The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-12
A FEW WORDS on WOMAN.

A weekly paper has been started in
New York called "The American Wo-
man." which claims that it is devoted
exclusively TO the interests Of women"
our lively contemporary the New York
Sun, derides the idea Of a newspaper
"devotng itself exclusively to the in
teTcsts Of women" for, il argues, the
interests of women are in no way diff
ferent from the interests OF men, and,
by way Of doing a little business, It
argues further that both men and women
will find their interests best subserved
by reading the Sun and the Sun only.
We are not disposed to deny that there
IS profit to both men and women in read
Ing the Sun. though there is much greater
profit TO both i'm confning themselves ex-
clusively to The Times. We are also dis
posed TO think that the true interests Of
women will receive small advantage
from newspapers like "The American
Woman" which will keep its eyes open
wider for opportunities 20 press for p0liti
sions to press upon public attention mat
ters that may be really turned edvanta-
geously to the true account Of women.
The Commercial Bulletin, OF New York,
has collected some facts illustrating the
part taken By women I'm the economy
OF daily life. which are very striking, and
Of which we shall present some this morn
ing to our readers.
The census Of 1870 showed that there
were 3j390O women employed in manu-
features in the United States at that
time, over one million of women and
girls in personal and professional SER
vices. nearly four hundred thousand in
agriculture and nearly twenty thousand
in trade and transportation, or a total OF
1.SO0,O0O in paid occupations. The census
OF 1850 showed 100000 women and girls
I'm professional and personal services, 631, =
600 in manufactures. $4,000 in agriculture.
and nearly 10000 in trade and transporta-
ton, total Of 2,5S5,O0O. The figures Of
the census Of 1880 are not yet accessible
in full, but We know enough Of them 10
know that the employment Of women
has increased in still greater ratio. and
we know enough of them to know that
the tendency is all towards women aban-
doning the kitchen and the farm for the
factory and the shop.
The facts in regard to investments and
ownership Of property are also very in
teresting. 1t is claimed that of the $780,
| 100000 invested in building associations
in the city Of Philadelphia one-third is
contributed by women. II this proportion
held good throughout the country il
would represent something like $500 900 .O)O
Savings bank deposits have nearly dou-
bled in the last decade rising TO the i'm
mense aggregate of SLIGO, 900 900. and some
OF the principal institutions OF this sort
report that more accounts have been
| opened In recent years by women than by
men.
AS long ago as 1850, Of the holders OF
United States bonds 1895 women We're
reported as having Ss0,S53,S5O. while 1922
men had 1920 OF these securities.
1t is the opinion Of the best informed
brokers that all the best diWdend-paying
stocks and securities are owned to a con-
siderable extent by women.
The striking observation connected with
these latter facts is this: The institutions
in which women own these securities are
almost wholly managed by men. Women
substantially own many Of the properties
which the securities represent. but they
seem content TO leave them almost en-
tirely TO the control and management Of
men.
| II is said on effort will be made in
| connection with the WOman's Depart
ment Of the Worlds Fair, at Chicago to
make q fuller and clearer exhibit Of the
/ position OF women in business and nnan-
cial affairs than has ever before been
attempted. This Is wise move. and one
| which will be worth ten thousand times
more. for practical results. than all the
diatribes that women who want to wear