The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-07

sketches, which whatever evil theyme, do' are Ger
tainly not calculated to eject any gocd Enough OF
this fancful style of writing has besrH ven 'o 'ne
public. and it il now HIGH time that tbe., houd be
presented with the plain, bus effective stnt 'mch' VI
facts. We commence our irst article byan, 'ccouh'
OF the movement which took place ayosA the
workwomen Of New York eight years ago, pro-
tect themselves against what tksy regardeds the
oppression Of employers, or capiali It's.
MOVEMENTS OF TEE NEEDLE WOMEN FOR sEbF'n 10
| TECTiOE-AN ACCOUNT OF THEIrS IN ETINGs,sN
general movement took place snaa ng the npca 'e
| women, and in fact among the fanisi'e operaaise
throughout the city in February and Ma -ch Of is4&
1t commenced, we believe, among thssh aw Sewers
and was occasioned blythe attempts ca me ~ thv
employers to reduce the prices which were paid Ut
that time. The remuneration given fo thi dcscrip
ton ofwork had for the previous ten a cen years.
been constantly growing less, no matte v how mach
the expense OF living increased, and those en-
poyed at it could with difficulty support themselves
1t might therefore be justly considered purely de-
fnsve movement of the work wmen again ct the con-
tnued encroachments of the employers; Nd 50 long
as it retained that character, reasonab e person
coAd object to it, But unfortunately for the interests
OF those who were alone deeply concerned init.
number Of phanthropic, strong minded ven, and
two or three designing political demagogues mixed
themselves up with those who really sin cero in
their intentions, and brought such dsrepute on the
cause that all rightthnking and fair minded srsans
| who sympathised with the workers, withdrew their
countenance and support from it. Afer lingering fora
few weeks it died from want of support, while hose
whom it was originally intended to benefit lett
| in condition than they had been before the
movement WIS commenced. AS the lesson whic y it
'nculcates may be OF some service to those who ny
hereafter desire to ameorate the condition of be
sewing women Of our city, have aken the troub IL
to inform ourselves of the particulars Of the gener
uprising OF the female operatives, for nearly ever
department Of female labor was represented in it
If it should prevent others in the future from pur-
suing the same foolish course will consider our
selves as having been instrumental in efectng some
good.
In February, 1916, the prices paid for nearly all
kinds of needle work had been reduced so low by
competition among manufacturers of straw and other
goods, as we'll by the injustice of employers
that the women were compelled in sefdeence as we
havesaid to combine for the redress Of their grevanc
feeling of discomfort had prevail ed among them
Tor some months before, and fequen5, protests had
been made by individuals against the manufacturers.
but without effect. At last, few less timid than
their associates projected the bold plan Of an organi
zation among all classes of sewing women relying
on the sympathy which they would receive and de-
pending upon the force of public opinion to aid them
in obtaining their demands. After few consulta-
tons in private, they determined on holding a mass
meeting in the Park, at which they proposed adopt
ing plan for the benefit of the female operatives
| throughout the city. This meeting was held not in
the Park, but.in the Supreme Court nom, (now the
| chamber Of the Board of Aldcrmen,) in the City
Hall, the of which had been offered to them for
the purpose, by Of the aldermen: This meeting
/ was lied m, order hy Mrs. nd
Grey, young lady about twenty years of age, was
unanimously elected to preside its deliberations,
On her entrance to Office Miss Grey, in the language
the reporter that OCCASION INA de beautiful ap
peal to hersex respecting theoppresson of the South
employers, whose agents in this city had hardly
paid them sufficient for bare subsistence having ha TO
work at the rate Of dollar and ifty cents to iwo
| dollars per week. The time had arrived for the
| working women of all trades to strike for heir
rights and teach their oppressors that thoughswo-
men, they could show that spirit which becam the
daughters of the patriots of 76. This spirited ypeal
| reused the enthusiasm of the meeting which num-
bered about six hundred women. Of all occupl lions
and resolution after adopted, to t., . effect
that a laember of each trade should be appointed to
get list of such employers refused to ray them
the scale of prices set down by the assocei ion and
| report at the next meeting.
This resolution was folowa by another, excluding,
from .he association amy laboring young woman
| who shall 60 to work for boss who rs refused 10
| pay the prices" After vote Of thanks to tho
| gallant Aldermen, who had granted. the use Of
| the, room, the meeting adjourned. On the ith
of March, the working women again assembled
| in the place, to the number Of sayen
| hundred Miss Gey again appointed Pre-
| Sdent, and on tlis occasion dcliverea long
address, in the course Of which she made state
ments in relation 70 the price paid for femas labor,
which were OF 3 painful character, and which we
have every reason TO believe were not in The least
exaggerated She mentioned Ae names Of several
employers who only paid frcm ten to eighteen cents
per day, while the best workers could notearn more
than twenty nine cents. !" How asksd the fair
orator, vas possible that on such D,come they
could support themselves decently ar5 honestly let
alone maintaining metlcrs and sor1s two, three or
four helpless brothers and sisters, which many OF
them had Pieces of work which they last year
got seven shngs for this yeer they could only get
| three shilngs.n At the conclusion of Miss Grey'a
remarks, young lady stepped forward, recom-
mended their !" never giving up the ship" and
| warned them against foreign influences. An
| other member said 1t was necessary the OBJ.
jects of the meeting should be distinctly un-
derstood, particularly by those who were imme-
diately interested. Her remarks were soreasonablo
and just that we cannot resist the temptation Of re-
publishing them. "If the supply Of labor in the
market said sho, "is greater than the demand, 1t
follows, as a matter Of course, that we connot
control the prices; and, therefore, 1t would be we'll
for those present to look around them and icto
what other channels they could turn their industry
4 with advantage There were many branches Of busi-
ness in which men were employed pat they could a.