New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-05
WOMAN'S RIGHTS DISCUSSED.
HARRIETTE A. KEYSER'S ADDRESS AT
THE GENEVA CONVENTION.

1T Is IMPOSSIBLE TO FULLY EMANcIPATE THE
woRKINGMAN INDUsTRIALLY UNTIL WOMAN
IS BMANCPATED POLITICALLY"
Miss Harriette Keyser spoke yesterday at the
Geneva Convention on The Woman Question and
the Labor Movement" and took as her text the
following words from a sermon preached in Lon
don by the Rev. Professor H. c. Shuttleworth, and
published by the Christian Social Union:
and what is their batte-cry? The first is the
grea, army Of labor all over the civilized world.
self Of Political power and he is resHvSd 10 n sss
through centuries Of oppression and exploitation,
and his patience is coming to an END sna he dS
the wealth he has helped so largely to create He
wants a more decent house to live IN a better wage
less exhausting hours of work. more leisure more
certainty Of employment. He has surely Just
ground Of complai9t against "a society ys- wH se
years and condemns him in old age TO the work-
ward march is Perhaps more Significant more preg
nant with consequences to the future OF the race
portal Of our time Woman ike labor is de-
inandng what she regards as right. long-de-
layed measure Of Justice.
Perhaps this preacher sees, said Mrs. Keyser,
that IT is impossible to fully emancipae the work
ingman industrialy. until the workingwoman is
emancipated politically. The woman question IL
the more important because It comes first In neces
sity No one will deny that from the beginning
Of the laborers' struggle until the sharpest
contention has been for shorter hours and living
wages. The workingman has waged war on every
system that has seemed to lessen MS chance in
these directions. But woman In the Industrial
world is more TO be feared by him than any class
OF cheap labor against which he protests. En-
ployers engage women at lower rate OF wages
than men. and often work them longer hours. II
the system is pecework, II is, OF course, more at
the employees option how long she VIII work, but
piccework Is not common as 1t was formerly.
u has been stated that years ago in an English
town where both mon and women were employed
fl Matchmaking. the men called n public meeting to
protest against the employment OF women. because
the latter worked more hours per day than the
former. Many protests have come and are stiH
coming from Women are taking their places
fl many occupations.
at Is claimed ny some that this Is OFFSET by the
fact that men nave arrogated TO themselves some
OF the former exclusively feminine emplcyinents
Men have become miners. dressmakers. COOKS
launderers. thus driving women to other occupa-
lions. But let it never be forgotten that "heh
men enter the occupations Of women they 90 not
cheaper labor We pay a more than woman
for doing d woman's work. The fact is that women
are cheaper. What in view OF these things shaH
aE workngwomen do TO enhance their value? Or
panize for their Industrial interests is the ready
reply.
In the last report o. the New-York Commission
Of Labor TO the Legislature of the State We read:
1t is a puzzlinB problem for the statesman ana
phiiauthropist to determine what TO do for thou
sands Of and girls in the Greater Ncw-York
VINO work and willing 10 work, and yet are
not receiving wages enough 10 live as human be-
ings should live. 1t Is dnhcdt thing to Point odt
an adequate remedy, IN Gact, the neaIeat APP
proach 20 one is il seems, the organization Of
unions OF these working people. for Wase-Workers
who are members OF unions seem 10 receive better
wages, better protection ana 10 nave Deter sur
loundlnss than those VINO are not connected WIN
en by acknowledgment the workingWoman VIII
cease % be a mental burden 10 s'atesihe" ana
WOMEN SHOULD ORGANIZE.
1t is Just and right that women should organize
for their industrial Interests but political enfran-
chlsement is what is needed TO make this largely
possible. l am well aware that there are mixed
unions Of and women. whose schedules OF
wages show bellttllng Of women workers but
sucn unions are few. and they would be many
times multiplied If all industrial workers were po-
htcaiiy ice. one sreat element OF en- ap Iapot
would be removed and, added to inls. the army or
eafranch!sod worA!ngwomen should stand by the.
workinS;nen for better working ana H'ihs coho.-
~Worklnswomen, remember that equal political
rsnts 9nqefle indnsfa' lqusIty. "'V Sou u,o
you dream Of today Wcrkngmen. look this mat
ter squarey IN INC face, and consider that when
you M Ne the cnfranchseInent OF Wom' II A." Nv is
sue you VIII be much nearer the industrial triumph
you cOvot
we ask for the enfranchscmcnt Of women BE-
pause !, is just Justice is cxpedicnt. Why do we
sun hold woincn cheap? The time has passed
ny when man assumed 70 be he. guardian Tor ms
world ana hcr sponsor FOR the next IN courts
she answers for her crimes ana at the same time
pays hcr proportion Of the expenses OF the Gov
cinment. As an industrial worker she is 4 unit
OF economic value TO the State The GOD or JUS
uce has never ch"apencd women. and the time
nllst come When governments all over the cviiizcd
Moric shall cease 10 tax the unreprescnied 10 Try
woman without i Jury OF her peers. 20 punish her
under laws made without her consent. In word,
70 SO cheaper her that she stands upon even ii
Wet"
WOMEN IN MUNICIPALITIES.
H's. Lille DeXereuN Blake addressed the conveH-
'''on on Wednesday evening On Women in Munich
sa.i'ieE." Mrs. Blake said
~ rom the earliest dawn OF life there Is radical
a "aigeable difference Of habit thought, feeling
m mc temperament between men and women The
~ Is aggressive pugnactous, ready 10 Egnt, u
wy De IN order TO procure food for himself and
,s.lcently advanced for those he loves. lie
inp-sent3 power, progress force. destruction we
ew Mlat GyQn In lEa civilization OF 10 day. men :