The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-11
The Palais Royal 75sza G and fifth SITS.

course Of her remarks that Mrs. Cats
address 20 the Legislature of Louisiana
had done more good to the cause of SUI
frage in the State Of Louisiana than all
other efforts combined THE only saliva
tion for the people OF New Orleans. Miss
Gordon said. lis hygienic regeneration. %
The press of Louisiana. which had always
been hostile to the cause OF suffrage. upon
the foundation OF a wOman's municipal re-
form league. congratulated them and
wished them success in their difficult
undertaking. She said that il was very
hard at first TO convince the ultra-con-
sentative press and population Of New
Orleans OF the ability OF the woman in
the field upon which they had entered.
The status of the woman in Louisiana,
Miss Gordon said, is established by the
prevailing Napoleonic code. which prevents
lunatics. paupers. criminals. and women
from testitying as witnesses before any
court The scrap of suffrage accorded 10
the Louisiana woman taxpayer caused the
finances of the State to grow more pros
porous. In a government by the people
and for the people, woman must have
place" Were the concluding remarks ot
Miss Gordon, which were very fayOTahly
received.
Mrs. Annie l. Digss. State Librarian 81
Kansas, was introduced as the next
speaker. and she discussed in a short and
concise manner the political status OF the
Kansas woman, while collection -
taken up.
The next speaker on the programme was
Miss Gail Laughlin. of New York who
spoke on Conditions of the waEeearning
Women of Our Country" Miss Laughlin
said in her discourse that 'waeeearner'
among women is used in a broad sense All
women receiving money payment for their
work are proud TO he called wagesarners
because wageearning means economic in.
dependence. The 1890 Census reports near
ly 400 occupations open to women and g.
ylI.jIl women engaged in gainful Occupa-
tions. There has been an increase in both
since that. Wages are low Women in
doing sweatshop work, often work sixteen
hours to earn - cents. United States Gov
reports show that wages OF women
workers in large cities average from $685.
10 1851 per week. state reports make the
weekly wages of women average from s.
to $6.6S
Discrimination in Wages.
In all lines women are paid less than |
men for the same grade of work In Mas
sachusetts the salaries OF women school
teachers average but third Of those of |
the men teachers. The Ahearn law in New |
York has given the sanction of law 10 this +
policy Of Discrimination, The remedies for {
low wages and other evils are orGaniza !
ton, the ballot. the loyal cooperation of
all women. and. above all. the continual !
battling for and ireiieration of the right |
OF every woman to be regarded as an in
iividual with right TO an individual choice !
OF labor and with an inherent right to /
,-nrlr har ntta destiny The earth /
and the fullness thereof belong to her /
equally with men.
Miss Gail I.aughfin Is a brilliant young
lawyer having been admitted to the bar
in November, 1898. ana is now practicing
law at A. Broadway. New York. She is
graduate of Wellesly. and also OF the law
school OF Cornell University.
Mrs. Helen a. Shaw. OF Massachusetts.
was the next speaker. her theme being
Review of the RemOnstrant. Mrs. shaw
said:
Part Of the ayowed purpose of those
who are working for equal suffrage. IS 10
broaden tie minds OF women which have
been for ages under the most adverse con-
litons
symptom "f the Ills.
1.-THE remonstrants represent one result
Of those very conditions. They are a
symptom and an illustration Of the ills we
hope TO cure. and for us to be sarcastic, or
syen irritated about their proceedings,
teens to me as II doctor should feel vex-
ltion at his patient for being SICK. II is
lot scientific frame OF mind.
A hopeful view OF the renunstraht was
bus expressed:
Whether she knows IL or not, her very