| Show discrimination OF WOMANS WAGES THE annual report of the massachusetts chu state board of labor statistics aist furnished some figures that will interest the promoters of wom ans muse cause and be profitable to all who pay attention to the labor question taking the lowest rate of wages for the first comparison of relative male and female pay it appears that of actual wages paid to em eloyes of both sexes per cent of all males receive less than 5 a week 4 85 per cent less than 6 and per cent less than 7 about one fifth of all males average less leas than aa 1 1 per day the females working at this low scale of wages comprise per cent of all the workers no intelligent reader will fall to realize what this fact means in ID the higher scale of wages we find ad that 1121 per cent of all males receive 9 but under 10 per week 1371 per cent 10 but under 12 1937 asper per cent 12 but under 15 and 1949 per cent 18 15 or over these escho iwho es who comprise per cent or nearly two thirds of all males receive or more per per day only 1026 per cent of the females employed are paid similar wages As the he scale of wages rises the number of females enjoying them grows steadily less bf a total of 72 workers rec receiving eivin 20 a week and over only are females prom from these figures it seems that those kinds of work for which ine very lowest wages are paid women form seventy per cent of the workers while they only torm form three per cent of the employed emp loyes in labor that brings a high rate of wages this is not all for the same work performed with the same skill women are paid less than mer men at the same establish establishments ments everybody can see that this is not just the question is why this discrimination the rhe boston alobe says it is because women carry no votes votee and therefore legislators permit this iii injustice justice women can neither seat nor unseat a politician 11 but the regulation of wages by law has not yet been accomplished with any degree of satisfaction the rhe law of supply aud and demand is supposed to rule in the labor market as elsewhere we do not say this rule always holds good there are excel exceptions eions for instance journalism is not paid in anything like the same proportions as the other professions and yet there is no talent that is scarcer in places where it commands but meagre remuneration as genuine journalistic ability in massachusetts woman is almost a drug on the labor market the fair sex greatly outnumber the workers of the male persuasion this no doubt has something to do with the disparity in the wages of f the two sexes usually however a mans work in most branches of labor is really of more value than a wo mans but in cases where woman comans Is work is equal to man mans manis Is in quantity and quality there is no good reason why it should co command namand a less price there are many things in this world that are out of jant j int 1 I they will all be put right some day but meanwhile ane weak still suffer from abuses by the strong and true civilization justice liberty and equal rights exist chiefly in theory workers for women should continue their laudable exertions and not cease until the question of sex shall no longer be permitted to intervene to prevent that which is right politically socially or in relation to anything that affects humanity |
