The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-12

WOMEN AND WORK.


An Italian writer, slgnor @. Ferrero.
holds that the essential condition of ferni-
nine existence 10 that which he names
..the Law OF non-labor." He holds that u
a. natural law that the man must labor
and struggle to live: that it Is natural law
that the woman should neither labor nor
struggle for a living. Marriage. as found
among the higher animals, Is the per
fscted form Of the division of labor and
mutual cooperation of the sexes
Throughout the animal world the fune-
lions Of male aud female are divided. Sig
nor Ferrero says:
During Matching tirne the male bird
does ali the providing for bis brooiing
mate. At other times her functions IA
seeking food are merely auxiliary. simh-
arly with lion and hyena. The fearful
toll which falls to the savage woman IS
merely passing phase, a very dangerous
alteration, produced by the excessive sell
flshness of man. which does not, aud can
not last long"
The races in which this life OF fearful
toll for woman Is found have remained in
the savage state and made scarcely any
progress. In civilized nations female toll
is not necessary for the production Of the
wealth needed for humanity. "Man alone
could do this. Woman labor only tends 10
lower the marketable value ri male labor.
for. while woman Is working in the fac
tories, there are every where. and especially
In Europe. crowds Of men vainly seeking
employment, 90 whom the cessation Of
work Is an oftrscurrens and terrible evil
This shows that even from sociological
point Of view female labor Is q pasholog-
icRi phenomenon" q
These views are not original with Sig.
Fsrrero, for they have already been set
forth By distinguished Anxrican scien-
list, and have been advocated in England
by Herbert Spencer. Statistics show sn
increased mortality among women and
children In countries whore industrial lite
has pressed mothers into its ranks. BIZ
ology shows us that the physiological
prosperity Of species depends on the di-
vision Of labor between the sexes. Among
other things Sig Ferrero says:
a perfect woman should be a chef
dieavre Of grace and refinement, and TO
this end she must be exempt from toll.
The working woman grows ugly aud loses
her feminine characteTistics. WoKnahiy
grace and the lore which men bear a beau
tifnl woman have. perhaps. been the origin
OF paternal love and of all the other sweet
and tender feelings OF which the maleds
capable. Grace is the aesthetic side of
weakness. Woman. more than man. en-
Joys ell the benefits Of civilization. which,
nevertheless. have been in great part Cac-
quifed by hiIn alone. Man labors and tolls
today Just as be did OF old, and there is
nothing abnormal in this fact, for 1t is ais
positive duty"
Ia support Of this view q vast deal OF
historical testimony might be recited
Certainly the Modest types OF physical
womanhood known TO antiquity we're
found among the ancient Romans and
Germans. who treated the wife asa person
OF great dignity and consequence in The
family, and among whom she was free
from severe labor or degrading toll. In
our Judgment men and women would both
be happier II msn were all educated from
infancy TO understand that ''msn should
labor. while women should euiov civil.
iEation."
II would be better for the moral health
and happiness OF society If every father
educated his boys 10 understand that. uu-
less shey were erippiss or chronic in,
valids, they would receive no property
from his estate: that the boys on reaching
manhood would be expected 90 work
that the family estate, both realty aad
personal property. should be given 70 ia,
mother and the unmarried daughters fol
their suppots aud advantage. In thl,
event there would be good many NOR,
boys "rastliag" With the wofla instead o
waiting until they had spent their In
hentAnoe before they weat seriously q
work. and these would De 8 good many
more girls In comfortable circumstances,
THAI there are today.
The teaching that II 10 the duty OF g.
men who are ab!s-bcdied 10 work bard q
that they may better care for theii
women would help sOeissy 10 . higher
condition Of general physical comfort ane
moral health than Is likely 30 grow out o
the modern habit Of urglng women q
hrsAk her Way into the occupations o.
men. whether In labor or politics.