Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-11-03

coherent and illogical arraignment of wo.
man, not only in her work, hut in herself
an unmanly, impolitir TRADE, as though the
writer were inspired with only the bascst
sort of sexual prejudice. Some of tie state
ment3 made IN the course of the writer's in
tended argument were simply degrading aud
beneath criticism; rs, for instance, the as
sertion that woman to-day seems to be the
least valuable Of created beings, most of all
in those countries which call themselves
civilized - and that, "oui Of Europe horses
are more valuable than members of the fair
sen"
When II man reasons by inveclivc, and
seeks his arguments from the very lowest
plane of the subject in hand, he writes more
forcibly against himself than any one could
by, refutation of the statements made. Mis-.
Howe in her reply to Mr. Elliott, recognizes
this fact. and with true intellectual shrcwd-
ness, simply calls attention tn the spirit of
her opponents paper, and sets forth some Of
his statements TO refutc themselves, Her re-
futaion of Mr. Elious assertion that wo-
mans competition dcgradcs and impovcrshes
mans work, is almost the only instance
wherein she finds his logic dignifcd enough
for an carnes, reply. This passage is n
model of clear, incsive reasoning ard apt
illustration. After presenting as examples
the innumerablc cases Of women who are
compelled, not only to support themselves,
but often whole families of helpless depend
ants, she asks the question, in what way has
this class Of labor wrongcd sociely-cit 18th
er the employer or the workngman !:
Is it not likely that, under these circum-
stances, with necessity and determination for
incentives woman will produce work to the
full value Of her wages, and probably beyond
| it: This surplus il society's gain. BY
providiug for herself she has saved the cost of
her support to the community in which she
lives. This society also gains. She has also
given to the community the example and in
flucncc fan energetic worker, instead of inn
posing upon it the burden of a dcmoralzed
and demorazng paupcr.
These are strong arguments, from the very
fact that they can be made as statements.
There is no denying them, for they are the
very grounds, which, from different stand
point Mr.. Elliott has made the basis of his
dolcful complaint AS 10 the wages of
women, Mrs. Howe contends that the csti-
mate made by Mr.. Elliott is very imperfect.
But even supposng il TO be entirely correct,
she asks whether it is not true that
much of the greatest work done
for society is Of Il sort that can
not he paid for 1t is not convertible,
and has no representation in monetary terms.
GLOW shall we compute the money value OF
the discovery H America by Columbus, OIL
state in round sum that of the hcroisn OF
a Tell, or Winkelricd, or Washington
Is it not evident that the greatest values Of
human life are such as have no represents
ton In material symbol - This is point
that Mr.. Elliott evidently took no account
Of No one hut woman arguing for wo.
man would have had the insigh, to present
it as Mrs. Howe does
As to the assertion that women step into
p!hc's WHICH 'hcS ARE not 'liailtu I" ilIl,uhu
50 crowd out these whoarc a'urally qualified
10 compete in these departments, Mrs.
Howe sensibly replies that it is quite imag-
Unable that women should sometimes obtain
employment which men would be glad to
secure, and that it may be that they often
mlstak" The measure o. 'h'rr capao''y' as
men DO and seek employment Tor wh'ch lhey
are not ht'ed' bn' inns is one OF ''e '''ls TO
which AL humanity Is heir. "Soclc'N LOOKS
them in the face, hut as every one is wiser
than any one society may be sa'd 10 Kh""
some things which MIR. Elliott does not.
We have said that Mr. Elliott was anything
but manly in The Article to which Mis-. Howe
replies. On the other hand it would be I'M