The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-05
WOMEN AND MONEY.
A General Impression That They
Are Careless with 1t, but II Is
Idle and Cannot be Sustained.

d"llfIndtlNe answer 10 UulS question: IL
unreservedly given by the great ma
jority of men. But, like most an
swers given by men to questions about
women, this one also is incorrect.
Men have abundant opportunity to
judge of women; but they seldom
avail themselves of it. They prefer,
as a rule, to accept the opinions which
they have inherited from their fathers
and grandfathers, which are, so to
speak, in the atmosphere they
breathe. One of these opinions is
that money does women no good;
that they have no understanding OF
it, and cannot be made to have; that
ten dollars serves them practically as
well as a hundred. Such phrases, or
phrases of q like sort, have been re-
peated for generations in every civil
lied country until mere iteration has
grown into the semblance of truth.
All of us are continually hearing
this lingo, SO continually, indeed, that
many Of us scarcely notice it. When
we do notice it, and protest its utter
| ance, because it fails to tally with our
experience, we are apt to be told in a
fiippant tone, s'It is evident that you
know very little about women"
Most men hatter themselves that
they are very wise on this particular
subject. Hardly any of them are;
and they who are the least wise are
naturally very sure of their omnis-
cience.
Many men who are fond of talking
about women's recklessness in regard
to money merely echo others. They
are so convinced OF the theory that
they never give their sisters, wives or
daughters any financial discretion.
Learning what they want, they either
furnish just enough for the purchase,
to pay for it themselves. Thus, as
the women are not trusted with any
surplus, there is no way Of determin-
ing how they might use it. They
must have a chance toplaY the spend
thrift before they a be charged with
the habit.
Some men will get anything for
their wives, and be adverse to giving
them money, beliey ne that, if they
should give it, it would be wasted.
But how is it with men who think
and act otherwise? Do they hold any
such opinions? Do you hear them
babbling about women squandering
money, having what they do not care,
letting money slip through their hand,
in entire ignorance Of what has be-
come of it? Very rarely, if ever.
Such mems testimony is to the exact
contrary. They are free to admit that
a woman is far more careful of money
than they are; that she can make it
go further; can use it generally with
more intelligence and discernInent.
- H. o..A as4.4, - Al.-
notably in New York, the heads of
families are, for the most part, accus-
toned to commit to their wives entire
household affairs. These are the
the home department.; the husband
being SO engrossed in business as to
have no time, even If they had the in
clination, to attend to matters strictly
domestic. The wives often keep bank
accounts of their own, receiving a
certain sum pei month for household
expenses, making deposits, drawing
checks, examining and paying bills,
arranging and settling everything
promptly and Intellectually. How
could they do this if they were care
less of money, without the slightest
comprehension of business, as is so
commonly alleged? The allegation is
specially absurd in the face OF incQp-
trovertible circumstances that prove
directly the opposite.
But are there not women careless of
money? Yes, many; and the cause of
their carelessness is due far less to
themselves than to men who treat
them like children, and then blame
them for not acting like mature,
reasonable creatures. To such men
woman's monetary carelessness is
a foregone conclusion, which
they act on as if it we're
logical beyond questioning. They
never take the slightest pains to in
struct her concerning the value of
money, the means or difficulty of
earning in its relation to labor,
morals and the most important issues
of life. 1t is not needful, of course,
that she should master political
economy; but it is needful that she
should have some degree of financial
intelligence; should be acquainted
with the worth and price of things;
with her fathers, guardians or hus-
bands income, so that she can gauge
her expenses accordingly.
Many and many a oma does not
have any conception of the means of
her nearest kinsmen by blood or
marriage; whether they have So, 900
or $50, 600 a year; whether they
are capitalists or spectators; whether
they are on the tide Of prosperity
or at the lowest ebb of for
tune. And they will not tell her, will
not give her a hint, anxious as she
may be forinformation on the subject.
They keep her in profound darkness.
on the assumption that she cannot see
the light, when all light is studiously
withheld. 1t is doubtless such as she
who furnish the formation of stories.
always greatly exaggerated, about
women who say, II don't want the
money; give me a check why
can't you let me have $50 as we'll as
$5?" II spend very little nowadays, /
usually get credit, etc, etc. If the
stories were rigidly veraeious, women
would hardly be c~ensurable. How
they be expected to show any intelli-
gence on a matter of which they are
kept i'll continuous ignorance.
Women arc frequently accused of
running their fathers and husbands by
willful extravaganza, with an empba-
sis on the adjective. They probably
do assist at their downfall, in repeated
instances not from willfulness, but
from lack of understanding of the
- - A IL .A~AL - nh III ~