For the Farmers' Register. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE LOW WAGES OF FE- 

 MALE LABORERS. No. 1. 



The general depression of the wages of laboring 

 females in this country, and the peculiar circum- 

 stances which condemn to unceasing toil, and se- 

 vere privation, so large and meritorious a portion 

 oi' rhe whole community, are subjects which well 

 deserve the consideration of every one who has a 

 share in the general interest. It is not only a 

 matter calling for the action of the philanthropist 

 — but it also has an important bearing on the pub- 

 lic economy and national wealth; and may affect, 

 it' it does not already threaten, the private interest 

 and family affections of every individual. This is 

 as yet a country of plenty — one in which the in- 

 dustrious laboring man cannot fail to earn the ne- 

 cessaries of life, and in which the labor of a day 

 will generally suffice to provide the bare neces- 

 saries of life for a week. Yet not content with 

 the wages which demand and fair competition will 

 always properly adjust, nothing is now heard of 

 in the northern cities but the combinations, and 

 "strikes" of bodies of laborers, and the resort to 

 every means of intimidation, to enforce their un- 

 just and lawless claims for higher wages, or for 

 reduced hours of labor. It is not designed here 

 to consider the operation of these combinations, 

 or to show that, even when successful, the conse- 

 quences would be injurious to those who seek 

 benefit from them, as well as to their employers 

 and to the community at large. The conduct of 

 these full-fed, yet discontented and riotous labor- 

 ers, is merely here named to be contrasted with 

 the condition of the thousands of females, wlio, 

 in silence and in hunger, and under fears of still 

 greater miseries in future, labor incessantly to 

 prolong a wretched existence. Why should such 

 a difference in the rewards for labor exist, and be 

 increasingin degree, between the two sexes? And 

 are there no proper means of removing, or at least 

 of alleviating the evil as it regards women? 



Benevolent and public spirited men have recently 

 taken this subject into consideration, and have 

 commenced acting, with more zeal perhaps than 

 discretion. It is feared that their efforts are not 

 properly directed, and will therefore produce no 

 permanent or beneficial result. Public meetings 

 have been called, in Philadelphia, of the laboring 

 females, and reports of the existing grievances 

 have been ordered ; — resolutions entered into of the 

 propriety and necessity of increasing wages, and 

 a plan devised (as is inferred from the imperfect 

 and concise statements in the newspapers,) for 

 forming associations of females, like the "trade's 

 unions" of men, to combine their wishes, and to 

 enforce their demands. All this will be ineffectual 

 — and much worse than merely ineffectual. The 

 assembling of females in public meetings, is a 

 violent departure from the retiring modesty which 

 has heretofore distinguished our country women, 

 the poor no less than the rich. By previous habits 

 they are unfitted (and long may they remain so,) 



Vol. Ill— 33 



to take part, in public deliberation and action. Even 

 were it otherwise, combinations of females cannot 

 possibly compel an advance of wages, as is often 

 attempted and effected by associations of men — 

 and if they could, the results would be liable to 

 the same general objections. Without drawing 

 together, tor public gaze, thousands of the suffer- 

 ers, it would be as easy to ascertaifi and make 

 public their cruel oppressions. As to any number 

 of individuals, resolving that they will pay higher 

 wages, and ndhereing to that course, it would 

 merely operate as charitable gilts to particular 

 persons, and could have no effect in curing the 

 general evil. To do this, the causes must be re- 

 moved: the evil must be attacked, not at the latest 

 shoots of its branehes, but at its root — which will 

 be found in the habits and institutions of society in 

 this country. 



Why is it that, while mechanics generally in 

 our towns can earn at least $1 for 10 hours labor, 

 very many of the most industrious and competent 

 female laborers, or mechanics, for 15 hours work, 

 seldom earn one-lburth, if indeed one-eighth as 

 much? The answer would be ready, if the occu- 

 pations were such as to require the whole strength 

 of a healthy man. But this is very rarely the 

 case. In most kinds of mechanical labor, skill, 

 dexterity, and patience, are more required than 

 mere physical force — and women, if employed, 

 would as well or even better than men, execute 

 the same labors, and deserve at least as high re- 

 wards. But the misfortune is, that while every 

 mechanical employment, save two or three, (those 

 of milliners and mantua makers are perhaps the 

 only exceptions,) arc open to men, women in Vir- 

 ginia, and wherever manufactures are not in ex- 

 tensive operation, are confined almost entirely to 

 sewing. There are at least as many poor women 

 as of poor men — and the labor of half of all the 

 portion of the community dependent on labor for 

 bread, is not only forced into one single employment, 

 but is driven from the most profitable part of that 

 employment, to make way for the other sex. Men's 

 clothes, by usage and fashion, have been almost 

 entirely given up to be made by males — and in 

 many cases, the male merely receives the price, 

 while females, for a small proportion of it, actually 

 perform the whole labor. 



Now suppose that - the tyranny of law, or of 

 custom or fashion, of religious prejudice, or any 

 thing whatever, compelled a very large proportion 

 of the laboring men to confine their efforts to a 

 business which one-third of their number could as 

 well execute: would it not be a certain conse- 

 quence that their competition and urgent neces- 

 sities would depress their wages to the lowesj 

 possible state? If 20,000 shoemakers were enough 

 to supply the wants of our country, and 40,000 

 other persons were compelled to make shoes, or to 

 be deprived of all other employment, it is evident 

 that the wages for this kind of labor, would be 

 reduced as low as are now those of poor female 

 seamstresses ; shoemakers, almost without ex- 

 ception, would be reduced to the greatest neces- 

 sity and state of suffering. If the proper and 



