New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-05
THE P1RALYSIS or POVERTY.

Mrs. Helen Campbell's articles on the "Pris-
oners of Poverty" have naturally suggested
the anomalous fact of dcarth Of female labor
in the country concidcnt with a plethora i'll
he cities It has naturally been asked why the
workers in the cities who cannot make decent
living do not seek the employment that is wait
ing for them in the rural districts, and some peo-
pie evidently think them pcrvcrsc and unreason-
able because they continue TO struggle on as
they do. Mrs. Campbcls article of to-day, in
fact. meets this kind of argument in showing
that there is a large class of wOrkingwOmcn VINO
arc prevent ed by circumstances from changing
their employment in the manner suggested
Married women with children, and whose hus-
bands do not or cannot support them, form the
majority of this class. They are unable to ac-
cent work which will separate them from their
children. and they must make the best Of what
they can get to do in town. The only way by
which the condition of such wOrkingwomcn can
lie imployel is by the raising of their wages, and
that is an extremely difficult end to compass.
But il is not only the kind Of circumstances
here noted which hinder the relief of the work
ingwomen. Undoubtcdly-to illustrate their real
condtion-thcrc are thousands of them who
have not heard word Of the discussion now
going on about them. This means that the pow
crty in which they live isoates them, and keeps
them alike ignorant of the course Of the world
and of the existence Of any opportunities for
tightening their own burdens. 1t may be said
that even if they know nothing of the means of
obtaining country work, they must certainly
lie aware that ar easier kind of city work than
hev do. namely domestic service, is open to them.
Pcrhaps they do know something OF the so-called
Intelligence Offices: but it does not follow that
they are altogether free TO seek work there, even
surprising that they were, as class, willing TO 90
so. A woman who seeks servants place must
he neatly dressed, or she will have little chance
of success Now one of the miscries OF the work
ingwomen is that as a rule they are unablet Tn buy
decent clothes, consequently "A large percentage
of them could not enter the intelligence Offices
As regards the country it is no doubt true that
prejudice not less than helplcssness, operates
against any change for the better; but this only
shows the demand for missionary work and or
canizing work together and proves the neces-
sity for outside help. not in the form OF charity
but in the form Of such practical assistance In
advice and information as one friend naturally
offers another.
One practical problem presented to the
churches and all philanthropisls is how to bring
together the people in the country who want fc-
male help and the women in the ely who want
a more tolerablc life Whoever undertakes this
problem must be prepared for much trying and
even depressing work. The material to be
moulded is by no means tractablc 1t cannot be
controlled 10y appeals to reason alone. 1t is full
Of caprice, prejudice. the solid conservatism cf
ignorance and prepossessions and antpathlcs
apt TO seem fantastic But it is apparently only
through external help that it can ever he put in
the way to work out It's own dclivcrancc. Res
cue in its own ability there is none. The pressure
under which it exists is far too heavy for the
development of practical ideas The obligation
of emancpatng this element rests upon those
who have knowledge and capacity who have
leisure to think and to act; who have the expert
cncc which teaches them 10 take broad views
and at the same time saves them from rash and
dangerous experiment.. 1t is not charity that is
called for, it is far more oncrous contribution
to civilization. These poor creatures cannot lift
themselves up as they are, but the only way TO
relieve them is TO give them the means of self
help, and organization must do this