Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-07
EMPLOYMENT FOR WOMEN.

A Strong Feeling Against the Competi-
tion of Women in Mems Work.
From the constant and various express
sions of opinion made public through the
medium of the press and other agencies it
would appear that the feeling with regard
to the modern admittance of women into
any and every class of industry is both very
divided and very strong And to the per
sonally disinterested and unbiased mind
perhaps each individual or body of thinkers
has a seeming right for the view and man.
ner in which they regard this new and
growing order of things. for in this as in
all social questions there are so many
points to be considered, so many phases of
each position to be viewed, that it becomes
almost an impossibility to form a definite
yet fair opinion, or to arrive at any one
true and just conclusion.
For ourselves, we are inclined to think
there must be few who can heartily con-
cur that it is an unmitigated good which
sends our women out into the world to
compete and vie with man in condi-
tiOns which, up to the present, have
been exclusively his own. No amount
of reasoning as to the respective or
equal capabilities and endowments of
men and women can altogether take
away the feeling and natural instinct
which tells us that woman's sphere and
environments should be more especially, if
not exclusively, those of the home. But
unfortunately the luxury of retirement,
the sanctity of home, is not the birthright
and heritage of all our women-far from
it; and to treat of the present position of
our sisters as being theirs entirely by
choice is both unreasonable and unjust.
Only u woman herself cen know what
10, ,,f
are compelled to thrust themselves for
ward into public or conspicuous notice
Men are complaining of women's competi.
tion and rivalry; but it will the more oft
en- be found that it is those very men who
so complain who are the last to do any
thing practically toward preventing even
their own sisters from being thrown upon
their feminine resources. II under exist
ing circumstances men are finding it diff
cult to support a wife only, how much less
able must they be to further provide for
helpless maiden relatives. To open some
forms Of industry and to close others to
the necessarily self dependent woman is un-
fair, as shutting her out from perhaps the
very sphere in which her talents and ca
pacities would earn the highest value and
award. .
To fear her competition certainly savors
of cowardice and lack of dignity, and as
long as woman asks and expects no favor
in the contest she can scarcely be accused
of seeking to oust man from his original
and before undisputed place in life's econ
omy. To many Ghis side by side competi-
tion of the sexes must be a matter of re-
gret, for in the very nature of things
woman must lose as much, if not more,
than she gains-lose, too, in those very ele-
ments which most ennoble and enrich her
namely, modesty, gentleness, refinement
and the educating of that which pertains
to the heart rather than to the head. But
if necessity compels-and necessity has no
law"-she cannot be blamed for conditions
which are not of her own choice or seek
ing. 1t has been said that woman's capa
bilities for self dependence have had much
to do with the deplored diminution of the
marriage state, but that should be re,
garded MS an unqualified good rather than
as an evil.
The cry against "the higher education"
is an entirely needless one, at any rate on
this score of marriage, and the familiar
quotation that advanced women don't
marry" is of very doubtful truth, for any
woman, be she advanced" or otherwise,
will be found willing to marry the man
who can touch and satisfy her heart. Yes,
euucatlon ieaVeS WOMAN woman Stlll,
and no amount of training in intellect or
brain can or will ever suffice to her for the
neglect or ignoring of her yet greater ca
pacity of heart and of feeling.
AS long rs our sisters even on the very
pinnacle of fame are compelled to be true
to their nature and to their own hearts,
we need not fear that either public posi-
tion or the earning of an honest livelihood
will ever hayefthe power to do them seri-
GUS hurt or to unfit them for the happier
sphere in the future hearts and homes of
those who may love them-Montreal Star