The New York herald., 1876-12-24
"GIvE THE WOMEN A CHANCE"
AN ADVOCATE OF EQUAL RIGHTS DEFENDS HER
SELF.


To THE EprroR THE HERALp:-
Ny communication entitled ..Givc the Average
Woman a Chance, /" published In the HERALD few
days snce appears certain quarters to have been
misunderstood daily paper discussing II at length
in editorial states that 'its greatest mistake Is
the idea that person, whether man or woman, who
has TO earn living and support family can set out
in lie with the design OF getting certain KING OF
employ yment and refusing work at all II that fails .
Now such smistakeo is promulgated in the COM
munication referred 10. 1t IS nowhere claimed that
because u woman cannot get position in government
she shall refuse 10 accept any other position
that may be offered. All that Is claimed is that a
obtain position in the civil service
OF her country is afforded a
What aim is to open source of employment for a
very large class OF women-women who are reduced
from aiiiuence TO poverty-a class already numbered
by thousands peculiar civilization is adding
hugely to the number yearly. The woman thrown on
her from childhood does prepare herself
for future as all men are prepared; but there is
class OF women, educated and capable. who are, un-
fortunately, not reared to any work. ! refer to the
daughters and wives OF rich men. They often
thrown upon the world alone and have make a liv-
ing. They willing to work. but they naturally
volt at menia service and are, indeed, as little pre-
pared for such service as Tor any other Government
cerkships require special training; they require
certain amount OF tact and education, possessed
equally by these women as by men. Men so INTO these
Offices US ignorant OF their details as are women. The
Treasury clerks At Washington are not previously pre-
pared tor their work
There must be place provided for these women.
They should brou ght into forced compct ton
with tradeswomcn factory operatives. The latter
excellent III their and deserving all respect.
but theirs should way distinct and apart IRON the
world Is wide enough Tor all grades OF men-why
should II not be rooiny enough Tor all grades OF
women
The man Of average education does not dream OF be-
coming day aborer or a servant Why, then, should
a woman oi average education be compelled 10 starve
or 10 accept work severe and less pay than that 0!
the poorest male aborer OF the dayy
We are also told that already the labor market is
guted; that there are more men who need employ
ment than there are empoyments for men, This does
alter tho great fact that Whatever the state OF the
labor mart may DO, women have tho same rights 10
share all its chances as the men.
But leaving my critic Tor awhile, let me here appeal
through the columns OF the HERALD to the q re-
public OF women who and who must be by interest
aud sympathy concerned in any question which
vtally Affects women Let me appeal to them to exert
themselves constantly IN this cause. II IS the inertia
of woman that retards her Independence. She does
comparatively nothing. She sits with folded hands
ana listens TO the unthnkng and the preudced crowd
around her. which insists that she has nothing TO do
ana really she seems TO prefer The empty courlesies
which men pay TO her sex to tho honest oner OF
equal work. Ahl gallants bow on the prone made
ana smile in the paror may be OF consideration to
the woman who has the world ut her feet. but they
will not be worth a moments thought when Ieels
the world cutching at her hungry throat.
In the course OF its comments upon my letter the
morning journal already quoted utters these words
..In relation TO tho average woman, who seeks a self
supporting position she must give up the hope OF be-
coming the mistress Of mans heart and home and
soute basphemy against womanly nature, and what
stale cant, tool Just as II woman, because she
works, must not marry just us II the earning hon
and Independent living untitled woman for loving
and for being loved; just II the more worthy
woman Is OF mans respect the less claim she has
mans affection! Such suggestion as TINS admits Of
indignation, Mr.. Editor. but not OF argument.
Again. the remark is made that the average woman
who seeks or obtains sesupporting position must
'.nng aside all womanly sensivcness about what her
neighbors will say Oi her." Really she must do moth
ing Of tho sort She should, II possible, BIO cir
cumspect In her conduct, more dcsirous OF the good
opinioh OF the little world in which she moves
However, spite OF all the errors into which the
critic has fallen in the course OF his criticism, my
deserves tho thanks OF every woman Tor his
candid confession at the conclusion OF The article
that woman is qucker to learn, ncaer IN her habits
and less prone TO tho vices that cndangcr business
tnan the average man, Surely this Is much any
woman herself can claim for her SEX and agsuredy II
is more than sufficient TO establish her right to ut
least an equality OF opportunity with man to obtain
this very work Tor which she Is thus prc-cminenty
adapted sButn says this editorial critic s.whateve
woman can bring the same influences TO bear her
favor that procures government position to man
wil, without doubt, be admitted TO the pubic crlb'
Very true; but how can Il woman bring the same In
huenccs 10 bear in her favor Tor government posi-
lion or any other position as man. less, like man,
sue mas u vote! pause lor u reply iSluceTey WISH
that | could answer this question III such way
would preclude the necessity OF women voting tor
female politician, as such, nave always woman like,
detestcd from my very soul All my life long have
secuted the idea OF voting; but experience
bitter teacher, and It has set me thinking II has
forced me TO ask myself very pertinent and very
practical questions
Why Is II that women, like men, are admitted to
civil cerKships at Washngtong Why do men hold
Official clerkships all over the rest OF the country
while women do noty Is II not because have
votes and women have noncy
leading politician OF this city said to me the other
day, ''WOman's right TO labor ought 10 receive
attention than IL has yet attracted and that womans
claims to equal rights in work were just. But, you
see,n he addcd apologetcav, ''what can we dol
These are times when politics supreme, and
women, you know, have no political existence And
then he shrugged his shoulders expressvely. An
other candidy confessed that II the present chaotic
crisis the best that do after 100 years Of
trial IL "was time for the women to try their hand"
Really have heretofore never advocated woman's
voting for many reasons. have been opposed TO II;
but it Is better certainly to vote than 10 s,arvc Even
the most refined female will confess that 1t is quite
wunanly 10 20 to The polls TO 60 10 the poor
house, and IL VIC cannot have equal opporu mites of
employ ment-equal rights with mcn--witLout the
vote, then all women must say, 'Give us the vote j"
The thinking women oil the world aroused, and the
woman probem is the great coming problem. 1t Will
be TO the politician OF the generation what the
slavery agitation has been TO the present The
will become n more important political element
isfactory tho woman question will be 'the party OF
the future" Mrs HUGH L. BRlNKLEY.