The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-07-01
A REASON FOR DEPRESSION,
The Substitution of the Female
tor the Male Worker.
A Novel View of the Cause for In
dustrial Reyerses.
The Revolt OF Women From the Dom
instton of Man, and What 1t
Portends for tho Home and
Humanity.

Tor the present industrial depression,
little or no prominence has been given
to that which, in the opinion OF the
writer. is one OF its prime causes, and
which seems most likely to prove most
lasting in its effScts-the substitution Of
the female for the male worker in many
industries and professions.
During tie latter half OF this century
of grace the leaven which has produced
this change has been most actively
working. out it would be necessary to 20
back full 100 years to trace the begin
ming of the movement which heralded
the revolt OF woman from the ancient
domination oil man, and which has re-
suited in the establishment OF her right
to toll by his side, and bear equally with
him the burden and the heat OF the
day.
The bugle blast that gave warning Of
this uprising came from the lips of Mary
Wollstonecrait, the female William Tell
vino scorned to bow down in reverence
to the head-gear of the tyrant man.
In the year 1892 this lady published
her Vindication of the Rights Of
Women, in which she claimed for her
sex the privilege OF receiving the same
education as man and the right tO COM
pete with him in all the fields OF labor.
She also favored the unriveting of the
chains OF matrimony, which had 80 long
held her unfortunate sisters in bondage.
l. 10 worthy of note that these two
ideas are generally associated, and the
history OF the last quarter OF century
shows that they have advanced with
equal step.
As there were strong men living be-
fore Agamemnon, go doubtless there
we're strong-minded women before Mary
Wolstonecroft, but to her is due the
distinction of having first publicly advo-
Gated the emancipation OF women" at
least in modern times.
But il England gave birth to this Will
berforcs Of the new emancipation, to
America belongs the credit of having
produced its Garrisons and Philiippses,
and these ladies have been earnest WORK.
ers. not content to rest supine and rely
on the justice OF their cause; believing
with the poet that "Who would be free,
themselves must strike the blow" they
have struck manfully Tor womanfully)
and well and now the long struggle is
almost over, opposition has been over
borne and their cause is won. 1t only
remains for the conquetofs TO apportion
tho spoil--to assign 10 man hio place in
the new social system which they have
inaugursted and take to themselves the
stations which may please them best.
Ave femina victrix,
"rnou hastlt now-al,
As the weird woman promised"
Verify che has it all. The privilege OF
the suffrage, it is true, is not vet hers,
but though that civic crown is still be-
yond her reach, it needs but the stretch
ing forth OF the hand to place it within
her grasp. That she does not do 30 is
not on account of the antagonism of
man. but rather it is owing to the hon.
est opposition OF members of her own
sex, or to the lukewarm support given
by those Lacedemonians of the cause
who know not what they want and
stand half doubling, half desiring, die
mayed at their own triumph.
In the meantime all that the suffrage
could give is already hers. The ave-
nues that lead to every profession and
calling are thronged with hurryiug fe.
male forms, like modern Dsphnes fee
Ing from the embraces of the too eeger
sun-god. Only the position is reversed,
they are leaving the shade of retirement
which 30 long has sheltered them, to
bGsk in the beams of the sun of motor
iety. May it not bronze their cheeks!
Avocations which generation ago
were sacred from feminine intrusion
where the kirtle would have been as
much out OF place rs the toga virilis at
the festival Of Bona Dea, are now free to
the competition of woman.
The political platform echoes to her
tread. The pulpit and the halls OF JUS.
tice resound to the treble OF her voice.
The lecturer at the clinic, as he bends
over the mutilated form of his patient to
elucdate the nature OF his injury, marks
her there, full OF eager attention that de-
notes enthusiasm for her chosen pursuit.
That this enthusiasm for the study OF
anatomy from the living model is not
confined TO these fair licentiates was
lately shown by the spectacle of the
bevies of fashionable women who
thronged the aisles OF San Francisco
theater, to inspect the thews and sinews
OF "the perfect man." attired in his ma
tive ioveliness and a yard OF pink ribbon.
Tae office OF the attorney, the banker
or 10 merchant ia no longer properly
eqnipped without her. Everywhere she
IL s1nsrsedng the male worker where
mentai activity or mammal dexteritv
counts Tor more than bodily strength.
This, then, is the reward OF her victory.
But ~ IN the battle OF life, as in other
warfare. there can be no gain without a
corresponding loss, it may be worth
while TO inquire as to the nature OF this
loss and VINO are the sufferers.
Away back in the dark ages--say 80
years ago-before the world was en-
jlghtened by the prophets OF the gospel
oil woman's righta. it WAS thought that
the manifest destiny of the maiden was
matrimony. That she should not leave
her mothers shelterng care until called
upon to assume the guidance OF new
household To keep her unspotted
from the world was the grand desidera-
tum. On the other hand, the youth
was taught to consider it both his duty
and his privilege to provide for both,
and this was easy to do because his only
competitors in the race OF life were sim.
liarly clrcumstanced to himself. Now
we have changed all that. The young
man whom seeking work for his hands TO
do.encounters in the field new rival and
one to whom he needs must WELD; and
the result of this unholy competition ia
disastrous to both 1t ia a case of
house divided against itself, which the
wise man has said cannot stand.
But it la said that woman is to 20 out
into the world as missionary to reform
our bad morals, to lift men out OF the
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