The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-04-28
rHE woRKINg woMANS WRONGS.

who need nothing but solrespect and del
caey should not close the avenue to men
hearts and purses agains, those who make
well.ioundei complaint Of their wrongs.
meeting OF the working women Of BostC
was recently held in that city, at viii,
some disclosures were made which will Sta
iIelthe christian and benevolent people
the whole country, while it should bru
bushes Of shame and selfreproach to ii
wealthy manufacturing classes Of that cit
Congress spends days aud nights legisIa'in
70 enfranchise, educate and supper. the "I'
civilized African Of the South and 70 i'''"
er protect the manufacturers Of Ne" lug
land by protection tariff, While tHousanu'
Of our own race are either starring or eA'ng
out an existence which IS more terrible
than death itself When there can be such
disparity between the profits Of manuiacur'
ers and the earning ofoperatives as is shown
in the proceedings OF the meeting referred
70. the conclusion is inevitable that there il
degree Of extortion aud oppression by the
employers toward the employees, which IS
not far removed from criminal.
We give below the opening address made
to the Boston meeting by Miss Phelps, and
perusal Of it will show that for once, at
least there is excuse for woman breaking
the silence which 50 well adorns her modes.
~ and speaking out Let her voice be ech
oed throughout the land and the complaint
il u,,ers be dinued into the ears and into
the hearts Of those who SO Cypress and
wrong her,till her labor is more nearly com
Pensated:
The object Of this meeting is to bring
out the purpose of the petition Just read and
and the facts whereOn It is based We do
not think the men Of Massachusetts know
how the women live. We DO not think if
they did they would allow such state OF
things to exist. Some Of us who signed the
petition have had TO work for less than %
cents a day, and we know that many others
have had to do the same True, many |
get good wages, parativcly, for |
women. There are girls that get |
from 81 90 to 81 90 day, either be.
sausc they are superior labOrers or have had
unusal opportunities. But many Of these
poor girls among whom it has been my for
tune to live and work are not skilled labor.
ers. They are incapable Of going into
business for themselves or carrying on for
themselves and incapable Of combination |
they are uneducated and have no resource
fTr h.4 hot fF,ttf.rI tt.rD Tllr. I
are before me now women WHO | know 10 be
working at the present time for less than -
cents pay. Some Of the work they do at
these rates is from the charitable institutions !
OF the city. These institutions give out
work to the women with the protested OBJ |
JecL of helping them, at which they can |
scarcely earn enough to keep them from |
starving, work at which two persons with !
their utmost eXertIOus cannot earn more
than 50 cents day. These things repeat
should be known to the public They do
not know how the daughters Of their soldiers
fare. DO. They have a little aid 70 be
sure, iron, the state but it is only u little
and they have to-day to live in miserable
garrels without lire, and during these cold
winters with scauty food and insufficient
clothing they 60 out daily 70 labor along
beautiful streets. DO not You think that
they feel the difference between their coud
ton aud that Of the rich, well.dresscd ladies
who pas, them If they did not they would
be more or less than human. Bat they
work on bravely and unc0mplainingly, ven.
turing al! things for the hope of the life that
Is ~ come. We know that there is wealth
enough IN this state and 10 this city to rem.
edy this state Of things, aud that it only
needs to be brought before the people to be-
done. Our legislation will not let such n
state Of affairs last. There are lands close
to the city Of Boston. which can be bought
at prices ranging from $50 to 80 an acre,
near enough to the city for working women
to- come to their work there or take it home.
And these homes can be made cheaply. II
can be done at loss cost than these poor
women now occasion in the shape Of public
charities. For last winter many of them d
did not get work enough at even ten cents a I
garment to live upon, and were obliged TO I
ask charity They get it doed out to them,
but at Whist loss Of self respect ofindepen. [
dence. How much better to have these girls I
independent, earning their own living, enjoy. ,
ing their own homes, than that they should be
compelled to 60 to station houses for soup. c
hat - what many many of them had to do {
last winter The people have wondered how
these girls live. Can you imagine how you
should live upon 20 cents day? Rent is ,
one or two dollars at the lowest, and ,"o'o
IL your clothes and your food. count II up |
Where does It como from2 There is often
no resource in health but the charities, or
in sickness but the hospitals As for the
hospitals, the poor girls that have been there
have told me that they would almost sooner
lie down aud die than 90 again. But we I
think that women could sustain themselves, {
and buy little homes for themselves under .
The plan we propose, even at the small wag.
es they get. 1t seems like a good deal to
loi but day by day the pennies will count
up, and after time the homes be secured.
And then, again, these GIRLS, working and
living in these garrets and cellars, damp,
unwhoIesome places, are not we'll. They
cannot 60 into kitchens and do house.
work as their mothers did. Men often ask
me why these working women do not 20 into
house.work One sufficient reason is that
there are not houses enough for them air
nor any large proportion Of them. But #
there were, still they are not skilled in house
work, and mistresses will not have them. -
Another reason is that their strength is not
sufficient They have not been 80 brought
up, and this tragmentay labor they have
been employed at has so weakened their
whole system, bodily and mental that they
cannot do the work They are said to be
improvident and shiftes. grantit. Who
would not be IN their condition. Make their
condition better aud they will not resort to
The streets after dark. Make their condition a
better and you will see them educate them. =.
selves in skilled labor aud become what our =,
yrandmothers were, good wives and good
mothers. But in the condition they are in, a
how can we ask it 2 how can we expect it ? Z
| rom all that | have Seem md h-.-,l 49,.