The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-01-15

| hlShiy PSticVsSN hNo"eS. %'~s s's
can one man, today. accomplish the
work Of six men. but so very rapid has
been the machines output OF tas goods
manufactured. that in spite Of our i'm
msnse country and our great foreigu
trade, the supply in many cases so far
outruns the demand that many a manu-
facturer shuts down his factory ertire'
| ly. or else runs il at only half its ca.
paeity. This is one Of the great causes
Of men so often being thrown out OF
fwork.
"Then. just as the perfected machines
have in the cities used one man instead
Of six, so also on the farms have less
men been needed; that and the grow
ing distaste of the American youth for
rural life, has caused thousands TO flock
from the country to our already over
crowded cities. and there enter into
competition for positions. Nine times
out Of ten. too. the country lad will
work for smaller wages than his city
brother. and the competetion Is keen
ITO these two conditions add the
enormous yearly increase in our popn'
lation through immigration ian immi-
grafton Of hard working frugal men and
women). and we have enough causes
|, for the scarcity Of work. without laying
upon the shoulders of women the
blame OF robbing men OF their places!
Poor woman. She has had to hear
from time immemorial the uesponsibi'
| " Of all the evils our human institu.
tions are heir to.
Instead of women taking the posi-
tions away from men. ninety per cent
of the women who work are doing 50
| because OF the neglect Of some man to
do his Rart. or because there Is no man
in her family to assume the role OF
bread winner II j. not a question OF
whether or not women should. in the
opinion of men. hold this or that posi-
tion-the ability and right to work aud
be self.supporting is not the preroga.
tive Of sex. nor would the troubles in
the labor world be solved II women
were forced out of their present posi-
tions-in favor Of men, as some Of our
would.be reformers suggest. Ex-Presi'
dent Cleveland. for example. declares
that all the women should marry and
stay home. Very wise OF the ex.Presi'
dent, TO be sure. but as great per cent
Of the wage-earning women are mar
ried. and find that they are better able
than their husbands to support thelT
families. bis proposed remedy seems
more than absurd.
"That women in many cases are prov
ing the superior Of men is one reason
she is preferred. Naturally she is not
given the positions because her EN-
ployer is chiyalrous- business there
is no sentimentl, nor because she will
work for less, wage as been often stat
ed. In some few cases perhaps, both
these assertions may be true, but the
main reason women find il easier than
men to get work is simply because as a
rule they are more dependable. Where
ever men are the superiors Of women
they hold the positions. There is, how
ever. no line Of work that has not more
applicants than there are positions "a
be filled, and the fact that this is true
Of those positions where only women
are the applicants, proves that she has
the same condition before her as man
That these very conditions are far from
ideal, that they are in many instances
even appalling, is the reason that the
attention Of many Of our ablest men i
being turned to the solving Of these
problems.
"0ne fact strikes the observer very
forcibly in the face of the great mum.
Der Of unemployed; that is, that there
is not an institution in the country to-
day. that Is not eagerly seeking fol
competent help. Trained and skilled
labor has never had any difficulty in
procuring and keeping good positions
II j. the unframed, mediocre class oi
labor that Is oyercrowding the market
Women is today recognized factor IN
the industrial world and holds her posi-
tion therein without any regard what
ever to her sex. II therefore behooyei
men. instead Of lamenting that womeI
have snatched from them the prize,
positions, to prepare themselves NOR
earnestly for the places they wish u
occupy.
| spTha fact thaf in evarv sraik of Iif.