New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-09
WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND WAGES.
WILL THE BALLOT HELP WOMEN MORE THAN 1T
DOES MEN,


DOES MEM
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: The women who are agitating the question
OF giving suffrage to women as an argument 10
bring the working women into sympathy with them
the assertion that when women vote all women Will
be employed at increased wages. The falacy OF this
argument is seen in the fact that so many men VINO
are voters are idle. and also In the frequency OF
strikes; for II wages and suffrage bore any relative
value there would be men out OF employment
ard no need OF any united demand for an increase VI
wages or protest against their decrease
The question 70 be considered carefully Is whether
the condition OF the working woman VIII be beuereu
by allowing her the franchise. very re" "on'e''
reason. very few are logical. sophistry takes the
place OF argument: and rdicue or invecti'e are
the weapons used in debate. but facts continue 10
y. r,c,s Political economists assure us that the
wages OF labor I'm the sharp competition among
laborers will naturally ever gravitate toward the
lowest point that will support HE IL ~ an acho"
edged fact that wages can be kept up only oy Keep
ing the demand little beyond the supply tha' S'
nv narrowing competition Everywhere the wage
il regulated by demand and supply. and "a women
enter the field competitors with men the result
is always that instead Of wages being increased Tor
women. they are lowered for men Inc reaso"
OF this IL obvious. competition i closer among
women than among men, and they can support
Themselves on lower wages. Many girls on leav-
Ing school enter employ UlFUt n a '-"''' ~ O
ing money for extra clothing tr.nkets and not
.. means q, livelihood. This is furnished them
D., ,he fathers and brothers whose places they are
usurpine and whose wages they are lowering AneS
ar. housed and fed they do not have 10 pay TOT
rent fire light food or ordinary clothing anu :"
they accept prices for labor that no man VINO mas
20 proyide FOR a family could accept. When mer-
han, or a manufacturer MI all the vacant
rlar.- with girls who not only willing nut anA-
,ous 10 work for a low wage. VIII they stop 10 asA
=, ,hev had not better employ man az an ad-
vanc.d price OF labor because he can vote!
Tn. question Is asked seriously by a sunrasist'
DO YOU suppo-e that girls will accept the pi''ahce
-. -, -.c.,ve IN factories when they can vote?
., 80 90 81. how the condition OF things Will be
hanged hv the simple fact that so often IN year
women Will cast their ballots. The price OF iaoor
canno, be made a legislative matter; ana II IL cou'o
q, could not be enforced. am told that there II not
= ,,c,o-v IN existence In New-York State to-day
thar has no; a long roll % names OF girls VINO arr
begging 20 be employed How are these sir" ~
,.s,,l,,. their pay II they vote Ar~ not the
u,.-nlov.d men thronging our streets to-day lhey
can vote. and they are only TOO willing 10 De EN-
Moved a, any wages that may be offered
We will for the sake 81 the argument a'o" a"
irnnossibili,y namely. that when women vote 'neS
uy,l bv ,ha, simple reason have accorded them II"
.,.asea wages what then? VIII our manuiact-
| ,-ers he willing 20 open their mills and factories
closed on account of their inability 10 pay the price
O, labor to-day and sell their goods AZ loss "'
they In Don Quixote spirit ding open their doors lot
| the woman with a ballot IN her hand "ou'u Il
be wise when 90 MANI men are unemployed ana
s.ok,,g labor when communism anarchy anu
s,i,ion are rife I'm our midst. 10 throw INTO 'n's
saething mass the unknown quantity duppeu
woman suffrage" with all OF its power for EVIL az
well FOR good ,,
All professions. well a. other nrlus y, az,
are open 10 women without the ballot why did they
hose
,bvsicans IN the State hospitals receive from 'VoV
to 81 5Oo a wear. and yet the examination adVer'iSeu
in January by the New-York State Ci'l Service
Commission for women candidates failed Tor lack
/ OF applicants
In ue-ature women are as we'll paid men for
the same quality OF work. II IL stated authorL.a
lively thar the largest price paid In this country
for a manuscript received 10y "otnai -
rule obtains IN art ON the stage and In music
there Is absolute wage equality OF sex II ~
fashionable dressmaker or milliner usually re-
more extravagant profits than the tabor vi
The first woman admitted TO The bar In Eew- ork
State was teacher IN the state norma oieee a.
Albany and she il there stu and has been tnere
many years since receiving her diploma She mas
never been heard OF In court and mas evusn..v a
tried 10 avail herself OF the privileges OF her eSa
profession There have been several "ohrI pn,
sicians who have put out ther sn,Isd u dnsre to-
he OF service 10 women physically nave Iihe INC
Arab folded their tents and quietly stolen away
Wares ry,Ii never me n question OF the ballot Low
wages will obtain long "A th"r" i ilesi , -
connection. and as long young women enter
the shop or factory bridge 70 span the inter
between school and marriage 20 lols tiere WI
unfair competition The workers IN larke prooPoi-
ton this when the protest against strthiils
the word male" from the Constitution wa oe EN-,
signed I'm Albany hundreds OF young women en-,
ployed in shops and factories came 20 tne heau ui
quarters 20 sign the protest one OF them saiu
that a suffrage petition had been handed 10 ne,
with the statement that II she could vote she wouiu
have higher wages. 70 which sns repnsa and I he
receiving more than my rather does anu ne
II, ia vise Motley TINT dictates the holding OF a
known good rather than lose Il by trying TO grasp
an unknown and untried system that may prove 10
be an Elusive phantom: or worse. T. o. -