The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-28
OF INTEREST To WOMEN
WOMEN As A COMMERCIAL FACTOR
IN THE UNITED STATES.
The Lady's Maid a Luxury Enjoyed by
Few-The Indifferent Housewife
Odds and Ends.

The employment of girls as telegraph
messengers in Chicago may be novelty
so far as the substitution Of girls on the
occasion of a strike by the messenger boys.
says the Inter Ocean. but the twelfth CEN
sus shows that there were scheduled in the
United States, in 1900, 1858 females under
the heading. Messengers and errand and
Office boys" and there were 9S2 of these
female messenger boys" credited to Chi
cago.
In the whole country there were 65,OS2
males so classified and 6.663 females, and in
Chicago $3.50 males and $50 females. show
ing that in one case the females made about
IL per cent and in the other about Is per
cent.
Women have been steadily advancing as
factors in the workaday world, and In 1900
1873 per cent. of all the females over ten
years old and 14.3 per cent. of all females
were engaged in useful occupations.
In 1880 there were II per cent. of those
over ten years old so employed, and in 1880
the percentage was 147 showing a steady
increase.
The census report shows that there were
29,2S5.922 persons engaged In gainfui' occu-
pations in 1900. This means that more than
two-fifths Of the total population of the
United States were at work. and that the
workers were more than half of the popu-
lation over ten years old. This Is an in
crease of per cent. over 1890.
In 1850 those employed in gainful occupa-
tions constituted Alb per cent. of the pop
ulation over ten years of age, and in 1880
the percentage was As.
OF the male population there were %, 754,-
2Oo employed. making three-fifths of the
total male population and four-ffths of the
males over ten years DID, The percentage
of males over ten years old employed Was
so in 1900, 77.S in 1890. and 7S.s in 1880.
There were 5,S1s.912 females engaged In
gainful occupations in 1900. or 14.3 per cent.
of the total female population, and 1S.S per
cent of all females over ten years of age.
In Illinois 4S.S per cent. of both sexes over
ten years of age, or 7S.5 per cent. OF the
males, and 1913 per cent. of the females,
were so employed. In 1890 the percentage
1880.
When one looks through the schedules of
the census he is convinced that the gentler
sex is doing fair share of the work. The
percentage Of the females engaged In gain
full occupations is larger in New England
and the South than in the West, because
of the factories where women and girls are
employed.
The textile industries offer a special field
for women, and in the North Atlantic
States 22.1 per cent. of all the females over
ten years old are employed; in the South
Atlantic States this percentage is 23.S,
while in the North Central States Ii Is 143
per cent; in the South Central division
1876 per cent, and in the Western division
AS per cent. In Massachusetts this per-
centage runs up TO ISL. in Rhode Island to
29.6, and in South Carolina to 49,
The women and girls are not only enter
ing the lists as workers, but they are going
into every field. In 1880 of all the females
in gainful occupa tons 426 per cent were
in domestic and personal service, and 1858
per cent. were engaged in manufacturing.
In 1900 those engaged in domestic service
represented 1914 per cent. of the whole num-
Der employed. and those engaged in manu-
featuring represented 47 per cent. This
reduction of the percentage of those en-
ployed in these two great classes open to
women, while the percentage of women en-
| ployed has increased, shows how they have
sought new fields when they became COM
petitors of men.
There has been in the last ten years an
increased percentage of women employed
in agricultural pursuits and in professional
service. There were in 1900 nearly one mil
| lion females classed as in agricultural pur-
suits, nearly half million in professional
| service, two million in domestic service,
half a million in trade and transporta ton,
and 1,315,S0 in manufacturing and mechan-
| ical pursuits.
| In the classiications representing more
| than three hundred classes of labor there
are few where women are not represented.
In agricultural pursuits there were $50,
| 025 females, 665, 991 classed agricultural
| laborers, 307,7SS as farmers, planters and
| overseers, 2,12S as garden and nursery la
borers.