Page:The Woman Socialist - Snowden - 1907.djvu/99



greater number of professions are open to women to–day than was the case half a century ago. Less than fifty years ago the medical profession was entirely a masculine monoply. Only since 1868 has it been possible for a woman to practise as a chemist. So recently as the year 1890 there were more men teachers in the country than women teachers. Now it is well known to be quite the reverse, that the women are in an overwhelming majority in the teaching profession.

The causes of this development are apparent. Every day the competition for a livelihood becomes keener, the task of keeping up anything like a respectable appearance, more of a struggle. A competency secured through good fortune or hard work might take to itself wings and fly, so uncertain a thing is wealth to–day.