Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1888-05-26

the assurance that there are hosts OF Waltlng app
cants for similar positions. Sex, not proficiency
is the factor of classification. Women must sup
port themselves, and in the future more than now.
They are more teachable, more flexible, and for
punctuaEty endurance and application, combined
with indomntable perseverance, discretion ana
natural intuition, they are vastly superior 10 tlle
man secretary, bookkeeper or clerk. In all posi-
tons where quiet brain study is more required
than physical strength, women are just as compe-
tent as men. Why is it, and must it continue TO
be the case, then, that capable women, doing the
same work as men in similar positions, receive
compensation of from one-thrd to one-half less,
and yet are considered by their employers as
''well paid?' (The connecting thought, "for
woman" should be added)
It is argued by some that women consider their
work as transient; merely ''brdge to matri-
mony," so to speak, and that as soon as they
have occupied a position long enough to become
valuable they resign and sink into obscurity as
housekeeper for some Adonis. Ii they were paid
adequately for their labor would they be so ready
to resign? No. l think the majority of truly
earnest, competent women would believe as Ham
let says "Better to bear the ills we have than fly
to others that we know not of But as things
are, it is scarcely to be wondered at that girl
who has worked unremttingly for several years,
with the consciousness of having given satisfactory
service and of having received wholly inadequate
remuneration therefor should waver in dlscour-
agement and look with at least relief upon an OPP
portunity to end it forever.
A man of ambition has and is given chance
for promotion and ultimate independence, if he
will but apply himself. Lacking perseverance and
energy, he more often remains at the foot OF the
ladder than he mounts to the top gets even half
way up. Webster said 'There is always room
at the top His utterance was distinctively mas
culine. A woman may 60 so far and no farther.
Her ladder has but one rung. She cannot climb
on air, and the needed rungs are hidden beneath
deep load of prejudice, but from which she will
yet by patient industry drag them, fit them care
mount to the top, if resting place for the base of
her ladder can be obtained. "Certain branches
of business women cannot penetrate" Possibly;
but is it not to be right, just and fair, in those
pursuits she has and may enter, to give her an
equality with the young man at the start, and
allow her equal advancement if time proves her
worthy of it! If woman's services are worth the
same to her employer as those of the man by her
side, should he ignore the fact and perslstenty re-
fuse to recognize her title to an equivalent COM
pensation? If the service is efficient and the
results satisfactory, what matters it whether the
employee be in coats or petti-coats? We none of
us (the reader has doubtless discovered ere
this that the writer of this is not a man)-none of
us work for fun, nor for love- nor for our health
but to make our living. Most of us are not yet
ethereal enough to live upon nothing and still
labor, therefore we must be paid. There is en-
enlargement for the future in the past, but the
oppression of women workers will only cease when
time and an increase of common sense shall erase
the now weaking prejudice existing against women
invading what has been considered mans "exclu-
sive domain" and employers are compelled to see
the justice and recognize the necessity of paying
for actual labor performed, irrespective of sex.
Il Frances M. Fox.