Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-16
OCCUPATIONS FOR WOMEN.
Multiplication Of Means Of Livelih GOD
for the American Lady.

MuiIiPIlCdtI0n OF MEANS OF Iivcitnoo0
for the American Lady.
Nearly 100000 women go to work
every day in the United States-go
to paid work, whether the returns b.,
s. week or $4,000 year, writes
juliet Wilbor Tompkins in Success
Magazine. Sixty years ago Harriet
Martineau while visiting America de-
clared that she found here but esnvtn
occupations for women; teaching,
needlework, taking boarders, typeset-
ting, employment in cotton mills, book
binding and domestic service. Now
there are scarcely seven occupations
closed to them; they are pouring out
into the world of activities, and the
five millions will be six at the next
counting.
Whether or not you or they like the
change is wholly unimportant. AS
someone has suggested, the early CO.
hlppus may have resented changing
into horse and his neighbors may
have greeted his development in the
matter of hoofs and legs with acidly
critical comment; but, when once
started horseward, nothing could stop
him; he had to adjust himself to the
outer conditions that demanded one
concentrated toe in the place of five.
In the same way woman is being
swept along in great, vague, irresist
ible wave of economic change, when
she turns her face down town earl.
in the morning.
She will pass an alarmist uttering
his dismal note on every corner; his
warning is prophetic of lost charm
lost power. and lost position. One de
clares that presently man will cease
altogether to support woman, If TIL:
thing goes on increasing, and ther
how about home and mother? Ths
answer to that-not new, but wOrtl
repeating-is that man never has sup
ported woman. To support means tt
provide with the necessaries of life
Who was doing the larger share o
} this, the man who raised and sheares
the sheep or the woman who carde,
end spun and wove the wool, and GU
} and sewed the clothes?-the man whit
shot the bird. or the woman who pluck
| ed and cooked it?-the man who pro
| vided the yarn, or the woman WHIT
: knit the stockings? 1t is fairly ever
, matter. this support" in the day
: when most of the human needs wer
worked out under each individual roof
, In humber homes, where the nee
essaries are bought, instead of mad
? and yet there is but one source Q
: honey, we often get picture OF
shriveling, careworn father staggering
, Under weight of stunning, embroit
l ering spending daughters that make
: Us rejoice in that swelling five mi
!. lion at their gainful occupations. Ho'
l can they do it, these kindly, careles
D girls; and what will become of the1
: when they have worked their victil
r to death? Surely some change In
t system that allows such uneven bu
dens need not make us fear lesser
: ing of womans intrinsic value; sh
i will have gained in every sense whe
D she becomes ashamed to rest ne
healthy young weight on overworke
l. shoulders. That by going to work, sh
e completes with man and reduces h
!. earnings is a problem for profession
o a, economists to struggle with; thoue
+ ii has been suggested that, as a pr
d Queer, she always has competed VIII
}, man and reduced his earnings. whet
/. er she wove her own clothes or ear
4 ed them with a typewriter.