The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-24
WOnAA,s SrHK or WORK.
lts Eninrssr,e-t D-pI", ed Nv walter Bsss.t
us InImlrni to Mun.

| us InIuicnl TO Mnn.
Mr.. Carroll u. Wright missioner Of
Labor. spoke In Washington last week on the
| Industrial Condition OF Women" 1t will bea
surprise to those interested in labor economics
| to learn that his conclusions based on recently
collected data contradict tho generally ac-
| esptsd idea that women are paid less than men
for the same kind Of work.
Mr.. Wright spoke also OF the In huence OF the
| factory system compared with the domestic as
! giving women wider sphere OF action. The
industrial emancipation OF woman may be
followed by her political emanc patton or they
may come together The former he looks upon
as the most important phase In the develop
nient Of the sphere OF women.
By Industrial Emancipation he understood to
be meant the production OF the highest type OF
womanhood, not alone as wage workers, but
In professional careers, By means OF the fac
tory system woman did not supersede man,
bus supplsm ented his efforts. In the year
1S46. Harriet Martineau found In this country
only seven employmonts open to women. To-
day there are many kinds OF remuneratlve em-
ployment which arc open to women, and her
growing prominence In all branches OF trade,
man ufactures. agriculture. and tho professions
impress her intellectually and morally. Mr.
Wright asserted that the morals OF tho wage
workers are equal to those under the old do
nestle system. and the mingl.ng OF the sexes
IN education and in the industries enhanced
the respect for women and in consequence
they occupied higher plane.
As to the compensation OF women In tho
lower ranks OF the employed, the opinion that
women are not paid equal wages with men for
the same work equally we'll done is erroneous.
Woman 10 a new economic factor. Her physi-
cal endurance and education are defective.
and her equipment for life work Is insu 1icient
caused By tho hope that her work will soon DO
interrupted by marriage Mr.. Wright ex-
pressed the opinion that tho industrial de-
velopment inthe future would result in de-
crease In the number OF marriages and an In
crease In the number Of divorces. and would
extend woman o Intellectual opportunities and
establish her absolute social equality.
The best result OF modern tendencies would
be the acknowledgment that woman 10 the
rightful owner Of herself. and is entitled to
recognition. which would bring about pursr.
happier condition In the social world.
With this IN mind It Is interesting to read
Walter Bssart: views on the Sap &c m Of
iand and Ia p the civil Service Ths destroy,
Of men 4. are wlpnnG Al soIE ,hs linz
they can even afford to forgive mo when call
their .ttssn n len to the following littIS sum-
Service III, This number e really small com:
ands OF men not yet turned out. The average
pay Of the women women VII not be greater
the juniors. The average pay OF the men
TUNED out would not have been greater than
Gl50. The saving on 10. 900 clerks Is therefore
E5oO.o0O q year. Splendid H. 1t not? Mean.
time what has become OF tho 10000 mrn1
They have had to find work elsewhere. This
l. not q large country; there H. no half-settled
had to emigrate; Therefore 10000 women
fore 10000 possibe families are not called
into existence. Now. IL. 600 families NAV nv-
erAge 10000 children. The countr5. thsre-
fore, loses the work. brains, productive rover.
hGhtinG power. and eolonizing power Of 4oO0o
men and women"
The one weak point In the argument Ia this.
that according TO the present census in Eng
land with Its discouraglng surplus OF women,
two-thirds OF these possible children" would
probably be girls and II Mr.. Besant's id"as
were carried out thoY would not he either
productive power or lighting power. OF auV-
thing else but pauperiZed burden upon the
oom monweath OF men. When the day dawUs
that every man In the world is sel:-rup-
porting throughout his II 70, whom every
self supporting man takes unto him-
self wife to share his means, then there may
re little necessity for women 10 do auGht hut
woman-crowded little isle Of England. rhe's
less these million too many women coult meet
somewhere in mdoeean with the million too
mnnI men In this country. and set up a new
Utopia where every woman should have
hard working, God-fearing. devoted husband
TO take OF her.