The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

Of the South win understand this view of tho mae.
ter. For the same reason.they more generally worn
in farm empioymonts than white womsn. In rural
and urban omploymonts. II Ia to he accounted n vfr.
tue. rather than'othcrwise that they turn to and de
what their hands md to do.
on the surface. II may look as n tho Afro. Ameri-
can women did more than the men to support tho
family; but the view is.only superficial. IL is true
that they have to work entirely too much. because
I believe that Il woman's activity should he confined
entirely TO her home. but necessity knows no law
md discriminates in.fayor OF no race or sex. In tho
South these women have to work. There ~ an
alarming amount of loanng on the part OF adult
males IN the South. but my ony.rVH.
lions convince me that Il Ia enforced rather than
voluntary. n a man can't get WORK he can't work.
The competition In the labor market Gr the
South Ia becoming as Intense rs Il Is IN tho North.
II Is natural that II should. Labor has bccom, nlgni.
fed In this country by the abolition OF cbnttel
slavery. It IL honorable for oil men to earn their
bread out of the sweat OF their faces. Tho labor
market OF the South has become almost as c~ngcst.
ed az thnt OF the North. and the necessity Is there.
fore upon all the members ora family 10 do their
Individual share in contributing to the general sup
port. This Ia done. not BY any nnc process OF rea-
soning. but through tire direct methods OF seeing
what is needed and daiIs IL.
It would he n fnlsc and ungencrous conclusion
that the men OF any section Ut tbs
country allow their women TO support them. There
is nothing of the sort. Tho men and the women
work. They do II because they must. not because
they want to. Who wants to work for the run OF
~ II ia no fault or the people. hut OF tile social aud
Industrial system. II the work OF tho head o: tho
family does not suffice to support the family. then
other members OF the family have to help. This 10
done In every section of this country ana OF Europe.
II may be reasonably assumed from tho acts :hnt
Atro.Amcrlcan men are MS DESTROYS of shielding
their women from the %hardships OF wage Gamers
ta th. Nnnn ~ ntI..r m ,na. 10 tA a,anp Ne. n. n.r, &c -
sumo that they do SO to the extent OF their ability.
70 far. therefore. both Mrs. Williams and Mrs.
Jones are wrong in their statement and In their
conclusions. They mean well. but they have not a
sufficient grasp of the facts and the philosophy OF
the matter to reason absolutely or TO lay down dam.
aging dognatic conclusions.
The Industrial future OF the o.American Is the
most uncertain and therefore the most interesting,
problem In American conditions. To assume that
he Is not doing all that he can to make his position
secure for the present and the future is to give him
less credit than belongs TO him. He has not only to
contend with the competition incident to our indus.
trial system. but he has to fight race prejudice and
organized trades. unionism at every step of his way
He is not allowed TO Join trades unions in the South
and Is denounced as n 'scab' when hc works In de-
nance OF them. and abused and traduced as n ioafer
and all the rest OF II when he does not work.
through fault OF his own or of others. His lot Is .
tough one. aud II is well for him that his women
are loyal and. faithful and do what they can to sup
plemeut the deficiency In his small income. 80,
Both Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Jones are correct In
their conclusions. but neither OF them should lose
her temper ln.discussing a distressing question with
all the phases OF which they may NOT DO well in-
formed. The.'uture industrial status Of the Afro,
American population Is a question OF the gravest
character, ana the study OF present tendencies IL
timely and should be helpful TO all concerned.
7. THOMAS FORTUNE,