Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-22
3aisrfllarreons
Caste Distinctions AneBg WoFkingwo-

1870
Ia there rank. then, in all industrial
pursuits? A tailoress declares that mo
where are the lines of caste more strictly
known than among tailoresses and sewing
girls. Those on ''custom work. and
those on ..sale work" need not necessarily
drawn each other. Here is classified . /
given by one who understands, work, and
aids others in various ways: Employ
ments of working people are either sub
iective or objective: one cannot consort
with another Under the first are includ-
edQ) the stenograper, (2) the newspaper
hack, 81 the type writer, (D those en-
yaged in lite insurance business and in
any sort Of nursing. The second division
embraces D mercantile women. ~
saleswomen, (3) tradeswomen, and ~
servants, who are Pariahs. go to speak, IN
the eyes Of all other workingwomen"
These words plainly indicate wherein lies
the difficulty Of obtaining good domestic
service. Not only is there certain loss
Of personal independence as to hours and
IN GALS. but homework ranks lowest IN the
scale Of honest labor; ambition. uppish-
ness, or aspiration is Of national growth.
The proof reader by universal testimony
ranks highest in the scale OF laborers. for
good proof reading requires not only
an excellent elementary education, but
also an intuitive mind. A copy
reader olten advances to be proof reader,
whereas type-setter seldom or never be-
comes a copy-reader. The most amusing
instance Of drawing the line is seen in the
superbly quiet manner in which the ..l,-
dies" behind the counters at large dry
goods establishments regard the women"
in thread and needle stores and they in
turn look down upon the ''girls" en-
ployed In coufectioners' shop-, and the
still lower kind Of oninium gatheruna
stores always TO be found in the neighbor
hoods Of the poor. They all may stand
upon their feet throughout the day and
sell goods. bat that Is all they hav" in
common, except through incidental chat
itableness. Again, the newspaper hack
work ranges from that Of the regularly
paid LADY contributor on certain sub
iects, to ihat of the "woman" with the
ready vito puff up patent medicines and
do a job in twenty minutes.
In talking with the thinking working
woman one Is struck by the philosophical
terms obtained through processes of imi-
tation and BY imbibing mental atmos-
pheres) which spring as readily to her
lips as do the words ''feeling." ''tone,"
"values." To those Of writers on art. Such
women analyze life, lay down propositions,
premises. and reason from them. Very
often their foundation is weak. One
of them. whose analysis Of the men
tai requisites for different kinds Of
labor was very keen. observed.
There are sensuous and supersensuous
classes. The supersensuous care less
about the technique Of their work, and
fail in execution. but they are capable of
improvement il lofty motives are appealed
to. and are ever ready to encourage the
stumblers; they long to be all they feel.
and their lives are full of strivings and
failures. The sensuous could be repre-
scented by the Irish girls. who don't know,
and don't know that they don't know ;
they are honest and virtuous, but their
tastes aie on n low plane"
The working women are struggling
against the identical limitations within
themselves which philanthropists and be-
levers in social cooperation and those of
notable goodwill in churches have always
felt. These women recognize the power
of mutual aid; they acknowledge that
employers are not individual tyrants. and
that their only chance for freer. happier
life lies not in strikes, but in combinations
backed by public sentiment in favor OF
equal wages for men and women. Then.
the more intelligent daily see the hope
lessness of any such attempt at union, on
account OF the intensity of the caste feel
ing among them; the enjoyments
and occupations of each class are distinct,
the latter being the cause of the former.
Kate u. Wells in December atlantic.