New-York tribune., 1908-02-07
WOMEN INCONSISTENT.
They Cry for the Ballot, Yet Want To b
Wards of the State

IF the law is going 70 prevent women from
working night. IT ought at least TO provtds
something else they can do then to support their
lazy husbands
That the way Mrs. H s. Tonnes summed
up opinion in discussion Of laws for the pro-
lection of workingwoInen at the meeting OF ths
New York Legislative League at the Waldorf-As-
toria yesterday afternoon Miss Emile NJ Bull
Iowa gave a talk on Labor Laws" treating the
subject in its relation 70 adult women Miss Bull
Iowa said that it most inconsistent OF women
to be demanding at one and the same moment the
right of the ballot. if they were men, and 70 be
protected by law. if they were children. Or.
Harriet c. Keatinge said that things now
women must he protected from working all day and
all night else they Will go bringing sickly. de-
formed infants into the world Mrs. Tonnes thought
it was pretty hard either way; if women were per-
mitted they would work themselves 10 death. z
not permitted work themselves death they
would starve.
Miss Bullova quoted extensively from the opinion
handed down by the New York Court OF Appeals,
declaring unconstitutional section OF the labor
law which forbids woman working before
O'Clock IN the morning. after O'Clock at night.
Why she went on, should women come BE-
fore the Legislature 10 ask protection as II tley
were wards of the statsc And surely n thst
women take A very inconsistent stand fIst this
time. when there is more agitarion J1a part of
women for the ballot and equal rights with
than there ever before. Justice Gray has o.
clared that the law should regard women dif-
ferently from men: that men and women stand
alike; that the law has no right to protect .
woman from working after 9 O'Clock =. m. IL
she wants Women are not to be made ths
special objects of paternaI care 7 can't pretend
to tell YOU" added Miss Buovs- how 70 get
your rights or how to get the suffrage. but you
will accomplish nothing by opposing opinions such
this of the Court OF Appeals"
Il favor the law said Dr. Keatnze f1rnplrg Z,
her feet Il say that women have reached
that plane of evolution where they can take care
of themselves. Some Of them are much Ike chiI-
dren-they must be protected Women are unsef-
tsh; their fate has been to bear burdens ThAy
would go on working all night II no one stopped
them I've known 1a4IndresSss TO get I'd ar 5
o'clock or before. get breakfast for husband and
children. clean up the house. then go out and do
a days work; then come home, get supper. put tbs
children to bed and SIT up half the nfghc msndns
their clothes. If said. You mustn't DO this. you
are killing yourself the answer would b. 1 can't
help it. DOCTOR I've got do tt tell you ended
DR. keatinge, with emphasis. we've got to
laws to keep women from making slaves CT then1-
selves"
May say a word in answer to Dr. Keatlnr.~
cfled MIS- Tonnes 1T seems the grss.
question the state must consider IS how workers
are to earn a living I'm I wish all women
could be beautifully taken care Of wish every
woman had SS.C0ooo. and il she wanted 10 give it
TO a count she could But must face facts.
Il know washe-women and other workinSwornsn
VINO don't get a moment from weeks end weeks
end TO look at a newspaper even because thstr
work Is never done. That is all wrong BUT what
would We accomplish by restricting their hours Of
labor? We would put IL their power ea-n
money enough to live at all"
NO woman. broke IN DR. Keatinze. "can work
hard more than ten hours day ard every DAY
unless she has the constitution of a horse Tvs
seen too many children brought into IN. word
sickiy and deformed-the result OF overwork On re
part OF their mothers. II seems to me- must
look at this matter on the health basis
Well. said Mrs Lille Devereux Blake. who
presided, Il don't think quite agree with Mss
Buiiowa We want TO protect women And vhsn
we women get the ballot" she added generously.
well protect the men. too"