The record-union., 1897-10-10
DESHELTERED WOMEN.

Our respected contemporary, the
Portland ''Oregonian," which never ex-
presses itself except intelligently and
forcibly, considers at great length the
condition Of desheltered women, and
what the moral effects of their condi-
ton are. 1t finds, for instance, that
among a large number of the women
who labor in the hop fields of Oregon
and Washington there is demoraliza-
ton to the point of dissolute behavior,
and it adds that this manifestation is
not unusual among the class.
In this vocation the men and women
herd together out of doors and in
coarse lodgings, and the result is de-
plorable decentralization. 1t adds that
precisely the same testimony comes
from the hop fields of Kent, England.
Zola made the licentiousness prevalent
among women operatives of coal mines
in France on the Belgian border the
basis Of one of his novels. Much the
same conditions prevail in the factory
and coal sections Of England, where
women are employed in mems voca-
tons. The morality of the women of
the factory and mine districts Of Dur
ham, Newcastle and Lancashire is very
low, it is added
It is averred in the same article that
a low moral condition is prevalent
among the operatives in the factory
districts of our own East, and that ii
obtains in the vast stores and agencies
of large employment of women in New
York, Boston and other large cities
and that the exceptions are where the
girls and women have good homes to
which they can retreat and are not
therefore wholly dependent upon the
wretchedly low wages that in the main
are paid to them.
The "Oregonian" adds:
In a broad sense it is true that de-
sheltered women, herded together
working hard for small pay, and going
to nothing like legitimate home life
when through labor are not in a stu
alton that is favorable to produce goo6
results. and as a matter of fact the
industrial life of women who are de-
sheltered and herded together shows
the same evil record, whether it is 9
Western hop field, a great Eastern fac
tory or store, an English factory OF
French coal mine. The ideal sphere OF
woman is home and indoor life. Rare.
ly has a woman really ruled like Eliz-
abeth Of England or Catherine Of Rus
sta, In distinction from a mere feminine
royal fgurehead, except at the ex-
pense Of becoming a desexed woman
an absolutely masculine woman in ed
ucatton. experience, training, temper
manners, speech, thought and genera
environment In this sense these wo-
men were desexed women, and demor.
allied women, at least in the sense that
units a woman to be homemaker and
housekeeper, because of her masculine
associations and outdoor life-associ.
afions and life which the vast mass o.
women must ever be strangers because
nature intended them for the indoor
life and experience that are insepara-
bic from housekeeping and homemak.
ing.
There is no mystery in the presence
OA WOulSu OI irregular IlVeS on the
stage, and gifted woman and brilliant
actress, Fanny Kemble, confesses thi:
and explains 1t by saying in substance
that they are to a degree desheltereC
and desexed, and the ultimate is de-
moralization; they get something of the
outdoor freedom and lack of restrain
and loss Of shelter that belong to mas
culine life, and soon learn to adop
masculine habits and the coarse code
of masculine morals The lives O
women without real homes to go to
who herd together in city factories
tenement-houses, lodging houses. etc.
further illustrate that the nearer yo1
bring a woman to mans outdoor lif,
and desheltered experience the sure1
she is on the average to become desexeC
and demoralized. All women do no
get there, but the drift is downward
from the deshelteI1nent to demoraliza
ton of women The constant effort o.
nature is to return women to the worl
of homemaking, housekeeping anC
child rearing. OF course, the imperfec
adjustment of our social and industria
life compels women to do many Other
things than these, but this is only al
alteration. The design of nature wa.
that women should lead sheltered, no
desheltered lives.
And much to the same intent and