Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-17
WOMEN AS WAGE FARMERS.
Their Honesty and Capacity Shown
In the Government Service.
Washington Post

Their Honesty and Capacity Shown
| In the Government Service.
Washington Post
| The periodical crusade against women
| wage -earners has commenced. The cru
| saders, led by the brilliant but erratic John
]. ingalls,. say many mean things, but admit
| that the new woman is here to stay" A
| growing sentiment has been manifested in
the government departments to replace the
women employees with men, on the ground
that those of the male persuasion are more
efficient and attentive to duty The ar
guments are divided into two classes, those
based on sentiment and so-caled sociology,
wherein 1t is claimed that women displace
their natural protectors In a field where
they should be the consumers and men the
producers, and. second, those which urge the
physical and mental unfitnees of women
for the places they occupy.
Sociology Is science only when ques-
tions are viewed from all etandnoints and
treated with careful deiberation. IT is
ground from which rhetoriciuns and soph-
lists should hold aloof, else IL becomes merely
a synonym for specious argument and fiery
defamation. Important facts are treated as
exceptions when in truth they constitute
the bulk of the evidence One of the main
points urged in the appointment of the
average woman is that she is Obliged to sup
port herself. Too often the plea is made
that the natural protector" has failed in his
trust, or that the woman Is obliged TO as-
sumo the burden OF caring for her family
on account of the Illness or death of the
one whose sex entitled him to be consid-
cred the head of the household
''The new woman is here to stay" How
absurd is this hard wrung admission! The
new woman" is a rarity among the gov
ernment clerks. She may be there but
we have never seen her. Nest OF the latter
have natural protectors" and have become
new women" because they have the time
to indulge themselves in the luxury Those
who are in the service OF the government
are too busy to attend to anything besides
their immediate duties.
Do women make efficient employees? That
should be the main consideration with the
department officials. Are they honest,
capable and Industrious? Has the mascu-
line sex corner on all these qualifications?
The woman embezzler or defaulter is prac-
teally unknown, yet women occupy positions
OF trust, and their needs and opportunities
have afforded the same temptations az TO
men. Regarding the score OF efficiency, they
have shown capabilty iD every line of bust
ness, manifesting sagacty, judgment and
conscientious adherence 10 duty. When II
comes to the question Of industry, they have
shown themselves the superior OF the mas
culine sex. No employment has been too
menial TO be gnoble, and the fidelity with
which they have performed their tasks has
been nothing short Of heroism.
When a woman becomes a competitor in
the field OF labor she probably cannot ask
consideration. But she Is entitled
to Justice, Merit should be the only quail
ieation and she should be required to pass
no test not imposed on the male applicant.
There are women and women just as there
are men and men, aud the same motive
should guide in the selection of ALL regard
less OF sex.