The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14


The oldfashioned woman was economi
cally independent. / don't mean In actua
money, for often there was little ready
cash In the family treasury for any one
to handle. In the days when there wert
small farms up around Fifty-ninth street
Manhattan, farm products were ofteneT
exchanged for other household commodities
than for dollars and cents.
Although the married woman was not
legally independent, she was economically
Independent. She was self supporting oil
felt that she was, knowing that she worked
just as hard from morning till night. often
harder, than her husband did.
Now things are different. A married
woman may I'll up her time, may keep busy
with cards and clubs and charities and by
lacking few more furbelows and fTills 70
her bonnets and gowns, but really she repre-
sents a leisure class.
'on account Of the specialization Of work
and taking certain industries out os the
home into the factory, It would seem that
by natural order Of evolution the only way
eft for married women to achieve economic
Independence Is TO seek It In paid fields Of
work"
How about the woman who has chill
drenl' Mrs. Gait was sske'
well, having children might lessen her
feeling Of dependence, but even 80 It a a
question whether children woulc not be
better Oh II brought up by speci ilists. Il
Is believed that not one woman In 100 900
ever gives scientific study - the proper
way Of bringing up children.
Most mothers 90 entirely by instinct
rather than by knowledge. Eventually il
NAV come abopt that children will be brought
up by specialists, In which case the mothers
hands would be free
do you think that one woman IN fifty
yearns for economic independence7'
Every married woman think has this
yeaIning, but as yet the proportion who
yeam for hard work may not be very large
Yes, that Is one Of womAn's little inoonsis-
tenciesi and have known some men who
were affected In the same way.
Labor statistics show that In less than
twenty years the number Of self-supporting
women has increased from 10 TO 20 per cent.
or out Of all proportion to the growth Of
the populationi and although Just what per
cent. OF this gain represents married women
Is not definitely stated IL u known 10 be
This is signihoapt and proves. 1 think
that although the big question Of the
married woman's economic Independence
will not be settled suddenly OF with a jar
II IL being worked out imperoeptibly and In
a way 70 encourage rather than TO hinder
marriage.
Marriage, II IL limited lie going out OF
fashion and In certain sections Of the ooun-
try IL is undoubtedly true that women
who can ably support Themselves are
ohary about giving up an independent
income to marry man who perhaps earns
less.
Il remember the case Of a young woman
who good many years ago held Govern
mont offioe In Washington at yearly salary
OF 81 500 In the same department was a
young man who got only 81 400.
The two fell In love and wanted 20 marry
which meant that one OF the other had 10
give up his or her ONCE a. the rules OF the
service believe, forbid that husband snd
wife shall be employed at the same time iu
the same department
BY using influence, the young woman
managed 20 have her fianc6 put into her
place, which she resigned, and the pair mar
Tted and lived on the income which once had
been hers alone, and which the man never
Increased.
widow, unprovi dsddor. Aina~Wtfh. no1uhl %