Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-06-22
A Call for sympathy.

"A CAAl IOf SyMpatMys
While Mrs. Stowe is creating sensation in
England, for her services rendered to the negroes
of the South and ees, sorries, and costly dinners,
sufficient to buy the freedom of score of slaves,
are lavished upon her; how many women helpless
and forsaken are dragging out miserable exist
istence in some cellar or garret, without friends
or sympathy; and that, too, because they have the
misfortune to be white. Take for instance the
sewing women of New York city, who labor eigh-
teen hours out of the twenty-four, without secur-
ing even enough to satisfy the demands of hun
ger. We quote from the N. Y. Tribune:
"By the rules of the system most generally in
use at the cheap sslop shops, the person applying
for work has to procure herself book in which
the quantity and value of the goods are entered,
and security to the full worth of the material en-
trusted is insisted on, which gives the employer
power which is often ruthlessly exercised, and the
deposit is frequently not returned when work falls
scarce. Not alone our wealthy readers, but peo-
pie in ordinary and even humble circumstances,
can have no idea of the sacrifices, hardships and
humliations to be passed through before sufficient
means can be raised to enable them to make the
the low price for labor is considered the robbing
them of their small means betrays indeed most
depraved and heartless disposition. We will,
however, suppose the work given out and return
ed; it is then subjected to searching investiga-
ton, and whether careless stitching really exist,
or tyranny affirm it, the condemned garment is
ripped assunder and returned to the woman to be
Jxl bo;, ,,,,1J ~,
plete order is approved. But this is perhaps the
lightest of the expressions which the defeneeess
work woman has to encounter-another is, the
manner in which the reckoning is made, ninety
six cents to the dollar only being given. Such
selfish meanness would be incredible if not
thoroughly authenticated, but as we proceed in the
expose the evil will be seen to increase-not only
do they make this deduction in prices scandalous-
ly low at the BEST but it is very common to leave
portion of these miserable earnings &to account
an account which, alas! is often repudiated.
Imagine poor creature paid at the rate of FIVE
cents shirt, on which she has had to make de-
posit of its value, being paid portion and told to
slet the remainder stand over for settlement
and this regardless whether she may live at the
haps the most crying, oppressive, and disgusting
tyranny of the entire villainous system, and one
which is carried on to an incredible extent. None
who know their abject dependence will inquire,
why they work on such terms.
s'This vile system of Withholding payment
makes itself most acutely felt in the uncertainty
it produces, as many employers who pretend to
pay prices at which an existence might be made,
contrive by their cunning in settling by install
ments, to reduce work really to as low scale as
the worst, and eventually, by constantly defering
the day of settlement, weary out the poor dupes Of
their treachery. We have known instances where
these professedly fairpriced houses have for sue
cessve weeks paid but fifty cents on account, and
when work became scarce have postponed the
day of settlement often, that the patience OF
the claimant has been exhausted, and she has
been compelled to give up her claim in self de-
fense, despairing of final settlement, and neg
lecting in the meantime other employment.
We have stated that shirts are made for five
cents piece, and some even as low as four; but
we will take the former price as being the more
usual. For this sum the shirt has to be ready for
wear on delivery, and very expert needlewoman
can make three between her hours of rest, which
are rarely sufficiently prolonged to recruit her
overtasked strength. Six days labor would thus
produce ninety cents, but only if uninterrupted
from other duties; but this sum, small it is, is
attained at these prices, the delay of seek
ing and returning the goods, and probably seve-
raj journeys for settlement of her claim, will make
great inroad into her hours of labor, reducing
her earnings one half or to about SO cents a
week.