The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-24
WOMAN AND HER SPHERE.

HERALD readers know that the recent
annual meeting of the Woman's Suffrage
association at Washington developed a re-
vival of interest in woman's work both of
political and economical character. A
special committee of the Senate is about to
! report female suffrage amendment to the
constitution, though it is doubtful if it can
pass either House, and almost certain that
1t cannot become law. Yet it shows
yearning that will not be repressed, nor is
1t desirable that it should be.
The increasing participation of women in
| the active work and business of life is one
of the most interesting features of this
wonderful age. 1t is difficult to say
whether 1t is due to the woman's rights
movement begun some forty years ago, or
has been brought about by the sheer pres
sure of the necessities of civilization.
Women are cheaper producers than men;
they will do the same work for less money
and do it quite as well. In manufacturing,
machines do the chief work, and the de-
mand is not so much for muscular strength
as for skillful manipulation, and patient,
automatic movement. In this field of effort
women and girls are quite as efficient as
men. When the manufactures of Lowell
In Massachusetts, began to attract atten-
ton, forty years ago, IL was remarked as a
curiosity that farmers daughters
of New England were employed
in the mills and factories; but
what was considered a curiosity then has
now become fixed feature in our indus
trial life, and in many manufactures
women are the only operatives. Ten years
ago there were not quite 100000 females
employed in such vocations in Massachu-
: sets. Now the number is more than three
times as many, or one-fourth of the total
female population of the state.
The entrance Of women into fields OF
work which were monopohzed by men, and
for whose duties men alone were supposed
to be fitted, has certainly been advanta
geous to the sex. 1t has lifted women
from the position of dependence on then
' fathers, brothers, husbands and friends
g and given them an opportunity, which they
t diligently improve, of earning their own liv
ing, and thanks to nobody. But ii must be
confessed it has been attended with some
disadvantages Households have suffered
Even the immigrant girls who, en- theiI
c arrival in this country, are not fitted FOL
: anything but domestic service, soon grow
: impatient Of it, and seek opportunities t
exchange it for shop work or factory
6uties-cnd from one end Of the land to tht
: other, there is complaint Of scarcity o
domestic help.
4; 1t has been suggested that remedy TO
the trouble may be found in a sort of re
u taliation. AS women have invaded the do
main Of men anG pushed them from thei
places, men, it is declared, will have TO in
Il wade the domain of women, and, withou
d pushing them from their places, TAX
the places they have abdicated, l
u would lcok like a arrangement of tn
proper order of things for Americans, lik
the Chinese, TO become family cooks, hous
, servants. washers and ironers; but Deces
- sity sets all proprieties at defiance, and
may become necessary to submit to this
81 Tie household is the beginning of society
the starting point of civilization, and t
!, allow it to suffer would be like invitin
disaster to the whole social structure. TIL
world generally finds a remedy for its IL
l. dustrial wants, and it will probably dis
cover one for the inadequate supply of dc
); nestle help. Let the ELIZABETH CAD
STATIONS and SUSAN b. ANTHoNYs solv
~ this question, and the gift of suffrage I
womankind will not be too great compeI
- sation for the service.