Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/369

 WOMEN IN INDUSTRY: BOOTS AND SHOES

355

employed, while the number of men showed an actual decrease from 91,406 to 91,215. The explanation given by the Census was that "women are largely taking the places of men in this industry in the operation of the lighter kind of machinery, and children are to a considerable extent succeeding to the places made vacant by women." *^ Part of this increase, however, was probably due to some changes in the preparation of leather which it seems fair to regard as indirectly connected with the industry. The census pointed out that in the tanning of leather, by reason of improved machinery, there had been a constantly decreasing demand for skilled workmen. "Women and girls are now pyerforming the work of men." ^*

The census statistics showing the increase in the number of women employed during the last twenty-five years, are presented in the table below :

BOOTS AND SHOES*— FACTORY PRODUCT. EMPLOYED 1880-1905

NUMBER OF PERSONS

Men

Women

Children under Sixteen

Percentage of Women to Total Employees

1880

82,547 91,406

90,415 95.257

25,122

39.849 46,894

49.535

3.483 2,435 4.521 5.132

23 30 33 33

1890

IQOO

1905

♦ Statistics from the earlier censuses are excluded from this table as not properly comparable with the data which are given. These data are for "boots and shoes — factory product," while in the census reports prior to 1880, data for "boots and shoes — ^factory product" and "boots and shoes — custom work and repairing," were so combined that the data cannot be correctly segregated. See the 1905 Census of Manu- factures, III, 229.

Such Statistical evidence as we have in this table shows quite plainly that while there was a striking increase in the propor- tion of women employed from 1880 to 1890, since that time the movement, if it may be so called, has gradually died out. The increase was only 3 per cent, from 1890-1900, and since 1900 there has been no change at all.

Perhaps the most satisfactory method of ascertaining how far the old lines of demarkation between men's work and women's work have been eliminated is to examine for some

^ Ibid., cxiv.
 * • Twelfth Census, "Manufactures," I, cxxvii.