The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-04-13
WOMAN WORKERS.

study the figures showing the great
progress made in this country by the
women in getting into places once oc-
cupied mainly by the men. Whether
the new woman" has conn or no. it
is certain a great and startling change
has come. The women now are in
every thing, except in the cabinet and
the congress. In a few years We may
expect Mrs. President to be in Wash
ington with her cabinet Of women
around her. The senate and house
will be crowded with them, but petit
| coats will go out and the members
| will all wear trousers perhaps. 1t is
| hardly in order to prophesy that a wo-
ma will be at the head Of the army,
but some may be in command Of naval
ships, for some women have the grip
and courage Of a real man.
The women are at the front now.
| They go to the same schools of all
sorts, and are in the colleges and uni
versities and can get ahead of the
| boys and carry off the honOrs. The
high courtesy, the nobl chivalry, the
lofty bearing of men in the presence
of women will probably disappear in
the general scramble, rivalry and con-
tention. Home life may be made an
other life and johnny may cook the
wife practices medicine. or goes. into
court to manage a case, or is in the
legislature, or in congress or command
ing a steamship. The old order is pass
ing away.
The trades and professions are now
| open to all alike 1t is stated that at
present there are 1900, 900 of women in
the United States in the various occu-
pations described as gainful. This is
more than double what it was in 1870.
Before the wal the women in the south
were taken care of and there was nc
occasion for the scramble and the toll
and sacrifices now forced upon them.
The necessities following the wal and
growing more exacting with the years,
have been tie incentives. compelling
labor and sclf-abregation OF which the
women of the better classes in the
south had no personal experience. We
think it a great hardship and misfor-
tune that the calamities lave forced
this change in the south. While there
is no degradation in labor there are Of
ten great sacrifice, much suffering and
E. terrible strain upon the women who
are forced to get their living and even
support others by unbroken toll.
School teaching was before the war
and is since the chief business of wo-
men workers. Prior to 1860 the mum
Der was probably less than 20, 900; now
it is over 200, 900. We have a table at
hand giving the numbers in 1870 and
1890. The next census will show a
much greater number still:
Actors . . ....... ........... 1879 So $3.50 1889
ArcnltectS.... ...... ...... Z2
Artists n teachers of art ALP 10,815
Authors and literary and scien-
tlhc perSOS.... 80. ...... 159 2,725
Chemists, assayists, andmetal-
lurg1StS.. -. .......... . . 49,. ~
...... ......... o. 1,l4S
1)enClSCS.... -. 800. 80. L4 ooI
Designers, draughtsnen, and
INVENTORS. .... 80. ...... IL 3O5
Engineers civil, mechanical
and electrical and snining) 49,. 1873
Journalists . . . .......... 355 1888
Lawyers ........ ...... 80. 2OS
Musicians and teachers Of
music. 80. . . ............ 5753 1919
Officials (Government) 80. Ala 4,875
Physicians and surgeons. 527 Asst
Professors and teachers. "a, DAT 246, 666
Theatrical managers, show
men, etc.. ....~.......... 100 a1S4
Veterinary surgeons ....... 8 479
Other professional service. 8 479
Totals. .............. 92,2 PSI 81, 6S7
In this enumeration a very large class
of women engaged as typewriters,
bookkeepers, telegraph operators, stem
ographers ETC., are not given. There
are no reliable statistics available at
present. But these will amount to
hundreds of thousands. The shirt
makers, milliners. etc., make another
great army of toilers. The women are
Ills
Like biliousness, dyspepsia, headache, consti-
patton, sour stomach, indigestion are promptly
cured by Hoods Pills. They do their work