The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-28
LOVELY WOMAN O|GESTfD
The New Variety of the Sex Is
LearnedIy Discussed
AT THE NEW SUNSET CLUB
1, E. Mosher, R. W. Poindexter and
Judge Graft Read Papers
The Former Quotes Statistics to Prove That
Women Are Crowdng Men to the Wall
in Certain EmpIoyments
AT THE NEW SUNSET CLUB

her bad, was placed upon the gridiron
and thoroughly disseot,d by the IN embers
of the Sunset club in the white and gold
banquet room OF the Hoffman cafe last
night The refresh ments both solid and
LIQUID we're as usual OF the most perfect
epicurean order and annotated the men,
tai portion of the feast.
Three papers were thoroughly digested
during the evening, Mr.. l.. Il. Mosher
leading in the discussion.
Mr.. Moshers argument was to the effect
that the new woman was gradually driv
ing the new man out OF certain employ
ments where the members OF both sexes
have come into competition. His figures
and tables collected for the occasion, more
than bore him out in his arguments. His
was the principal paper submitted dur
ing the discussion.
In controversion of the view OF Mr..
Mosher. r. W. Pendleton read a paper of
which the following is part:
In considering the influence of the So
called coming woman on the industrial
questions and pursuits in our country,
it is difficult to select few enough points
to condense an argument, or even clear
statement, into ive-miute paper. 1t is
not necessary in this discussion to look
hey ond the present. The coming woman
is already here; and although she may
be mere numerous n few years than
now. there Is but little TO be added to the
fire. edom enjoys today. The only i'm
portant question yet undecided. which
prevents the female mem srs of the COM
munity from enjoying the full liberty
lad IN hotv &c hn riph nf
suffrage; and that question is out OF or
der tonight. No fair-minded man VIII o
possesses the feeling Of loyalty and re-
spect which all good women command
would be willing to curtail the liberty of
any woman in any field of work she may
inconsistent with the dignity and mod
esty which we all feel should character
ize every mem per OF the genter sex.
We may lay down the broad PROPOSE
ton that the work of the world is stead
lily increasing; and that it cannot be &C
complish ed by the same mum Der OF peo
pie who could do it thousand. or even
a hundred, years ago; and instead of
wishing to curtail tho liberty of women
in entering new fields of industrial work,
we should recognize the fact that tue in
dustrial work of today in the United
States of America could not be lone prop
erly at all without the help of women.
N
mands OF modern civilization with the
simplified condition of affairs in other
days will convince any one OF the sound.
ness of the foregoing statement.
1t has been found in many departments
OF work that women are better fitted than
men for the duties required. Take for
illustration the hello girl in the tele-
phone office. with whom we all so often
find fault. The patient and close atten
ton required in that work is far better
done by the average woman than 1t
would be by the average man. And in
many departments of telegraphy the
work is such that it can be done by the
deft fingers and bright minds of women
as we'll as by men.
Is there anv reason why men should
feel that their fields of work have been
invaded in any one of the great modern
discoveries because women are doing
some of the necessary office work con-
nected with it.
Can anyone show that the wages OF
men have been materially reduced by the
share women are taking IN the work
above referred to?
AS women have become emancipated
from the narrow sphere which environed
them century ago, new fields OF work
have been opened, especially adapted to
their ability and strength. When it was
found that girls could fill positions IN
offices as stenographers. typewriters,
bookkeepers and cashiers without losing
their dignity or modesty, the doors to
these positions were opened to them and
we have crown accustomed to seeing
them do much of the work that formerly
was done by men alone.
The statistical tables furnished in Mr..
Mosher's article are both interesting and
instructive, but they do not prove that
the entrance of women into these various
departments of industry has been such
prfa 90 ~ nj Il
trial depression as he would lead us to
infer.
The requirements of modern civiliza.
tion and the mode of life in these days
have so radically changed IN the last cen.
fury that the exterior life of the world
has been pletely revolut ionized
How much would 1t improve matters
if all the positions filed today by women
were suddenly vacated and the places filled
by men?
In:that case the women who are now
supporting not only themselves but in
many cases whole families, would be
thrown back to their old places of abso-
lutte dependence on man for their daily
subsistence; would this pc desirable. OIL
would il produce any material benefit tc
the majority OF men Ill the community
Women must live as we'll as men and it
is very doubtful il the condition of m en-
would be improved if women were shut
plying today.
believe as rule women make better
use Of the money they earn than men do
and can therefore omplsh as much
with the SIS salary as many men could
with 500 salary l believe there is fal
more m ouey wasted, or used for purely
unnecessary and selfish qualifications by
wage-earners among msn than by wage
earners among women Furthermore.
believe his TT BILE of statistics is mislead-
ing.
In order to prove from it that the
country has been injured by the entrance
of 80 many women into the various fields
OF industry he must show that the mum
Der of men employed in the different oe-
partments mentioned in his table, were
less, in proportion to the population in
1890 than in 1880. He must show fur
ther, that the total amount of wages
earned by these men in 1890 was less, in
proportion to the whole numb so EN-.
ployed, than it was in 1880.
II he can, that the average of wages. Of
the average family OF wdge-earnsrs in
America was less in 1890 tnan it was in
1856; and eyensif he finds this to be the
case he must show. if possible. how
much OF this decrease was due to the en-
trance OF women into the various de-
psrtments which he mentions, and what
proportion was due to other Causes.
arm ready to grant for the sake of ar
gument, that wages in Offices. and. per-
haps in many other directions, have been
lessened on account of the competition
Of women; but, while that Is the case,
new and wider fields of work have
men Ut brain and muscle, where the re-
wards are infinitely greater than in the
contracted spheres of keeping accounts
or measuring tape.