The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-29
THE W0RKINGWOMEN AGAIN
IN COUNCIL.
Where Employment is to be Had
THE KITCHEN VERSUS THE
SEWING GARRETT.

/ last evening, at the SAMSON Street Hall In the
future all meetings incidental TO proper organi-
zation OF the different ward and other committees
will be held at the Room of the Association, In
Arch street, below Eighth.
Notwithstanding the iucemency Of the weather,
there was a large attendance last evening, aud
greatly increased interest in the objects Of the
association was manifested throughout Speeches
| were made By several prominent gentlemen Of
this city, in which the wOrkingwOmen Of Phlla-
| dylphia we're urged TO act with energy in the
matter now devolyed upon them, as most sue
cessiul and happy results were sure 10 fol)w
their labors., The remarks of Mr. IL. X, Wa
| riner suggested ts she Association many plans bY
which the wants Of the wOrkingwOmeu of Philt-
delpbia can be relieved, and as they are OF
nature which cannot help but forcibly impress
| themselves upon the mind of every woman, We
make special reference to them.
After alluding TO the call Of the meeting, and
urging the wOrkngwOmen TO devote all the cuer-
gies Of their minds and bodies 70 make this great
object a successful one, Mr. Warmer said that
/ the working women OF Philadelphia should look
| for other kinds OF employ nent than that which
| confines them to the use of the needle. IL wis
| hi simple opinion that other fields of employ
| ment must be sought out for these women, Tue
world is full of work, and is 10 be found also if
those in need Of it but apply themselves TO OBJ
| iainmg IT,
But there was one avenue of employment to
which he wished specially 70 direct the attention
| not alone OF the sewing women, but Of tue work
| women Of America are very greatly afraid of
| housework They are afraid Of toiling in their
own kitchens, or in the kitchens Of their friends
in the position Of domestics.
There Is a cause for this feeling, he admitted.
Il is fact, lamentable fact, that the maid or
woman who abors in the kitchen as a domestic
is too often looked upon as menial, II not 4 very
| slave; and every American woman, no matter
what may be her position, has pride-pride OF
| heart, pride Of fceling-thAt Llrbds her for a
single moment to occupy such a post rs that
! which demeans or enslaves her. This is why the
| Kitchens are neglected. Your American women
| cannot help remembering the words of that old
sung which speaks about liberty and 4 crust of
! bread. And it is no wonder that they prefer
| freedom 10 al the Injuries that weigh down the
| tables Of those who would assume the master
| ship over them.
Yet while all this is true, the speaker thought
! there might be q way Of opening up the channels
| of employment to the wOrkingwO men without
necessltatiug that degradation which seems to be
| so inseparaOy connected with it. He believed
| that women might toll in the kitchen and be iust
| as hunet, us yirtuous, and as worldly Of re- pect
| Hs those with whom they associated in the dis
charge OF their duJies
There was no re ,son why this should not be
| the case, and the wDrkiugwOmCu owed IL to
! themselves and TO the success of their organi1a-
tion to take the nIiatory step in this matter, aud
by leaving the sewing garr1t and stepping into
the kitchen, TO render the post An honorable one
and thus make an outlet for the pressing demands
OF the sewing women.
II Is certain that the market Is oVerstOcked
with sewing women. The Tayaycs of war have
thrown thousands of women into the gaunt arms
Of poverty, and their very lives are being crushed
Out OF them. These, as q last resources, hld re
course 10 the needle to support themselves.
Outside Of the performance of domestic duties
they knew of no other employment that would
afford hem bread-scarccly enough az that-tor
| themselves and their dependlnts. Thus 1t was
that the supply has exceeded the demand; and
this TACT regulated prices paid for their labor
There are other avenues OF employment opened
fer woman, remarked the speaker. Why should
not women act as amAnuenses, 9s book keepers,
as cOpyists, and even why not rs Telegraph opera
tors, aud printers. He knew that there was
great opposition made 0y some men TO these in.
nOyateDs, and in a number OF cases where sutn
movements had been organized, combinations OF
| men had operated uDjustly against ths women
| and bad succeeded in declaring their plans. RUS
| action of the men-lhat women are incapable OF
| occupying such pO>ltlOns-bhOuld be resisted.
