The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-13
BUSINESS WOMEN.
The Subject Becomes One of Discussion.


The Subject Becomes One of Discussion.
l.. s. Gives Her Views.
Editor JT0mda'S Column. Morning Call !:
The pros and cons of the woman In business
subject having arisen for discussion, the
writer finds herself somewhat Unexpectedly
enrolled on the latter side, and is reminded
by the rather caustic if kindly criticism of
an editorial in last Saturdays issue that
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"
However, "ln for penny, in for a
pound" and if not able to refute the argu-
mentS contained i'll the editorial referred to-
she Will at least rise to explain" some of
her own assertions. OF one of these, THE
woman who enters upon business career
usually does so from necessity, not from
choice" it is said: I'VE doubt much if a
better answer could be given. 1t was pre-
ciSely the reason that prompted the query.
1t distinctly defines the difference between
the business man and the business woman.
1t accounts for the fact that women workers
rarely have capital"
Now, why do women workers rarely
have capital?" Is it not because men al
most always hold the purSe-strings, whether
the contents OF that receptacle belong to
them or not? Might appears 10 most men
to be right in this case, aud with all my
worldly woods thee eudow" is, in many in
stances, very meaningless phrase, or ut
tered by the wrong party 10 tue agreemsnt.
The prudent, economical wife sometimes
hnds that the term community property
means something which she little dreamed
of, and that the words ''meum ct tuum"
when interpreted by selfish or spendthrift
husband indicate telescope mine" aud ii
microscopic yours"
Women who have capital" continues
the article, ''do no. work in fields that have
been occupied by men
THEY MAY WORK
AS hard in their own field, but as rule they
take up masculine employment when they
are driven by necessity"
As all fields of employment have been
oren to men from time immemorial, where
VIII She md one unoccupied by masculine
laburerS?
II women have trespassed upon mans do
main III becoming lawyers, doctors, preach
ers and teachers has he not set her the ex-
ample by encr0aching upon her field" and
becoming millner, mantua-maker, cook and
houSemaid?
Women are almost universally Just enough
to admit that men not only acquit them
selves creditaby in all these vacations, bat
that they also often attain a marked degree
OF success; while most men-even the most
generous-give deserved credit grudginglv,
II given at all, to their professional sisters,
however proficient
Vi course, having thus usurped his PROV
ince. she should be crowned upon as "A
woman impudent and mannish grown" or
at best used as an employe, whether she
have capital or be impecunious. We are told
mat they may work as hard In their own
"leld, and right here the query arises.
where is their own feld?" Will our critic
"distinctively define" it, location and its
vocation? Pray let him not tell us that it
is the field Of home duties, for here her
prero gatiVes-if she have Anyway be in
vaded by some masculine ''kitchen artist"
II only in the person of a mild-eyed China
man. Again, after quoting the writer's
words TO the effect that in nine cases out of
ten the married business woman, if sue
cessful, supp lrted worthless husband as
well as herself and children, it is added,
This is hard judgment upon
A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS WOMAN"
1t is certainly hard fate for her, but do
not see the injustice of the assertion as, uu-
fortunately, it is but too often true. "'Tis
true, It's pity, pity tits, It's true" The
question follows, Are nine husbands out of
ten worthless, or is the successful business
woman less capable than her dependent
sister TO pick husband out of a crowd of |
nen?" like that expression "pick hus-
bard out of crowd of men," it is refresh
ing, and so new-so suggestive of the ''pick |
and choose" ability which woman neverthe-
less, rarely INDUCES in, for it is generally |
believed that men are the choOsers-women |
the choseni
How many married women are there who,
II they disclosed the inmUSt secrets of their |
hearts, gave the "open sesame" to the |
T." holy Of holes " within their breasts, told !
the truth, the whole truth and nothing |
but the TRUTH" would be freed to confess |
that while marrying Tom or Dick their
hearts real choice would have been Harry,
he, meanwhile using his iaalienaoIe right
or pIer0gatye and choosing some other
maiden, VINO really preferred Tom or Dick?
Such, howbeit, is only - the IRONY of
N n III pott fiuaA ~, I,,-i
women, as nearly all of bOtn sexes suffer
from It's malign influence. As to the cues
ton, Are nine husbands out of ten worth
less?' l.. 5. not being man-hater. but hay
Ing sincere, unqualified respect for honor
aole, true, loyal manhood wherever found,
emphaticaliy answers Mop Heaven for
bid that such state Of affairs should ever
exist. Woman's fate is hard enough now;
In that event it would be simply unbearable,
and then, indeed, it would be wisdom to
Initiate the Chinese and aid the female in
fants exit from this mortal
VALE OF TEARS"
As soon as she entered upon the scene Ny
assertion, moreover, WAS neither 50 broad
nor sweeping as represented for reference
was made only to the husband of that rara
avis the successful business woman. l, of
Judge from the American stand
point, and. rs rule, the American man, I'M
less physically incaDacitated for labor him.
self, or worthless" strenuously opposes
the entrance of his female relatives upon a
business career AS to the specimen of the
genus homo-uften an educated tramp-who
pursues the unmarried business woman
with an eye TO her establishment" he is
unworthy OF further notice; and she-who
under the circumstances is certainly old
enough to know Detter-scarcely merits
sympathy. In conclusion it is added
These writer's myself and another) ad-
nit not the lnferlOrity Of woman, but a diff
ference between the sexes that women
sometimes Ignore. In our opinion these DIFF
iierent mental and physical qualities must
be considered In fixing the enduring rea-
tons OF the sexes TO each other" AS to the
difference between the sexes" it would be
woman OF strangely perverted perceptions
who denied this truth, while If worthy of
the age in which We live she would as GER
talnly deny the inference of inferiority.
She was created to be mans helpmeet-
that is, rs Webster defines the word. ian
assistant, helper, n companion"-and if
size be true woman is fully competent
mentally and physically, to fulfill all the re-
qulrements OF her position.
The noblest woman" says Wilkie co..
inns, Is only woman after ALL" But is
there anything on earth more noble, more
iioYable than noble woman? When men
learn to understand aud appreciate this
hGbleness at its true worth the enduring
relations Of the sexes" will be established
upon correct basis, and will be as firm
ana stable aud as enduring as are the foun-
datiOns OF our own Mount Hamilton.
San FraHctseo. February. 1891 LIS.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS