Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-05-04
The Sewing Women.


ceived but five cents a pair for max
ing seven pair of drawers, thus OBJ
tanning but thirty-fiv cents for a
bout three days work.
Those who are capable Of doing
finer work often have to make vests,
pantaloons and shirts with linen
bosoms and collars for % cents while
so cents for such work is considered
good wages. Small as these prices
are many days and weeks are lost
by females in duh seasons, there be-
ing no work to be obtained.
To find remdey for this state OF
things will be exceedingly difficult
To Tx scale of prices will bat slight
~ effect the case. Constant employ
lnent at the rates adopted in Cincln-
natl, would probably draw a hun
dred thousand seamstresses to any
city in less than a year. Competition
III this, as in other branches of bust
ness, will bring prices down in spite
Of all combinations, whether OF the
benevolent Or Of the parties interest
ed. The needlewomen not only
have to contend with a ruinous com
petition among themselves, but at this
time thousands Of sewing machine
are being ma nuactured constantly
Each machine does the work Of nine
women, and does it better than il
can be done BIZ hand. That is, with
three women TO do the finishing o
the garments the machine and the
three womenwill do more and better
work than Twelve women can do
There are, therefore, but two ways in
which eftectual and permanent re-
lief can be given.
One is 10 train females so as tc
qualify tkem for other branches o
| business. and then to influence public
sentiment as to make it reputable
and fashionable for them to seek suct
employment.
The other is to improve the morals
the industry and the economy of th'
male sex, and impose a heavy ia,
upon all single men.
Labor saving machinery has in
creased the wages of the man o
strong muscular powers from 10 t.
70 cents per day to II or 81 %, anC
so enhanced the mechanical employ
mcnts as to give the skiIliul artizal
Il position in society almost prlnccly
But, alas for poor, unprote,t d te
males. those movements which ten
to elevate all other classes serv
: but to depress and degrade them
AS the most Of our females are raiseC
ii they happen to lose a father be
, fore they obtain IA husbands he!
and protection, and are not possesse
: of wealth; so as to make them indie
pendent, they arg apt to fall into tn
most abject poverty, if not the mo:
degrading lnfant.
) This state of tlings need not cor
tinue. There are many employment
now in the hands ef men, for whic
women are eminently adapted. M
u to speak of the medical protesslo
and the editors sanctun, or of Labor
merely literary, there are numerot
lucrative pursuits which might b
placed almost exclusively in Il
hands of females The lady sho!
: keepers Of Philadelphia, and thos
American princesses, the tcma
; teachers Of our land, will compal
4 iavorably with any OF the sterner Sc
for efficiency in their respective ca
= Hngs. AMI in all that adorns or Ell
mobiles the female character, it won
, be difficult to find their superior
e among the wealthy and high DO!
a DANES of Europe or America.
If the influential classes in societ
will bring their energies to bear
an effort to put females into all thos
I avocations for which they are const
-" tutionally fitted, few years will su
fee TO effect a highly advantageol
t change. -LouisvilIe Journal.
Have We an Old lslscuit amor;
y Vs.
, This c,,nrv- J.. now asked in II