Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1876 — A Word for Women. [ARTICLE]

A Word for Women.

Public opinion has on sevdxal occasions in most of the large cities of the country called attention to the practice of compelling female clerks to stand continuously for hours in stores when not engaged in attending on customers. It is singular, perhaps, that it should be so in this country, where respectful attention and gallantry to woman from man is very decidedly the rule. The custom is an importation from Europe, whaye labor is a drug, and the worst kind of an importation it is. The Young Women’s Christian Association of New York —a new and meritorious organization—has taken the matter up by adopting resolutions which are respectful but directly to the poin, The associates complain of the practice and declare, with obvious truth, that “it is not only fatiguing but seriously detrimental to the health of the young women” who are compelled to submit to it. They ask that such “ regulations be made, not inconsistent with the proper conduct ot business, to the comfort and welfare of their women employes,” and declare they will give preference in their purchases to such houses as comply with these reasonable requirements. It is not too much to hope that these benevolent young women will have their way, and that the employers will see the error of their way and makes radical change in_this_arbitraiy_ rule. There is no sense in it, and what is more, there is a positive lack of the simplest humanity in its exercise. It is unpleasant to offer suggestions which may look like an unwarrantable dictation as to how men shall conduct their business, but this practice with regard to a worthy industrial class is one which is certainly more to be honored in the breach than in its observance. Women are of themselves helpless, and men should help them as they do in most conditions of life. This, in its way, is important, and while we hope that the Christian young women ot New York mayffie successful in their humanitarian crusade for their kind, we also trust that the spirit and the action may travel out West as far as St. Louis, where we understand it is needed also.— St. Louis Republican.