The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-16
WOMEN'S LABOR QUESTION.

lrtE ARA entirely dependent on lhnir personal
efforts ri tha maintenance of themselves and
holplnsa families ilnt tlfn fnw IinlIa pf indua
TRY arceaeiha tn ihn aos havo hoon over
crowded With competitors.
Aadn FROM mcnaI Tabor school teaching
and noodle work have long hnou tho principal
reliance IL working women iii ihn South The
stlingnnry If thn imna and tha rpI,prtnUi
tina Of grntnitnns instruction which, tla pub
~ schools AFFORD. havn operated together te
,iutlermlna tho intelnats NJ iho classes rnrau
Ing thrao rainEa. swelling tho ranks vt the
ono with thr aurrlus or thn uthnr There II
No longnr any demand fnr i"nrIinra auI tho
young etunnt who studios and TOLLS tn III
linrsnlf TT il,at profession II nnt |ikoIy to ne
tHin much more substantial reward thnl
tIn satisfaction arising from the pnaanaain
and contemplation ~ Il Diploma. There nrc
qualified tonchria here who Givn live ~ NJ y
hnura instruction daily TO amall olnesns al
children f,r fifty ncnts. and one dollar lar
month far naeh aehNar The class dependent
Ill thn noodle "a, u whole nr partial support
hna been augmented w. nlnmnuta too n,lnn,-
eua. miscellaneous and antngunia'ic To admit
any ,lcgrnn ~ equity or unanmity into It's
ayRtrm Rivalry haa eliminated III Il regular
war fur employment. aud tho battle, though
not always With thn strong IA often with tho
cunning and nnaerupuinua.
Nn" If the results of this strife H. OF course
~ lnnliuo In the rates ef remuneration. In thia
city thnr" nrh laiins IN aasF circumstances
who take In sowing often from thnir own
snrvnuta. expressly for the purpose nr pro
curing money With which to purchase tinerv
tlltil time being tf iittlo Importance they can
afford tn seI very low price upon ~. and tho
poor snwing woman, thu mother nf suffering
children, psrhapa. with avery nneN 10 supply.
must appraisa her precious mnmnnta at tho
Same ~ 4 lower figure III nr't"r a. secure pat
rnnagn This ia hul nnn W. ihn imn"dmentz
to success IN tho path ut n scanEtraas. So
mnagle ID tits compensation pf hct labor In
ihs which would snam to hn her most
Congpnial industry. THAT III valun ~ under
estimated IN every ~ lSr. ~ inA1nIuatc, in
aoed is the appreciation " ihn labor VI
women that oven when fairly ahilcI IL II
placed nn par with thn Crlldrest ctft,lti of tito
uthcr anS. A conversation recently hell in
n ator" with u aapahln saNawoman. about
thirty ynnlS, of age. revealed the tart that she
waA worIing from ! O'clock IN the morning
until IL latn huur in tho evening far - por
wnell 4 ttiia mono than tln wages ST the
GRAND boy. foultnNn ynars old. In thn same
establishments
Tho Aesttuion attendant upon this etate"f
affairs must hc tamntnianG. fnl II u NOT tho
'.hnrrnt povNtN' III iumhln. TtuuitnI indus
try bui want III its m,as dangerous aapcet,
llell With discouraged effort. dnaralrins AMI
hn9pntatn
III vtrw ur thos, facts. thn attention ST HUI
mann anI thoughtful pNopla #hhulc IN drawn
in tho unhappy situation az women here Autl
their III most ,nlearcrs solicited tn amcnratr
tho condition ~ thNse Victims " An unlini
and mistaken policy, tpr such must be tho
system which t0irlacs IL recognizes the claims
ot the suffering and oppressed, aHl " ton pre-
judiced to utilize 80 powerful AMI mtsnpplio'
IN nNant na tho agErngata ST tnmain labor,
This assistance cannot hh n1nra ni1efluallN
rendered than by attacking thn prejudice
which haf1l,A women In tho pursuit nf Tnmu,
uelative cuploynent. Iho aSignnrina Of the
hour the interests of society dnmand IT,.
Ihrrn ARC Idle hands which work alone. more
potent than preaching. rnu restrain tTnm
elim,. nistlircrtei energies. Witch training
and rCrninprn4C may redeem from friNolit v
" wlpkrineSs. angui@hng faculties which
sympathy and cnpnniaEamNnt +honi re@ruN
FROM heeiina and extinction. Integrity of
character. dignity ~ wpnanhnol. are not hy
any moana abstract iinaa. hut areIunlite,
havinN actual and conscious nxstHncn In ihc
AROMA 81 tho mind, like other human attri-
hutes they may be said e. have two fold
nature. and while religion and culture I'M
douhtpily atrnngthan and develop them. ~
intimate, In tho union ot tho enIpnrcnl With the
spiritual through All thu phases nf or hoing
thew cannot generally ha sustained 81 sentt-
mont alone. thnr vitality Ia blended with that
Ut tho elements Of tho physical fabric and do
ponds on more material nnni4hment In the
sa1ue ratio as ON visible lto aud its "nndi-
tiona Improve ITO noi. alao. our mor'tI tone" I'LL
trlIiE nnre and breeding
Occupations hithNrtp dnharrod to women
ahnuli hts opCuni "a them. and opportunities
thus multiplied far thrii becoming srlf sup
porting ana Respectable for thMn u no raw
spnctahlity III 4 81 lte pf helptssnns+ and dr-
pnnirnen ~ opposed Is tho divine intention,
The very first woman whom God GRATED was
placed III thu world ~ ncnt II necessity. u
supply II mood III short 70 be useful ana
marty AL Adam er rtNir an Ahrl, H not callNi
Ia hrnat herself OH tile wheel of sacrifice,
there arc honors ami duties not lass exalted
which should he within tho reach 1T alI
Exactly into what professions and trades
women should hoAdmitini La now, t. n great
extent matter for consideration aud export
ment. ami II IL not within the scope Nf this
nrti ,le 10 treat th" subject in detail. IL ap-
pears. however. =" bc plain proposition TINT
where work ia not heyond u woman y
strength III capacity, and she is @0lic1ons to
engage II II. thetr rar, hn no valid objection
to hi. doing WY.
X ~ urged that II tlln nvooatipns now mo-
nopolissI Nv nlnn were opened IN tins colupc-
tttnu of tcmaln lahnr tho result would be
depreciation 81 the value of labor IN general
entaiting suffering and loss On that scX upon
whom tho turdnn ST the support " families
IL NOW declared 10 depend. suppose fpr ?
moment that this ia trrN hY what process
of reasoning 1a W.T. convtna~ ourselves that K
Il right amt Iust tn sacrifice the interests 81 4
largo proportion of tho working population
of the country Ia tine convenience ald profit
Ut tile rtNHint!cr3 This l. exercising tho
rpyHi pral0gatiya vi the lords Of creation
with u venEranee Ii II Ivy no means. how
eyHr, an tmpattial View OF the case, tabor
ought always 10 command ill., value and sell :
protective Associations should detiua aud
maintain IL rights. where its price Is height