The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-09-23

A woman who has given much time and
thought TO securing situations for women
was giving what she considers some Of
the main reasons why women's wages are
low.
In the first place." said she, "women
do not do IA satisfactory work as men,"
DO ! understand you TO include all
women in that statement Z" l questioned.
Simply the average class-the women
who are not trained for any one thing, but
who come TO me for help To find some.
places for unskillcd women ut from 50 10
s6 a week, but there are few women who
are fitted 10 take places at from - TO sl2,
and the women who earn more than that
l have very little To do with, AS they are
almost always In positions. Those about
whom know most are saleswomJn, cash
iers, assistant book-keepers, seamstresses
and nurses. In houses where have been
TO try TO place a girl they ask, Can 3
you send me boys' but why not a
girlS' u don't want a girl Have you
ever tried a girli I asked a druggist who
wished "A boy 10 wash bottles. Yes, and
i don't want another why poti
well, II give boy some bottles to wash
and give him a recipe 10 follow, so much
water and such acids or so much soap, the
boy will wash those bottles In exactly the
same way as long AS he has it TO do, but a
then she will guess the rest of the time.
Guessing IL at the bottom Of good
many failures" continued the speaker.
Not long ago met a lady who told me
she must change cooks, for Annie has
begun guessing again. Annie had a
salary OF S35 month. IL Is poor man
cook who does not earn $50, and think
one reason for the disparity in wages Is
that the man weighs his ingredients, while
woman cook will depend on her 'judg-
ment:'
why will you pay a tailor twice as
jacket, IL IL Is not because experience has
taught you that dressmaker will be sure
10 have something wrong caused by lack
OF exactness In measuringf
Then women are less prompt than
men. In n certain store the hour TO report
In the morning is 3 o'clock. After s;l5 the
delinquent Is fined A girl was discharged
for being habitually late. She said she
was not late, for she was there at $40; but
by taking she few minutes grace every
morning she lost her position. There Is
one large store where an extra girl is EN-
ployed for every twenty-five, so many girls
stay away because of sickness. The worst
Of IL is they aren't always sick either,
but overs ep CT don't ieel well. The
eXtIa gIri's wages come of the other
twenty-five, but few girls realize IL.
Then, again, men tell me that while a
man is willing 10 double work In emergen-
cies "a woman will only do what she is paid
10 do. A man will know more about his
stock than woman. IL he handles dress
goods, for example, he will know how
they are made, dyed, etc"
But some women do as as good work
as men, surelyy"
Certainly; and in the cases know of.
they are paid as well, but without going
into causes or remedies, am telling you the
cold facts men meet me with when am In
search of place for some woman out of
employment. IL every woman would give
her undivided attention 10 her work !
think the question of wages would settle
itself, but before the average woman is
bettea paid, she must be better fitted for
her duties. When say these things peo-
pie think am hard, but IL is only that |
have the courage to face what find 10 be
true