Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-05-04
WOMEN IN BUSINESS,
Necessity and Not Choice Is What Place,
Them There.

Them There.
The woman in business is being writ
ten of to such an extent that l should
think she would be tired of reading
about herself She is, in every sense,
the subject of the hour. Never before
has she received such attention. Our
periodicals fairly TEEN with her. The
great success achieved by her are writ
ten of and talked about. The marvel
Gus chances ready and open to her in
the busy world are pointed out. An
audience in large city only a few
evenings ago was, for example, told by
the speaker, that every woman holds
in her hand to-day the key of her own
independence. And that key was
career in the business world. Said this
woman: Literature beckons, art in
vites, every business office says Gomez;
factories are begging for women to
work their looms and turn their
wheels" Then we were told, too, that
ninety per cent of the women who
have gone into business have made sue
cesses far beyond their highest expec-
tations." And the lesson intended to
be drawn by those women who were
not in business was that of go, thou,
and do likewise"
"Well," says some reader 'do you
not believe in all this?" In one sense,
yes; in another, no. I believe heartily
in any written or spoken suggestion or
hint which will point the way for any
woman with whom it is absolutely
necessary to earn her own living-who
must mote that | say must go out and
battle with the world Into the hopes
and life of such one all ofus are ever
ready to enter. believe too, in doing
everything in our power to make the
world of business easier ard pleasanter
for those women who are already in it.
The utmost that we can do for them is
little enough. Woman's path in the
rough working world is hard at its
best, and he or she who can, by pen or
word of mouth, remove one stone from
that path, is in direct touch and spirit
with the highest and noblest type of
modern philanthropy. In these re-
spects / believe in the spirit of the
many articles written, and the count
less addresses delivered, touching the
woman in business, or the chances open
to her who must needs seek living
But there is increasing among us con-
stantly TYPE of woman who is an un-
fortunate outcome of this over-discus-
sion of the woman in business, and
upon her mind it is having disastrous
effect 1t is the young woman-for
she is usually young, often very young,
more's the pity-who seeks business
career, so that she may lie what she
calls independent" AS rule this
young woman comes from home Of
some comfort. But there are brothers
and sisters in the family, and her
father can noG give her as large an
allowance as she thinks she ought to
have; therefore, she wants TO earn it
herself Generally she wants to dress
u little better" and she wants to earn
some extra 'pin-money" for that pur-
pose. Or, there may have been few
sharp words at home, growing out of
some trivial right" which she felt she
was ''old enough to have" and, being
strong-headed, she simply can not
stand it." Some times it is lovers
quarrel, and she has left home to show
"him" that woman can be independ-
ent of man if she wants to be-" At
other times the village or town in
which her parents have comfortable
home has become too contracted She
Graves for city life, and for employ
ment and independent means in the
large city," This kind of girl usually
'can do any~.ing at all" M she
wants is "a chance" But one thing is
certain; she 'is tired of her dull home
life, which is the same, day in and day
out" and she seeks Independence. {"
She wants to cut loose from life of
dependence in The home, and breathe
the freer spirit of independence that a
business career insuresI If you ask her
if it is case of necessity that draws
her to business, she usually flushes up
and resents the imputation of poverty.
She wants independence, that is all;
and with the methods pursued by some
to urge such girl to 60 into business
have no sympathy. Upon this type
OF girl has much evil been wrought by