Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-06-30

SECOND PAPER. 4
We saw in a former paper how the
supply OF workers far exceeds
the demand for their services, owing to
The limitations put upon them through
male ~jealonsies. When Sir John Ben
nett advocated the general employ
ment Of women In matchmaking, he
was mobbed for his pains. When q
Paris firm Of printers attempted to en-
ploy women compositors. the men OPP
posed it, and the project was aban-
doned. When the Kidderminster man
u~facturers OF velvet placed women at
their looms, the carpet weavers struck
to manifest their lis approval Of female
labor. And in the Potteries, the OPP
position of the men to the employment
Of women wal the struggle OF years,
and the whole strength of the Trades
union was exercised Ito prevent
women from using the hand-rest
which was of the greatest service in
producing both rapiditY and precision
of work" Girls employed in London
as Jewell burnishers were able to earn
three and sixpence a day, and gave the
highest satisfaction to their employers.
Yet al were unwillingly dismissed
through the jealous opposition OF the
men In the same establishment.
These are a few examples out OF
hundreds which have initiated against
the extension of female employment,
and we need not enumerate more. Un-
I'd lcated mechanics and University
Fellows have alike shown he same
luminosity to woman sharing their
crafts or academicai honours. Both
classes may profess to admire chiValry
in the abstract, but they evi.
d ntly had no relish for it IN the
ete. Both join in the cockoo cry
f,r Justice and fair play, but 1t would
seem that too often they mean these
privileges for themselves only, and will
have none of them for wcmen
Nevertheless, since 1871, the number
OF women workers has relatively in-
creased and their spheres of labour
have been enlarged and multiplied.
For, after all, the course of justice,
though slow, is eternal and progress
sive. We may not always note her
steps at the time, any more n q we
see the grinding march of the glacier,
but we may be sure that she Is moving
with greater certainty Of advance, and
crushing to powder all that impede her
progress. Yet ia morals, as In geo.
iogy, a cycle is often required to make
important changes p~alpable.
This increasingly extending sphere
of labour for women is not, however,
an uumixed Kissing. Many OF their
occupations are noxious to AN extreme
degree, and tven where they are not
absolutely unhealthy, the long hours
demanded from growing girls and
child bearing women, and the cruei
rules to which SO many have to yield,
are highly prejudicial to health and
temper. Some of the s'genteel' &C.
equations are not exempt from these
drawbacks. MIR. Charles Booth, in
his ..I.ife and Labour of the People,
saws: ~ he long hours worked In the
drapery trade, combined with pro-
longed standing, have q very detri-
mental effect upon drappers' assistants
causing az MIA, and a general dete-
rloration OF health which renders them
an Easy prey to indigestion, constipa-
tion and kindred maladies. The short
time allowed for meals and the speedi-
" ACQUIRED habit of boiling their food
SO as 10 make the most of the allotted
minutes. tend in the same direction.
The results are most noticeable among
the women and especially those in busy
shops, where little Or no opportunity tor
rest occurs. Unless a girl has an ex-
ceptIonally strong constitution, the ex-
cessiye strain soon tells on her health,
and thus it happens that many rave 70
leave the trade, whilst others give up
for a time only to be again invaded
soon after they return to shop lie.
It was not long ago that the horrors
of the matchmaking industry were
exposed 10 the daily papers, through
which, as was alleged. the teeth, Jaws,
and bones Of young women o girls
employed were destroyed by the tunes
OF the ingredients. We have no nesita-
tion in saving that it is the bonnden
duty of every civilized government 70
n~rotect those who are compelled %
iabcur for their bread, and to prov'ae
that ia every occupation the best saie-
guards that science Can devise. win
me minimum OF risk to health, life 2
linn shall be rlgsdly enforced. MOI
would this governmental interference
with free labour be lncompauoie VIII
the ideas of liberty which we nave r.
peatedly enunciated, particularly wnefe
women are concerned. For while they
are denied the suffrage or any o.net
privileges OF citizenship, they are un.
able TO protect themselves ana tne
srsf dntv of any and every goveInmen.
ia TO off r protection to the ieeoie anu
helpless. ,a,s
y, far az we are aware no complete
d,rast 81 the census OF ~ has yet been
msds. except that for London BY MT
CHARLES Booth. From this we fand sna'
POO 600 persons are employed n .n =
r~ss,rnnoiIs ia connection with ssdress. !,
~ tbaae so. 900 are males, and lsO wy
femslas. ..very many OF them young
Girls E~ighty-two thousand p tns
%-ha,a we're heads Of families. and
"a mo of the o were women. 10 ms
..~preparation or sale OF 1000 ans
dr,nk.u the males were Ill 4lo
endIthe females only zl,Viy
Heads Of fapoiIies numbered ~, oVv 2
whom $500 we're females. Among
the ssdealers and clerks The disparll,