The age-herald., 1897-09-29
Du N1T,o CEoDnr ~ DAII M< BY M KS. GEORCE l.. BALL. W~
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 The Merchants associa ton of New York has scored a great success th.s autumn by offering unusual inducements ito out-of-town merchants to visit the metropolis. Excursions have been nun from various sections of the country to New York City. and all the visitors were we'll and hospitably treated by the trade associations. Registry books were kept al certain club rooms. where the visiting merchants we're expected to leave their names and places of residence. In this way 1t was discovered that among the tradesmen who had gone to the metrop- ofis to replenish their stocks there were no less than one hundred women who were in the city at different times buy ing for fiourishfng business houses Some of these women are at the h5ad of prosperous stores; others have won the confidence of the.r employers because of taste and judgment, and were sent to New York to purchase needed stocks of goods. These women were a surprise ito even the shrewd salestnen for New York firms, and the verdict of those having dealings with them was, that they were fully equal to the most ex- perienced men buyers in the market. They were practical, quick in their com prehension of whlalt was essential for the home trade, close inspectors and bar gathers, were familiar with materials, manufactures and all the technicalft.es of business. The majority of the wo- men buyers went to New York to pur- chase millinery, faces, embrojdelies, silks, velvets, etc, though a few were commissioned to replendsh stocks of gro- cerles, cooking utersils and house fur nishing goods. The d.scret.on and Enowl- edge exhibited by thesa female uer- chan,s were @ surprise 10 the up-to-date New Yorker. The Sun, in commenting on the matter, says:
 ''We guess that the American business women here spoken of are about as lcvel-headed' as are lots of our success full business men. We guess also that
 
 here for the fall trade by the invitation of the Merchants association of New York are among the shrewIdest in the country. IL was a wise determina.fon of this association to make no discfimina- afon between men merchants and women merchants as nonresident members.
 ''Wom-n who desire to become lawyers or-preachers or do.tors often complain cf the obstacles that are put in their way fby the man members of these profes- sions. But there is clear course for fhose women who desire to enter the mercantile business. There are hundreds of women who own or manage busine houses or profitable shops tn New York;
 
 The criticism of w T. Stead concern- that they are in imminent danger of being spoiled by the freedom granted them by their husbands and brothers, are agitating the newspaper reading world. Still the American woman con- tinues to pursue the even tenor of her way MT. Stead has expressed his dread of the effect of the present Independence of the women of this country upon the treatment to be accorded them in the future. He predicts a lesSening of cour- tSSS oi tiie part oi A1Heficdn men, and that a smaller degree of consideration and respect will be shown by them to the women of today and of the near future. Of course Ella Wheeler Wilcox and numberless other nusnt writers have come to the defense of Americans. and properly resent the comparison drawn by the English editor between English women and those of this coun- try. There seems to be absolutely no way of satisfying the average critical Englishman with the affairs of this country, either social or political. He travels to cavil and comment, and gen. erally succeeds in stirring up a young cyclone with the patriotic writers on this side of the Atlantic. While Mir Stead is vaunting the advantages of English social usages over those of America, it is very refreshing to read the following description of one phase of fashionable London life. The Ameri- can women may be In danger of forfem- ing the tender respect of the men of her acquaintance. because she is not entire ly satisfied with being a cook, house. keeper or nurse, but she has not reach-