous
prose and poetry, does not deserve the
name, and is a species of intellectual
dragging and excitement which is most
generally found combined with impoten-
cy i'll every department Of usefulness
The female pretendcr to literature,
ornament and fashion never made
prosperous or happy home. Where
the useful and the ornamental can be
combined in the proportion to increase
the moral and material welfare Of
household it is of course TO be desired.
1t has been lately mentioned that the
young ladies residing in certain town
in Kentucky have signed an agreement
to the effect that they will not purchase
any article to be used in making up
wearing apparel which will cost more
than twenty-five cents per yard, and
that they will Ge economical i'll other
matters. 1t is hardly to be suppos-
ed that this example will be gen
orally initiated. Perhaps, However, the
men would have better right to COM
plain if they would give up some OF their
own unnecessary expenses. There are
two sides to the picture, and it is quite
conceivable that as much money is ex-
pended by men in cigars, wines, sup
pers, fast horses, and other masculine
tastes, as by women in outward adorn-
meut. a correspondent Of the New
York Evening Post, who undertakes to
show that the extravaganza of women
in dress is not as great as usually repre-
sented, says that for the year ending
June 80, 1872, (that being the latest
yearly report accessible to the writer.)
the value of dress and piece goods was
$2O,29j,25l; fancy goods, *5,l39, ,7S5;
making total value of silk, dress and
piece, and fancy goods of s25,435,o3G.
In the State of New York, i'll 1870,
there were 1902, 2,2l0 women more than
eighteen years old, aud the value of all
silk goods and fancy goods per capita
to the women of that State alone was
only S15 81; and TO 250,000 women the
amount per capita is only about 800.
Take all the white women more than
eighteen years Of age in the United
States, and the value OF all impcrtations
of silks, laces, velyets and feathers DC,
is only about So per capita. How
much the liquor and tobacco consumed
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