The Iola register., 1889-02-15
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
THE SEAL OF BONDAGE.
The Danger to Free Labor OF the Present
Political Condition Of Women.

Il
Political Condition Of Women.
Workingmen are becoming more and
more generally recognized as an impor-
tant factor in American politics. The
Difference paid by both political parties.
in the late campaign, to workingmen
proves conclusively that they are both
feared and respected. 1t may be said
of them that they hold the balance OF
power in our Government, and If they
were, as a whole. better educated. as they
will be in time, their words and opin-
ions might easily become the supreme
law of the land, and, as rule. it would
probably be wise and just law. One
other provision besides education must
be met, however, before laboring men
can gain SO high a position in the
Nations affairs, viz, American labor
must be made and kept wholly free.
The abolition of African slavery and
the enfranchisement of the black man
elevated American labor to place OF
respect it had never known before.
Since the emancipation proclamation.
labor in our country has been general
ly regarded as relieved from the stigma
of a slave class within its ranks. Yet
many thoughtful people are beginning
to realize that one class of our labor
ers is not ee-workingwomen, whose
legal condition is the greatest menace
to American labor.
To term workingwomen slaves would
not be a sensational nor a sentimental
expression. Compelled by necessity,
in most cases. to earn their bread,
workingwOmen are largely at the
mercy of their employers, who are too
often cruel task-masters, or tyrants of a
baser order. Multiplied evidences of
this fact might be given if they were
necessary. But every thoughtful per-
son knows that to be powerless where
the making and execution of laws are
concerned is to be deprived Of the best
means of self-protection- protection
so essential to every one in a battle
with the world. 1t is this deprivation
of legal power which is filling Siberia
with political exiles, and is keeping the
great body of the people, the men as
well as the women, of despotic nations.
under the dominion of hereditary rulers
and privileged classes. Such depriv-
alton is seal of bondage, as perfect in
its ways as actual slavery.
Space will not permit any further ar
gument here concerning woman's help
lessness under man-made laws. A mat
ter Of still greater Importance demands
general attention at the present time.
The effect of this bondage, where work.
ingwomen are concerned, upon the en-
tire laboring class. can no longer be
safely ignored.
Capitalists know what power there is
in wOrkingman's ballot. They know,
further. that a workingwoman has no
such power. They realize fully that
through this power they are compelled.
directly or indirectly, to give greater
consideration to the interests of their
male than to those of their female en-
ployes, and to pay to the former higher
wages than to the latter for the same
work equally we'll done. This discrimina-
ton on account of sex is the rule in al
most every kind of employment en-
gagged in by both men and women. from
that connected with professional life
to that of the least skilled laborers in
a factory.
The peculiar effect of this unjust dis
elimination may be constantly seen,
and it is surprising that it should be so
constantly overlooked. Not only do
women's lower wages cause suffering to
them, but their woes are shared by the
men, whom they are everywhere to so
great an extent superseding.
Capitalists and corporate bodies nat
urally employ those over whom they
can exercise the most authority and
who will work the cheapest. Women
are therefore slowly but surely crowd
ing out the men from occupations for
which both are equally suited More
than this, woman's lack of law-making
power causes her to be fit subject for
the oppressor. More work is exacted
from her than she ought to perform,
and work. therefore, which should be
distributed among half dozen is often
confined to three or four.
A feeling OF rivalry towards work.
ing-women has blinded most working
men to the cause of these economic
evils. They are apt to regard their CO.
laborers Of the gentler sex as usurpers
and unfair competitors.
The degradation of labor by the ILL
paid work of women is no doubt uni
versally felt in a vague way. Yet the
increasing power of capitalists through
the same means is apparently wholly
unrecognized by the vast majority of
people. A thorough awakening to
these two facts is needed If the bOasted
dignity of American labor is to be
maintained. When the eyes of Ameri-
can men are fully opened to the cause
of many of their troubles and to the
dangers that threaten them from wo-
mans political condition. they will
probably demand that women be
placed upon an equal footing. in every
respect, with themselves. They will
realize how much better it would be to
have women as free rather than as
slave competitors. Mary E. Cardwell.
in indianapolis Journal.
POLITICAL ECONOMY.
The Importance Of its Study to Women Of