It Seems To Me That In Discussing This Subject Philanthropists Fail
To Take Hold Of The Right End Of The Argument.
Money returns from
work are very good, and work itself is good, as bringing such
returns and occupying both body and mind; but the world's work is
very hard, and workmen are too often overdriven.
The question
seems to me to be this - of all this work have the men got on their
own backs too heavy a share for them to bear, and should they seek
relief by throwing more of it upon women? It is the rights of man
that we are in fact debating. These watches are weary to make, and
this type is troublesome to set, We have battles to fight and
speeches to make, and our hands altogether are too full. The women
are idle - many of them. They shall make the watches for us and set
the type; and when they have done that, why should they not make
nails as they do sometimes in Worcestershire, or clean horses, or
drive the cabs? They have had an easy time of it for these years
past, but we'll change that. And then it would come to pass that
with ropes round their necks the women would be drawing harrows
across the fields.
I don't think this will come to pass. The women generally do know
when they are well off, and are not particularly anxious to accept
the philanthropy proffered to them - as Mrs. Dall says, they do not
wish to bind themselves as apprentices to independent money-making.
This cry has been louder in America than with us, but even in
America it has not been efficacious for much.
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