The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1901-03-23
WOMEN AND INDUSTRY.
one Reason why They Do Not Ad-
vance Like Mes II because They
Are Not Permanent.

A report from st. Paul states that
the Northern Pacific Railroad com
pany intends diminishing soon from
its employment all the women stem
ographers in its various offices and
substituting men. says Harper's Ba-
gar. The reason given is that the
women are not qualified for promo
tion, while men engaged as aman-
uenses constantly increase in value
TO the company, and are speedily adj
vanced TO higher positions. For sim
liar reasons, other business institu-
tions of late have found it expedient
to dispense with women clerks. The
situation is one demanding serious
consideration.
That women are not qualified to ad-
vance in any line of work seems not
to be sound argument for discharg-
ing them, when we reflect that wom-
en- nowadays are educated in all lines,
their intellectual ability Is proven
equal to mems, their executive abil-
ity is demonstrated. and they signify
q willingness to assume the burden
of any sort of work. Wherein, then,
are they not qualifiedf In this: they
are not permanent. According to
the most recent statistics, but eight
per cent. of women in industry are
wives. The average period during
which a woman engages in an occu-
patton is four years nine and two
tenths months. At the time when
woman in the most natural course OF
business experience becomes eligible
to promotion, she retires-presum-
ably retires into matrimOny, and the
wealth which employs her is put to
the loss of training somebody to take
her place.
This fixed relation of women to in
dustry has become clearly defined in
business experience. The prospect
women face in consequence appears
discouraging. After years spent in
educating and training themselves to
be able to do mems work, after ac-
complishing numberlesG Individual
successes. still, it turns out, the bust
ness world is arrayed against the sex
in industry-not because they are
women, but because, being transient
workers, they are not profitable.
They must go. What, therefore, is
to become of women? This, let us
hope: those having the education Of |
in charge parents, |
realize the absurdity |
Of training for professions and bust |
4, 10 vmrtua
and mothers. Women should be
Taught that economic independence is
not a makeshift of necessity, but .
state of glory. It is worth sacrifices
may, it compels them. Therefore.
The women who wish to be independ-
emit as men are-free to work as men
in the beginning re-
nounce the idea of marriage If they
would compass mems success. Ma
ture does not impose the same neces-
sity on men. Women cannot escape
Il. Education which provides for
this necessity cannot, of course, pro-
vide husbands for all the girls trained
to be wives. 1t is purely a matter Of
too, whether any sort Of
will eradicate the human i'm
pulse which constantly operates now
to cause women worth ten dollars q
week to resign from business to
marry a man worth eight. But the
fact of the whole matter of women's
failure in the business world never
theless, remains true-marriage is re-
,ponsible. We lose the pleasant
places our ambitions secure, and, be-
hold! not Eve, but Adam, brings
shout the downfall. Dear Adam!
Poor Evel