Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-05-02
HELP FOR NttDlgwoMEN.

Certain excellent and active people in New
York have good thought which they are try
ing to work cut for the benefit of the sewing
women eff that city. This thought proposes
something much better than mere almsgiying,
something more helpful and better calculated
70 promote selfrespect and cheerful energy.
The plan is to rent work-room in some
suitable locality and furnish it with every
thing necessary to the business of needle
work, not emitting full supply of sewing
machines. Boarding and lodging are to be con-
nected with this establishment, and the use of
it is to be rented to sewing women under the
superintendent Of the Industrial Association.
The main particulars of the plan are unfolded
by committee of this Association, as follows:
al. Applicants for admission to the work
room must be of good character, and be prop
erly recommended They must also be in the
employment OF some manufacturing establish
ment, and must bring their own work.
2 Out of her weekly earnings each occu-
pant of the work-room shall pay for room
rent use of machines, and other necessary
expenses such an amount as the Directors of
the Industrial Association shall demand these
shall not exceed the actual outlay); and to Sc
cure the payment of this Indebtedness the en-
ployer of each occupant shall be authorized to
deduct from her weekly earnings such amount
to be handed over to the Treasurer of the As
ISOLATION, of which her pass-book shall be the
evidence, except that any occupant shall be at
liberty to pay such required amount weekly in
advance.
3. Each operator on machine will be al
L. IL. = H.,
ton at any time snch instalments on the ma
chine over and above the weekly rent as she
may choose, and when the whole price is SO
paid, she may remove the machine or other
wise dispose of it, as she may think fit but
until paid for, she may not, unless by special
agreement remove it from the room.
4. A suitable Superintendent shall be engage
ed by the Directors of the Association, whose
salary shall be paid weekly by the occupants
of the roum.
5. The hours for opening and closing the
room shall be determined by majority of the
votes of the occupants.
6. Widows with children, or females who
have relatives dependent on their labor for
maintenance, shall have the preference as APP
plicants."
Something may be added to or taken from
this development, for all things of the kind are
improved by time and experience but the
purpose is to rescue needle women from a
part of the grievances of hard lot and give
them some advantage over circumstances,
more especially the advantage Of causing the
sewing machine to be their helper and not their
rival. Circumstances very naturally make
this machine the servant of capital this plan
proposes to make it the servant of needy and
dependent labor. If the first establishment
succeeds, land wise and careful persons inter-
ested in the matter are confident it will sue
ceed,) it will presently be followed by many
others.
correspondent whose communication ap-
pears In another place, urges that there is
something wrong" in that system of business
operation which requires needle women to
work for inadequate pay But it is not SO
easy to say who is responsible for the wrong.
Employers are not all Gland sharks p neither
are they all destitute of generous and Justice
loving manhood; but they are all subject to
the sharp competitions of business, and the I'M
scrupulous find market just as readily as the
honorable. Wedo not, however, believe that the
noblest style of behavior is ever bad policy, or
to speak commercially, we do not believe that it
ever did or ever will prove to be chad in
vestment-" There is doubtless grave mis-
take in that estimate of the matter which
makes honorable manhood necessarily the
follower and serf of sharp yilainy, and repre-
sents that one class of men cannot establish
the best relations with those they employ, be-
cause Others will not; but it is nevertheless
the mistake of some men who are neither I'M
just nor dishonorable Time and reflection,
which befriend the best things and promise
always that the future shall be better than the
past will correct this mistake.
Talk as we may, there is something i'll us
which forbids the belief that the labor of the
poor and dependant should be treated merely
as commercial article,-a commodity to be
purchased at the lowest price possible, without
regard to the needs of the laborer There is
something more in this relation between la
borer and employer, something higher than
mere commerce, and no system is right which
does not allow it to be recognized. The sub
ject presents one ofthose social problems which
the wise and good of our time are required to
solve ;--one Of those questions which call upon
us to consider that men and women are supe
rior to every thing else in a State, and show
us plainly what we of this generation are re-
quired to do in behalf of the noblest progress
of civilization.
POLITICAL.