The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-08-04
WORKING yVomen,s Protective Union

| women have been themes for consider
alton and comment for many long
year. They have inspired the pens of
| many writer's. They found voice in
| the terribly real "Song of the Shirt"
and they are graphically pictured in
more than one OF Dickens novels. But
Notwithstanding all the talent, the ge'
MUS, the eloquence and the invect1ve
| that have been brought to bear on the
subject, it appears these hardships still
exist in too many places, and in cases
entirely too numerous for the credit OF
the advanced humanitarianism of this
age. This is brought prominently be-
fore US in a little pamphlet of about
| fifty pages containing the fifth annual
report of the Working Women's Pro.
tective Union of the City of New York.
| The Injustice and wrongs done to the
working women of that city, the fear
fully inadequate prices paid for their
labor, the frauds practiced upon them,
and the very few sources of employ
ment open to them, attracted the notice
of several good men and women in
the year 1868, and the Working
Woman's Protective Union of that city
was the result. 1t got into active opera
lion in that year with Judge of the
Court of Common Pleas for President,
and very efficient Board of Officers,
! consisting of twelve persons, two OF
whom were women. In the hve years
complisbed a great amount OF good. AS
| q preliminary a number OF meetings of
| working women were held with the
view of establishing an organization
among themselves, but 1t was soon
found that, owing to the want OF busi-
| ness knowledge among the women, ths
plan would not work, and SO the socl-
ely took its present form, the LABOR,
time, attention and money necessary
for its operation being furnished gra-
| tuitcusly by those who started the
movement, with such as they after
wards induced TO cooperate with them.
It was no part of the plan to give
employment and to protect them In
their earnings. But the objects OF the
Union are best set forth in the pre-
am bic to their constitution OF which
the following is copy:
This Association is organized tor
| the common benefit of all those Wo-
men who obtain 4 livelihood by en-
ployments not connected with house
| hold services; and seeks that beneht:
''First.-By securing legal protection
from frauds and impositions free OF ex-
pense.
"Second.-By appeals, respectfully
but urgently, made to employers, for
wages Proportioned to the cost OF nv-
| ing and for such shortening OF the
hours of labor as is due TO health and
tie requirements of household affairs.
"Third.-By seeking new and appro-
pirate spheres of labor in departments
not now occupied by them.
"Fourlh.-By sustaining registry
system, through which those out OF
work may be assisted in finding en-
ploy yment.
'.FIith.-By appeals 10 the communi-
ty at large Tor that sympathy and sup
port which is due to the otherwise de.
| fenceless condition OF working women" !"
In a very short time after the union
was formed, the superintendent report.
ed that employers were paying from .
| to 15 per cent. better wages that en-
ployers. instead of opposing were be-
coming the friends of the union; that
new kinds of employment were being
found Tor women, in branches OF indus
try never before open to them and that
the women were. being protected in
stead OF being wron2ed and cheated by
dishonest foremen and unscrupulous
employers. The mere knowledge oil
the existence of such society, in the
charge OF men und women who were
determined that the wrongs previously
pracliced should be prevented, was an
instant protection tOa great mauy. One
of the first things done was to open q
Bureau of Redress" where all
alleged cases of Hardship, short payment
and swindling were heard, and where
il the complaint turned out 10 be well
founded, instant measures were taken
TO have the wrong redressed. The pro-
cess was TO bring it in the first place tC
complained OF, and if the wrong
wars not righIed, then to appeal to the
courts. Many cases illustrating the
way in which this worked and the re
dress that was obtained are stated IL
the report, but the details are toe
|
found where poor woman was in
: duced to make button.hOles for 81;
cents a doZen," and who, on completion
of her work, found it was not 10 cents
n dozen baton. holes, but Is cents for thC
button holes in a dozen shirts. This i.
only one specimen OF the innumerabis
tricks by which the working wOmeL
were swindled. 1t was such cases anC
others in which the money earned WAS
withheld or refused that the officers o
the Union took in hand in the "Burenr
of Redress"
In getting employment for those whC
sought the aid of the Society, there wal
also 3 large share OF success. In thu
years 1S65-6-7. IL got employment foI
TO- ,209 applicants. In four years ther'
were nearly 700 applications for lega
redress, and nearly 5000 were recov
cred for. the applicants. Among TIT
employments found Tor women outside
of the numerous DtancneS Oh neeule
: work, are brushmaking, buttonmakinl
and polishing, Furnishing, CONNECTION
. cry, diamond polishing, engraving
, cleaning, errand-going, glass gliding
labelling, map coloring, nut Smelling
perfumery making, piano.action max
ing, screw making, twine making, up
. holsteriDg and weaving. 1t appear
also, and this is one striking feature o
the report, that the Society has been o
great use to employers as well as TO tn
J working women.-PhttG. Ledger.