The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-12
Report of the Department
Sent to Congress.
A Large Increase In the Mum:
Der of Women Workers.
There Is Decrease In Proportion
of Children Employed.
Washington. Feb. is.-The 18th an.

just tidHSInllteu 10 congress Dy COM
missioner Wright, relates mainly TO the
work and wages of men, women and
children. 1t shows that the proportion
OF women TO the whole working class
is increasing. while that of children'is Is
decreasing. The report was prepared
In pursuance OF joint resolution OF
congress. directing an investigation
relative TO the employment OF men,
women and children. This report IL
confined strictly TO a comparison OF the
extent OF employment and wages in
1Ss5-96, or present period" with the
conditions which obtained some years
ago (termed former period'). antedat-
ing the present period by at least 10
years.
The definite purpose OF the investiga-
tion was To determine TO what extent. II
any, women were superseding men; to
show the conjugal condition of women
who were employed; TO compare the rel
ative efficiency OF men and women. and.
finally, TO show the relative rates OF
wages received by each sex IN each in
dustry.
The agents OF the departments Sc
cured information from establishments
OF various kinds located In 80 different
states. These 93l establishments en-
ployed 645 $50 persons In the former and
1cS.64S In the present period.
OF this number. In the first period, ,26, 47e
were males of Is years of age or over. as
against 4S.ls5 I'm the second; and 4175
males under is 1ears of age. as against
1880 in the secoif.
In the first pflod. 27, 7,163 were females,
1S years of age or over and 6743 females
under Is years of age as against 400, ,1e2
and 12,751, respectively, in the present
period.
From these figures, II Is seen that male
employees Is years OF age or over in
creased I'm the present period over the
former period 63.1 per cent, while fe-
male employees OF the same age and pc
rlod Increased e6.3 per cent. Male en-
ployes under Is years OF age increased
sos per cent. while female employees un-
der Is years of age increased S91 per
cent.
AS collateral information, an interest
ing showing is made OF the figures OF
the past three censuses concerning tf-~
employment OF women. The proportion
OF females 10 years OF age and over
employed In all occupations in the
United States rose in its relation TO the
whole number employed from 14.6S per
cent in 1870 to 1922 per cent in 1890, while
males decreased In proportion from 5.32
per cent in 1870 to s2.7s per cent in 1890.
The report throws considerable ad-
dilional light upon the much discussed
question as TO married women in in
dustrial pursuits. For the present pc
ftots out Of an aggregate of 1887 wo-
men, 7O92l, or SST per cent were single:
GI55, or So per cent, married; POLL, or 2.5
per cent, divorced, and 244. or g OF
per cent. unknown. The last census
figures on this point are also analyzed
OF the 3,914,571 females 10 years OF age
ond over engaged in gainful pursuits in
the United States in 1880. 69S4 per cent
were single. or their conjugal condition
unknown; 1916 per cent were married,
1910 per cent were widows and so per
cent were divorced In 4S6 OF the esti-
mates which were canvassed, the agents
showed data as to the relative efficiency
OF women and children and OF men work.
ing at the same occupations. OF 1872 in
cred in the same occupation, and per-
form their work with the same degree Of
efficiency. Men receive greater pay In
695, or 76.1 per cent of the instances. and
women receive greater pay in 129. or 16. 5
per cent. while In 5S instances. or IA per
cent, they receive the same pay for the
same work. The men receive SOL per
cent greater pay than the women in the
595 Instances in which they are given
greater pay The women receive 1913 per
cent greater pay I'm the l29 instances in
which they are paid higher wages. Out
of-zZS instances in which the men and
children (persons under rs years OF age)
work at the same occupation with a like
degree OF efficiency. men receive greater
pay in 1S2, or 1913 per cent, OF the in
stances, and children receive greater
pay in "a. or 1915 per cent. while in % in
stances, or 9.7 per cent. they receive the
same pay for the same work performed
with the same degree OF efficiency. The
men receive 57.7 per cent greater pay
than the children In the 1872 instances IN
which they are paid more, while thS
children receive but Sc per cent greater
pay I'm the "a instances in which they
are paid higher wages The main rea-
son given for the employment OF wo-
men and girls is usually that they are
better adapted for the work at which
they are employed. other reasons are
that they are more reliable, more easi-
ly controlled. cheaper. more temperate,
more easily procurable. neater, more
rapid. more industrious. less liable TO
strike. learn more rapidly. etc.
on the other hand, the reasons for
their opinion. given by those WHO did not
believe that there was any tendency for
the employment OF women TO increase
in their industries. were that very often
women. who are better adapted and
cheaper. are unreliable; that their ply
slcal strength II Inadequate for heavy
work; that machinery Is gradually dis
placing them, etc.
other tables give the date when wo-
fnen were flrst employed In each estab.
llshmeut and occupations at which they
were employed. The hours OF labor
worked In establishments reporting. a
list OF occupations followed by women
and girls ss discovered by the investi-
cation and the wages in detail OF men