He beneved that women had a right 20 do
whatever they could do we'll, and they shOuld
| receive for this work as high u compensation as
| that paid men. He believed that mea were battsr
| qualiht for certain kind of businesses than wO-
| men. Women were the best nurses 1.-THE bedside
| OF the SiCk-men the best physicians and sur
! geons on the battlefield. But when women pos
| sess qualifications for positions occupied by
men, and cau discharge the duties Just as
| faithfully and well, puDc opinion should not
| exclude them iGOm the SO avenues of employment,
! and contIe them 10 those Tor which tney have an
| utter contempt.
Work for the workingwomen of Philadelphia
| work that would afford them means 10 iUe, was
| the object of this organization. IL made no diff
| ference what the position occupied by these
| women, that it was honorable wOrk-WOrk
| that would preserve their virtue and eXalt their
| moral nature. Cheeks that were blanched, aud
| eyes that had grown lustrele,s In leaky garrets
| and damp rooms might pc made 70 bloom again
| amid the savOTy OdOrs of meats in the Kitchen.
| In the counting bouse, behind the counter OF the
| store, amid the click OF type in the composing
| room, or of the arm Of the magnet IN the tele-
| graph otCe-new life would be instiled into
those whom pmching poverty has well nigh
| driven to the verge OF destruction.
In conclusion, tho speaker urged the necessity
| OF prompt and vigorous action by the assOGia-
| ton, and ward and precinct meetings should, II
| necessary Immediately be held, aud the work
| ingwomtn should use their utmost endeavOrs to
| perfect such an organization as would DO perma-
| ncnt in its character. Now was the lime to strike
| the blow. The public ear had caught the cry of
| these suffering women and the humanity of our
| citizens had been appealed 20. Justice emanded
| assistance and justice IN the end would bg sure
| 10 mcte It 70 them.
| DEArH OF A PHLADErpHA JOURNALIsT.-
| Alexander Wilson, Esq, q member OF the Phila-
delphia Bar, and for several years legal reporter
for the PuJic Lcdge,, died in this city on Monday
last. The deceased, under the Administration of
| President Buchanan, held the office of District At
torncy of Utah. After the war broke out he joined
! the Corn Exchange Regiment, and served as cap
tain of one of the companies Of that regiment till
i'll health rendered him no longer clpt able Of per-
| forming the duties. HeTeturned 70 Philadelphia,
| resumed the practice Of his profession, aud be-
| came connected with the edi oritl Department of
the Inquirer til within short period Of his eath.
! LatteTly he has confined himself TO the duties OF
| Assistant Assessor of the United States for the
! First Revenue District. He was native of Car
! lisle, Pa.
DEATH OF A MEMBER OF THE Board OF Con-
TRoILERs-A special meeting Of the Board Of
| School Controllers will be held this afternoon,
| TO take some action on the death Of Mr. S. A.
! Hoffman, late member Of the Board from the
! Fifteenth Section.
A CHAPTER OF ACoIDENTs.-Emanucl Peter
SON. aged fifty years, had three fingers taken of
by q circular saw, at the foundry Of Morris,
Tasker & Morris, yesterday afternoon. Last
evening Ann Huber, about fifty years ofage, had
her leg broken by falling on the sidewalk on
Front street above Coates. The accident was
caused by boy running against her She re-
sided on New Market street, owe Willow. Wm.
Dilworth and George Krcier fell from scatTlld
at Twenty-third and Hamilton streets, yesterday,
and were seriously injured. A boy, three years
old, was run over at Ninth and Locust streets,
yesterday, and seriously injured. The driver
was arrested.
Accommodations o'clock yesterday after
noon, German woman, named Ann Haber, had