The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-12-03


self stepping into the midst Of that greas'
nd racket, with the horrid fluff iillin.
your lungs all day and getting through you
hair and into your eyes, coarse taskmaste
standing over you with oaths, putting hi
vile tobacco breath into your face, and yor
staying there eleven hours and half day
and being paid four dollars and half pc
week for it. We are all children Of on,
Father, the preacher said.
But have not told you vet the sorrow
fullest part about it, Many of the hands
employed in this establishment are little
girls ten and twelve years old, the meres
babies, they looked to be.
My friend asked one Of them:
SLOW old are you? Z"
Ten years old"
How much money do you get here 2
"Three dollars week"
That is good deal Of money for little
girl to make. What do you do with it p
"Give it to nv mother"
Do you ever 60 to school any.
"No, sir.
Don't you get sick sometimes. working
here p
Yes, sir, the heat makes us sick some
times. "
Does your boss care if you talk to US II
"Not if we don't talk while we are az
work"
But here the conversation was broken of,
for cross-looking slatternly woman came
up and ordered the little creatures to their
work. The brig ness faded out of their
faces instantly, and they hurried off in silence
"A bard faced, gruff man was "head boss" in
this room, and be drove the children about
exactly as if they had been 50 many little
pigs. These children had to stay till
o'clock at night, too, along with the rest.
4" What do you think of that 2" said
my friend. But | did not answer him for
moment.
For, away up in the blessed country,
safe, thank God for ever safe out Of this
unwholesome din, and dirt, and smoke,
remembered two golded haired little child
ren, merry and happy as the bluebirds,
without care to darken their innocent
lives, without even an unkind word to hurt
their tender hearts. l thought of these two
sweet-faced, happy children, and my heart
turned faint little just then.
| do not know who owns that cotton fac
tory, and do not care. But it is my opin-
ion that the man who works delicate Dung
women and little boys aud girls eleven hours
and half day, deserves to die Of starva-
ton. 1t is my opinion that parents who
will let their babies use up their young lives
in that way, deserve something rather worse
than starvation. 1t is devilish. Several
years ago, when | was young and tender
hearted, | read Dickens A" Hard Times :"
Ny heart fairly ached as | read Of he old
faces and stunted bodies of the factory chill
dren. little thought that right under my
eyes above all, here in the west iA~-iv
of good wages and short workh. NJ
should ever find a parallel to the
children of Old England
| know it is dull times for manufacturer
especially in the West They say it is al
INC st impossible for the cotton factories to
keep running at all But surely nothing
in the world can Justify such working hours,
and such low wages as these. Better let
all the cotton factories stand idle till iudg-
ment day, il the cotton manufacturing in
terests If the West have 10 be built up of
the blood and bones Of babies.
A ueniuS is one horn TO he helDfnI to
others If genius shall arise who can cut
this GOrdian knot of the work and wages of
women, he will be greater than Alexander.
If he shall teach the employers to be Just to
women, he will be benefactor to the human
race, now and in all future ages For it il
not magnanimity, or generosity, or chivair-
BUSINESS, or any six-tOoted notions Of that
sort, that working women ask for. 1t is
easily said in a word of two syllables That
word is-Justice | can see but two things
which will help Bring about the good re
suit | will speak of them again, Perha ps.
But | wonder if the good time will ever
come. If God makes brave, beautiful
soul, and that soul strays By chance into
the body Of a woman, wonder if men will
always dare to starve it and puHish it be-
cause it didn't come here in man body
Meantime, friend, fine lady, rich man,
preacher, teacher or writer, whoever you
may be, do you think that what the preach
er said that day, means anything to u 2"
&c Ye are all children Of One Father