The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1867-09-21
FEMALE LABOR AND ITS RE.
WARD.

FEMALE LABOR AND ITS Me-
WARD.
FRoX the pen Of Horace Greeley, there ap-
peAred, month since, through the hide
pendent, an article on q touching tragedy
occurring in the metropolis A young lady
Of Georgia being urged by her parents to
marry man for whom she had no love, took
refuge in New York, to avoid the Alliance.
Her means being slender, che promptly
.a0uSht the work and the wages whereby
she might honestly i've Those acquainted
with the ".sItuation,' 10 that city, bsed not
be told that she sought in vain. From the
pen Of an old reliable citizen, we learn that
10000 women are now toiling in New York
day and night, on from 1hree to four dollars
per weeks sum insufficient even to pay the
board of q Neutrality-suspicious.. Another
ten thousand are out of employment, though
many seek it at the pittance referred to. No
marvel then that our poor Georgian adven-
turess should fail. Discouraged and sick
ened with her dismal prospects, her last
dollar went to pay her board-and over
whelmed at the alternative iHfamy or death
she paid the druggist for dimes worth
OF poison and promptly swallowing 1t, soeti
ended the earthly scene. Greeley asks: Is
this the net product of eighteen centuries Of
-lhristien proGsssi = .,
Many young wonsk sletchesass Der lands
tons IN Sute appeal for shelter and bread. ,
lairly earned. Can We respond with nothing
better than cheap prissh, piae coffin, and
an unblest gravel"
These questions, be it remembered, are
pat 70 half million protesting Christians
and philaDthrOpists, before whose eyes this
shamefHf suffering is spread out every hour.
fess many occupying leading positions in |
the churches, boarding up great fortunes !
and having plenty Of work to do, are
either refusing it to this dependant class,
or paying them when employed, little more
than half Of what tbeg really earn R>eepiy
censurable as is this injustice-this hard
hearted cruelty-by whomsoever piacticed
itbecomes doubly so when found under the
eSckk of Christianity: -Such wrongs sadly
defOrm the Lies Of the Sadducees, while they
swell to hid,sOus monsters in that Of the self
.;ghteous orthodox Pharisee. A wolf is in
tOlsrabIe in his own garb, but more than
dispicabhe under that Of the sheep. OF all
v.sss hsypOcracy is the mesnest.
Seeing the danger Of our own prosperous
city iiss~d Of oil others within the circu
AtiSn sfyour humble sheet, sinking to the
same p'tiable level in this regard. we beg
hs privilege Of little plain writing on this
topic.
/. Oppression in whatever form, entsils
misery not merely on the oppressed, but
finally and certainly on the oppressor. The
Solomon Of Rome wrote-B. c." The evil
We do 10 others we may expect on ourselves"
while He who spake as did never any man
before, declared" 9Th Sbat measure We
msts II shall be measured to you again."
We're il not so the great administration Of Je-
hovsn must be devoid ofequity. We all know,
however, that justice is always done sooner
or later, and hence il becomes not only the
dutEs Of avery one e ss ssj1siiy, love mercy |
and walk hpmbly, !" but his highest interest. |
Withholding then from the Iahorers more
than is mete. not only stains the hearts Of |
Z tie rich with crime, but it stamps their |
heads with inexcusabIe folly.
II. Say what we may as to the duty Of
employing the unemployed, it is beyond al |
question the demand Of justice to pay squit-
able wages to those who are employed. To
our servants we must give tnat which is
just and equal" The same amount and j
kind OF work done by woman, as by man,
Is worth the same to the employer. TO pay
the latter, Tor instance as printers do. rs cents
pee thousand MS" and the former but as
making difference Of SO cents in an af.I'
a'nary days work, ID most msEifsst ln;ust;c..
And % % and 81 an other trades ana profess
sions. To take advantage in this way Of
the weaker and more dependent sex, sinks ,
the wrong to thsIs Of meanness. There
IS neither chisalry, honor, aor Christianity :
in the custom: nor Eill il be justified by |
persons OF sense or self respect. Against :
such barbarian, an win be seen n the address !.
q our late National Labor Congress, doss
hSk boy pE0test Our men d not oppos6 4
% much the employment Of woEsn, = tbs 1
pittancs Cor which thsy allow | 4
70 b enpiw i Ply than IN 4