The sun., 1900-02-15
Thursday, February Is, 1900.

Mr.. CHARLES I. YERKEs, man who
has achieved marked success in accumu-
lating cash or its equivalent, contributes
to Chicago magazine an article on
women in business, which proves that
he has been quite unsuccessful in acqur-
ing knowledge on that interesting and
important subject. He says:
The ignorance of women in regard to
business affairs is proverbial; in fact, it
is stupendous. AS class they do not
seem to have the most remote idea OF
what business means. OF course, there
are exceptions, but we speak of the ma
iority. Few women know, except bv
name, what bank check is, or, if they
do, would not know how to draw one in
case of necessity. AS tor girls about
leaving school, may say there are prac-
ticalIy none underst anding such a pro-
ceeding. Their education is almost for
the social. or what is termed the society
world. To be able to take care of them
selves is not even a secondary thought,
for it is not thought at all"
II that output of misinformation had
ELECTED no approval from any quarter, it
might well be permitted to pass unno-
ticed. The fact that ore busy man of
affairs had failed to observe the trend of
events and had published his ignorance
concerning one Of the most important
phases OF the century's progress might
not have called for comment, but when
such screed as that is passed along
with endorsements Of sundry more or
less respectable newspapers, word in
the interest OF truth and justice seems
IN order. There are hundreds of officia
publications, National and State, devoted
to statistics OF the employment of women
IN many kinds of business, but it is
evident that Mr.. Yerkes has not read
any OF them, for what he says is in direct
conflict with what they prove. That there
are some women who, never having had
any occasion to transact business, know
little or nothing about it, is true. Under
the same circumstances men would be
equally ignorant. No man, untaught,
knows how to draw check or keep
bank account. Women learn all that as
readily as men. There are millions of
women who have bank deposits,
and many of them draw checks to nav
the bills of incompetent husbands. And
where has Mr.. Yerkes been that he has
not heard of the thousands of girls in
schools, public and private, studying
bookkeeping, banking, insurance, ana
the general principles and methods Of
business? Many of those go into count
ing-rooms and are as likely to succeed as
their brothers. Others go into homes Of
their own and help their husbands in
the management OF business.
Ine great social fact of the times is the
increasing prominence of women in
business. How has Nj. Yerkes avoided
contact with this fact and escaped in.
formation as to its causes and effects?
lie shows up like a second Rip Van
Winkle, but without the pathos OF Rips
story, There has been as marked a
change in the education of women as Of
men. In both, the ornamental has given
place TO the practical. If Mr. Yerkes had
taken pains to study his subject before
breaking loose in print be would have
learned that the young ladies of lthe
society world" are far more practical
than he imagines. A majority OF them
have bank accounts, and many of them
have taken course in law. With verv
few exceptions they are quite ,'able to
take care Of themselves" and especially
abe TO avoid 'sntangling alliances
with fashionable spendthri'ts.