Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-07
AbUUI,
MEMS ABSURD NOTIONS OF FEM
ININE FlNANCIERlN6.
Why Many Women soc ignorant Of Bust
ness-The Mans Fault Entirely.
Husbands Who Put Msrri-
age On a Cash Easis-


capable OF an intelligent idea on the sub1ecl
Of money Ali she can do, they say, is tS
spend it, and she spends 1t SO inju
diciously that 800 are of no more
benefit TO her than 10 ould be- In other
words. they c,ns der her chilJ in finance,
as indeed they do in mot matters and as a
child that viii never grow up o. attain any
mental maturity. Their opin on is CO: rect
as TO many women, perhaps as TO the ma
jori'y though the exceptions are numberlesS
But men never take the ,xcep ions into ae
count, If. in fact, they recognize them They
are very apt to tut the whole sex in one
class and judge of them all alike. Their
wife. sister, daughter. friend. being wo-
man must be copy of every other woman
In respect of qualities, instincts. habi.s and
affections 1t is not poss ble they dogma
tize, 10 teach any woman the proper use OF
money This is altogether untrue. wo-
mans ignorance on this point is owing prin-
eipaIly TO mans neglect or unwillingness to
give her the slightest instruction
Taking it for granted that she can learn
nothing, he never tries TO find out whether
abe Is teachable, but acts as il he had formed
his conclusion after q long series Of unvary-
ing experiences Not one man in hundred
ever takes his wife into his financial conf
dence. or tells her definitely anything about
his business he may inform her that it is
good or bad-if she wants money, il is likely
10 be very had-that he has a thousand
things to attend to; that be is driven to
death, and the like. But these generalities
convey no meaning, nor are they intended
70 She really never knows whe her her
husband is rich or poor, whether his income
Is $50, $40. SO or 5000. From the chance
phrases he drops she infers one day that he
b very prosperous, and the next day that
he is near bankruptcy. Perp'exed and
troubled, she begs Tor some explanation; but
all she gets is: 'TWhat good would it dot
Women can't understand business" The re-
suit is an impenetrable mystery to her mind,
and a conviction Of her perfect helplessness
In any and every attempt to comprehend it
What she Is incessantly told she finally
accepts as true-the natural effect Of mascu-
line dominance and iteration Money be
comes TO her q cabalistic word Il has q
purchasing power, as she is aware but to
what extent she cannot understand At
least she thinks she cannot; for how can she
doubt her husbands perpetual sverment
What Is true of wives is equally true Of
daughters, Of women in all relations They
are kept in such dense ignorance of what
Il they believe there is no special differ
ence between 800 and $500 Why
shouldn't they say, as is often al
leged Of them: "Never mind the money;
II you haven't it give me check; that will
serve my purpose" Not they, but the men
nearest to them are responsible for such de-
plorable lack Of knowledge. and are to be
censured therefor It is the mans duty,
particularly when his income is limited. to
educate the women Of his household firan-
cially. They should be taught the value
and proper use of money; what his circum-
stances are; when they change for better or
for worse; what he can and cannot afford;
above all, the adaptation of means to ends
and g clear sense OF monetary proportion
When this Is done, women are apt to be in
tslltsent concerning money, and careful
about spending it. The set stories of their
extravaganza, Of their plunging husbands or
fathers into debt, of their indifference to
financial consequences are always exagger-
sted, frequently baseless. But whenever
true they are to be directly traced TO the
causes already cited. No woman vino ha,
any affection for q man, or, indeed, any
humanity, viii Willingly drive him into
wreck his life. She is naturally gentle, con-
siderste, sympathetic, overhowing with
senS iity, and to suppose her capable of
deliberately doing what she Is often charged
with would make her demon Man is
usually g kind Of savage compared with her
He never grows so civilized that he may not,
by stress of circumstances, relapse for a
time into barbarism. and yet he would
hardly be guilty Of the monstrosities placed
70 Eer account
How many women handle money more
intelligently than many men dol They
might give them lessons In management and
economy. Instead Of being reckless and
wasteful they are extremely cautious and
discreet TIey can make $1 go as far
as their husbands can 81 They act as
financial advisers, and their advice is of the !
soundest They hold the family together;
they direct its affairs; they prevent financial |
mistakes Many men who can make money |
cannot keep it but their wives or daughters |
can and are therefore intrusted with the |
earnings with excellent result Millionaires |
frequently consult their wives before making |
important investments or entering on big |
enterprises, and the consultations are of |
fsrr,ak - |
who have amassed fortunes have testified |
that they would have remained poor but for |
the constant advice and asst stance of their |
wives. Women Of financial ability, especi- |
ally of remarkable financial management
are to be found in abundance in every |
country. They are SO common in America |
as to attract no attention All of this proves
that they are not deficient in understanding |
Of money, which Is very good, often extra
ordinary, when they are taught to be prac-
ticaL They do not know any more than |
men do, how to draw, or paint, or play on |
instruments, unless they receive some in
struction But who would say that they are |
incapable Of such accomplishments Men |
know what women can do, and do do con-
tinually in monetary matters, when properly |
informes. but the bulk Of them seem likely
to go on declaring to the end of time,
"Women are perfect idiots about money"
Another conspicuous error in regard to
the other sex is that their highest enjoyment
is in money, and that they will be happy as
wives If they only have husbands who will
never complain Of their expenditure. So /
many husbands are ungeuerous to their
wives, complaining Of their extravaganza
whenever they want money. however little.