The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-02-19
HAPPINESS At CUT RATE
Women Discuss Contentment
on Fifty Cents a Day.
LIVELY DEBATE OF ILLINOIS CLUB

Mrs. Ward Of E~nglewood Says She
Could Live ON 80 Cents a a In
the Tropics, While Another Mem
her said Their Would BE "sOme-
thing DOING II h Had to Make
the Attempt.
.Can a woman be happy on 30 cents
adayY
This question stalked into the reci-
procity meeting Of the Englewood Qll.)
Woman's club the other day and put
harmony to flight, says the Chicago
Tribune.
The club was discussing '"The Work
ing Woman; How Can We Help Her?'
at the time. Mrs. Coonley Ward made
a plea for the simpler life, and Mrs.
Corinne Brown in answering her
brought up the so cents a day topic.
IF the leisure classes would share
the burden Of work and live more sim
ply" declared Mrs. Ward, 'the condi-
lions Of the working people would be
greatly bettered. The extravaganza in
overdress by the leisure class is what
causes a great deal of the misery in the
working class. The poorer try to imi-
tate those who dress extravagantly,
and this effort to initiate eats away
their wages. If m would not be
SO prodigal in dress the working wo-
men would be. better Off"
Mrs. Brown and DR.. De Bey took is
sue with Mrs. Ward and wanted to
know If she could live IN SO cents a
day and be happy.
II could live on SO cents a day and
possibly be happy in the tropics" de-
clared Mrs. Ward, "where the demands
Of fashion are not so great"
II could not live on 50 cents a day
and would not" declared Mrs. Brown.
|'If anybody told me I'd have to there'd
be something DOING" Mrs. Brown
said the working oma could best be
helped by being given better wages,
taught independence and the value of
organization. She said it was the duty
Of all women to stick by the working
woman in her fight for higher wages.
"Higher wages is the chief ingredient
Of happiness. Money is the surest path
to happiness said she.
"a woman can be happy on so cents
q day if she has contentment of mind
and sweetness of spirit" declared Mrs
LIE Grand Lockwood. Education
should simplify and sweeten u lives
It should give us enjoyment Of what
we have, no matter how little it is
and not make us miserable"
NJ. Toopxvoo1 ,,ucoI that tho hoe1
way to help the working woman was
to teach her contentment, to be happy
with her lot.
Mrs. Charles M. Henrotin declared
that the best way to help her is to give
her greater opportunities.
First said Mrs. Henrotin, "botl
the working woman and the woman Of
leisure should, above all else, keep il
touch with their generation and it:
activities-they should develop intel
lectual hospitality.
%"Secondly, give to the working wo
man opportunities and she will taxi
care of herself. 1t is within the prov
ince Of the women's clubs to see tina
greater opportunities are given to work
AuS WOllCu. 1O lAc WOultA VI AclSul'
I would say: Develop your understand
ing of the daily lives of those rount
you, those who are the great mass o
humanity. Listen to the heartbeats O
the working woman and be in sympa
thy with her Efforts"
Mrs. Henrotin read statistics to show
that working women receive far les
wages for the same amount of worl
than men. She cited figures in four in
dustries which together employ 1900
more women than men and which pa.
$30,O00,OOO less in wages to the womel
workers.