Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-08-15
Comparative Wages
of Men and Women in America.

OF Men and Women in America.
II was extremely rare. up to the time
of the Civil war. TO find Il woman en-
ploved in any store or Office outside of
millinery and dressmaking establish
ments.
Whether that war. by killing off or
disabling several hundred thousand men.
possibly more than half a million. drove
the softer sex into other sorts of occu-
patton through the necessity of support
ing themselves and others dependent on
them. is not known. but the fact remains
that after the war of 1S61-65 the advent
of women into many branches of employ
ment was marked and rapid. and it is a
further fact that today one-fourth of the
wage-earners is made up of women.
1t is we'll known fact that for the
same classes of work women, as Il rule,
receive much smaller wages than are
paid to men. Commissioner Pidgin of
the Massachusetts bureau Of labor in his
report for 1902 gives some information
on the subject. Out of a great number
of instances he finds that the weekly
wages of women. with a few exceptions,
are lower. and in many cases are not
more than half what is paid to men,
The appearance of women as stenograph-
ers, formerly an occupation exclusively
filled by men at high salaries, has result
ed in reducing the compensation paid for
that special branch of work bringing
men and women more on Il plane. so far
rs the average salary is concerned. and
thus it is that women have contributed to
lower the wages of men.
mat was one of the very first effects
OF the entrance of women into fields Of
business that were formerly exclusively
occupied by men. The women were re-
garded as interiors aud were glad to get
employment at any price. When they
were found to be efficient they were put
IN the places of the men or the men were
forced TO take lower compensation. Thus
was hXed the status of wages for the two
sexes, and as a rule women must put mp
with lower wages than men, while the
men get less than if there were no women
competing in the same fields.
Commissioner Pidgin gives figures of
weekly wages classed by amounts. His
figures are for Massachusetts, and they
are much higher, as a rule. for the same
services than in Louisiana. For instance.
bundle boys and girls begin work in the
wage class 81 but under SIS per week:
the boys disappear after the class So but
under 50 is reached and the girls after
the class SO but under 81. This appears
to be the limit for this kind of work.
The boy, it may be- enters into another
branch of occupation, and the girl is pro-
noted to the counter or desk Female
h0okkeepers are first noted in the class
80 but under Sc, and are found in nearly
every class up to and including SD but
under 500. Male bookkeepers are first
found in the class 81 but under SO. and
the highest wage paid is $51 per week.
In previous table it was noted that the
average weekly wage for male boOkkecp
ers was S19.73 and for females Sill
1t would, therefore, seem that in many
instances knowledge of the business and
financial ability were rewarded in the
ease of both men and women, where eX-
pertneSS in bookkeeping and accounts il
concerned, as may be noted by the high
individual salaries quoted. Referring
once more to the occupation of stenog
Iaphy. which in nearly every ease mr.
doubtedly includes knowledge of type
writing, it is found that the lowest class
Tor female stenographers is 81 but under
- per week, and the highest $40 but I'M
uef III: with the males, however, the
lowest class is found te be SS hut under
~ and the highest SIG but under 81.
The highest weekly amount paid men
IN the section canyassed is S125, that
amount being paid buyers and managers;
the highest paid women is SS1. paid in
one instance to a buyer, Il branch of oc
cupation, especially III dry goods. fancy
goods, etc, in which the Judgment ami
taste of a well-educated woman finds
held for fullest development.
The commission thus concludes at
VIII be seen, then. that the young man
entering commercial life may have the
nope before him that. by perseverance,
energy, honesty and willingness to work.
IN season and out. he may advance from
the humble position of bundle boy at 81
per week TO that of buyer or manager.
receiving the highest salary of S125 per
week. To the young woman who takes
course in the business college for the
position of bookkeeper, stenographer. or
equivalent occupation. there is n possible
rise from 81 a week 10 the highest class
~ SO but under SIG. while the girl en-
'erng trade, as cash or bundle girl. may.
u she has the ability and application to
ueFote her energies TO her own advance
'heht and for the benefit of her employer.
.rach the ultimate position of buyer, and
sGceIve the highest salary here shown OF
SNt per week What has been done may
ne done again. New Orleans Picayune.