The pages which follow were prepared originally as a prize monograph for
the American Economic Association, receiving an award from it in 1891.
The restriction of the subject to a fixed number of words hampered the
treatment, and it was thought best to enlarge many points which in the
allotted space could have hardly more than mention. Acting on this wish,
the monograph has been nearly doubled in size, but still must be counted
only an imperfect summary, since facts in these lines are in most cases
very nearly unobtainable, and, aside from the few reports of Labor
Bureaus, there are as yet almost no sources of full information. But as
there is no existing manual of reference on this topic, the student of
social questions will accept this attempt to meet the need, till more
facts enable a fuller and better presentation of the difficult subject.

NEW YORK, _August, 1893._




CONTENTS.

PAGE
INTRODUCTION 7

CHAPTER

I. A LOOK BACKWARD 25

II. EMPLOYMENTS FOR WOMEN DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD,
AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACTORY 57