The Portland daily press., 1882-10-19
"A. w.

voice of the mocker in my ears
"Write me threnody, Julia Ward Howe,''
was preiudiced against the pre- dent, but
found her An excellent presiding officer, and
her happy suggestions and anecdotes such as
| that of the Chinese professor 10, reminded me
| of that most graceful and easy president who
honored SO many pleasant assemblies, George
T. Davis.
One of the most striking things about the
meetings was the great quietnde obtained. The
doors were not allowed to slam, nobody was
moving around, and the telegraph boys who
came in with scrupulous care, seemed like pro-
fame intruders. Instead of all talking at once,
according to the often-repeated idea of women's
assemblies, the audience all listened.
A general impression seems to have obtained
among people who did not attend that these
were woman-suffrage meetings, but that sab
ject was scarcely touched upon. The employ
ment Of women was prominent subject, and
that is one that commends itself to all. They
wrestled seriously and intelligently with the
| problem of why women cannot succeed in all
employments as we'll as men, and demonstrate
ed that it is owing largely to heredity and lack
of training, both of which time and rsrsever-
anee will overcome, as is already shown by
striking examples. The meeting ITSELF in the
admirable way in which it was conducted, IL
Illustrated one point in the problem.
Miss Eastman said that after long search she
had found but one place where women were
paid the same price as mon for the same work,
and that was an oyster-packing house in Balti-
more. In many workshops of Maine women
are employed on piece work at the same rates,
although it results in the men generally TAX
ing more difficult labor at higher rates. Among
the agents of the Associated Press in Maine
are two ladies, Mrs. Agnes c. Paul, at Fort
Fairfield, and Mrs. Fannie x. Hamilton at
Old Orchard, who do excellent work, and are
paid at the same rates as other agents. At this
very convention much of the reporting was
done by women, and very well done. The re-
ports of the private sessions were all furnished
by the secretary, and they were published very
widely. The surplus of women seeking easy
and simple employmerts must keep their
wages down until the market is relieved by
their fitting themselves for the higher branches.
There is one point about the work of women
which may merit their attention. In work
shops, when woman finds something difficult,
she generally calls upon man or boy to help
her. The boy accepts the admission of superb
Gritty and steps to the 'front.' When it is a mat
ter Of disentangling thread, of tightening a
screw, or anything but a question of bodily
strength this need not be, and it probably
arises from habit, but the result is that the en-
ployer naturally looks to the boy for foreman
and not to the girl.
do not see how the championship of the
Chinaman is to help the advancement of wo-
men. Although Mics Eastman triumphantly
claimed that the Chinaman is superior to the
Anglo-Saxon, yet she must admit that the Ko-
mans found our ancestors treating women
with respect and veneration markedly differ
ing from the rest of the world, and from that
results to-day the fact that Anglo-Saxon VIC
men are taking these positions; while, on the
other hand, it YVES expressly stated that Chi
nese women are mere slaves whose highest am
bition is to be men in future existence. II
Angle-Saxons are supplanted by the Superior
race will the coming woman be exalted2
Again, the Chinsman takes the place of wom-
81 vsSpFyaRts aga They Hh iga
by women. They will run sewing machines
in shea shops and suspender factories, they
will set type. they will do the folding in binder
les, they will spin in the cotton factories;
when the Chinaman comes in, woman must go
first. 1t may be for the best; it may be the
survival of the fttest, but it looks dubious.
Edward Everett Hale happily hits off the spir-
it of New England philanthropy where he de-
scribes two New England professors going to
hunt up the City of Brass, dissolve the seal of
Solomon and release the genii and slumber-
ing inhabitants, who, though desperately
wicked were still entitled to the glorious boon
OF freedom. very pretty mess they made of
it and got torn in pieces for their pains-but
they knew more. The Emperor valens did q
kindly deed when he received the whole ma
ton of the Cloths into the Empire. Bnt af-
ter they had killed him and his army, and raw
aged the provinces it looked imprudent.
The thing which received the most commen-
dation from the critics, was the rendering of
Maria Mitchell's paper, and that struck me as
the very worst thing of all. 1t had curfew-
ill-not,ring-tonight Jingle to it, as the horse
editor would say, which was sngularly untitled
to the subject. A very bright lady said to me,
Maria Mitchell would go crazy if she heard
that given in that way. She would read it
straight through like manp'
II am afraid you are not radical enough for
this company" said II.
80, yes I am,' she replied, "but there are
men-and men!
That is Just the Keynote to the convention
We say thing is manly when it is direct tor.
chile, earnest and true. The trait may be mas
culine or feminine, but we recognize and ad-
mire it whenever we see it. These ladies wish
to have women learn to do things in that way,
and when they do there will be no question
about sex. They will succeed as did Queen
Hat-a-su, Zenobia, Joan of Arc, Florence
Nightingale and Harriet Beecher Stowe.
think the prejudices which many men
hold against women usurping the trades and
professions will gradually give way. While
the father may fear that the competition may
be more difficult for his son, he cannot but re-
joce at the thought that his daughter may
have an honorable career opened to her, SO
that she shall not be forced into an uncongen
ial marriage to secure a home of her own.
Wealth cannot always secure real home for q
daughter Neither can her marriage always
Tighten the care of the father. 1 have a friend
who sometimes sits overwhelmed with brood
ing care. When ask, Why SO distraught? he
says he is worrying about his future son-in-law,
and how he shall support him. Now his daugh-
ter is but baby, but his fears are reasonable.
But by the time his daughter grows up he may
be able to teach her his profession and render
her independent. Then again, it is serious
thing for young man to undertake the sup.
port OF family with no capital and great pos
siblitie1. But if he can marry woman with
a profession as lucrative as his own, the par
ents would gladly have them marry young, and
say, "Bless you my children" Can any tell
why women do not carry on more of the retail
shops? They have the monopoly of the mil
linery business, and are generally successful
There are plenty of them serving the necessary
apprenticeship as bookkeepers, saleswomen
and even buyers Is it not partly because girls
who can command capital to start with do not
learn the business? Will not the agitation of
the question lead to change in that regard in
the future, 80 that it may be as creditable to
place daughter in shop as son?
At any rate hope another meeting of this
kind will be met with open sympathy. That
men and women will fill the hall and see what
nj M bouo IN COW Thau xool -.