The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-10-02
IN EUROPE AND IN AMERICA

On the Continent, many fields Of labor
are open to women. They manage large
shops, and have hotels of their own, are
in railway offices, government employ,
etc. In Paris, where the streets are
swept every morning, aud water turned
through the cutters thoroughly to
cleanse them, the work is all done by
women. In Antwerp, the women sell
fruit and vegetables. In Bavaria wom-
en- macadamize the streets aud saw
wood with their husbands in front of
rich mansions. In Italy, however, the
men seem above sharing in such com
mon work. They drive the fine white
oxen so common there, and the women
hold the plow. All through the Tyrol
the men ride on little donkeys, and the
women walk meekly beside them, car
rying huge packs upon their backs
One does not wonder that the woman Of
China believe that, il they are good at
death, they will reappear on earth in
the form Of men. Frenchwomen are
excellent in business matters. They are
very fond Of their children, economical
anl well dressed. Their management
OF affairs amounts to a talent. The
father OF the family is often only a day
bOarder, aud that without pay. The
traveller who furnishes all this informa-
tion thus describes the position held by
men: "On settling the bill OF our party
one evening in Paris, preparatory for
the early morning train, as madame
was busy, we paid her husband. Sew
enty-five cents were TO be returned TO US
in change. Without a shadow Of
chagrin, he informed US that, as he had
no money, his wife would make it right
before our departure"
1t is claimed that European women
"take no Interest in politics, being
engrosssd with domestic Affairs
In America It has not heretofore
been supposed that domestic cares
included cleaning and macadam-
iziug the streets, flushing the sewers,
saving wood, carrying burdens, tilling
2
the land, etc. 10 Europe it Is also pre-
sumed that women, being laborers, are
not capable OF understanding political
matters. In this country there are very,
very many Journals which justly hold
up the honest typical farmer as the rock
on which the hope Of a secure republic
can government hangs. But in Europe,
because large portion Of the farm work
is done by women, it is claimed that
the country folk are the unintelligent
classes. II matters not under what
circumstances women live, pretexts are
found to claim that they are not capable
Of intelligent government. Here the
specious plea is put up that women are
supported and protected by men, that
men represent them, and that enfran-
ehising women will only increase the
volume OF votes without changing re-
suits and convictions and in Europe,
where the cry Of protection and support
would have even less truth than here,
il is asserted that the industrious wom-
en- are not capable OF intelligently exer-
clsing the franchise. The man who had
TO ask his wife for change had nothing
to DO but study politics and vote; but
here, II a woman is idle, her husband
and men generally will not give her the
credit Of even knowing enough to make
sensible choice Of candidates. The
r,onuor in vshfeh .rnrnou ora frnofaH n %,
the two continents is illustrated by the
saying OF boys, in some Of the games
which boys alone comprehend, "Even,
1 win; odd, you lose"