1893 - State Library Information Center

PART IV.Woman's Work and Wages.Our industrial development, from the domestic to the factorysystem, has been accompanied by marked changes in the socialrelations and in the means of family support. Before its advent,manufacturing was a domestic industry carried on principally inthe homes of craftsmen, assisted by the various members of thefamily. But with the application of machinery the old-timemethods became obsolete and artisans were forced to seekemployment in factories and shops, owned and managed bycapitalists. In the nature of things, this has made it impossiblefor the other members of the family to aid in providing for thefamily needs, without following the husband or father to thefactory for wages.Notwithstanding the great number of female wage-workersnow employed, it is« doubtful whether, in reality, the factorysystem has materially changed the importance of woman's laborin manufacturing processes. Many now living remember thetime when the cloth, linen and stockings for family use wereentirely produced in the home by the various members, and whenthe carding-machine and spinning-wheel were a necessary part ofthe family outfit. Within the past generation, however, inventionshave made machinery almost human, needing generaldirection only and little manual strength. This has not onlytransferred, but has opened to woman new and wide fields oflabor; in many cases it has made it preferable to male labor inthe production of articles where formerly men had no competition.The deftness of hand and quick perception of mind are inher favor. This extension of field and displacement of the manworkerby the woman-worker increase with new inventions5 (81)