New-York tribune., 1870-02-05
ONE OF WOMAN's REAL WRONGs-Is SKILLED
LABOR PAID FOR


TO Inc EditOr Of The Trt6Hhc.
SIR: No statement is more commonly ac-
ccpted as fact, than that which attributes TO skilled
labor the king OF it's own reward and the conclusion is
not nfrequent that the reward fixed is unreasonaby
high do propose discussion Of the abstract dues
tion whether not skilled labor receives suitable com
pensation at the hands OF those for whom it ia
formed Let me rather lift the curtain, aud exhibit
few Of the actors in fes drama just they appear in
everyday life.
Before us comes first, the bricklayer. His, though
not one of the arts" is yet much art to
afford opportunity for the exhibition Of considerable
skill Its practice yields him abundant bodily exer
cse and an exposure the free air of heaven, which,
Notwithstanding Incidental discomforts, is pro
ductiyc OF good health and promises lengthen his
days beyond the allotment OF three and ten years
To temperate and well-regulated life the brekayers
wages of s. day, or 80 cents an hour, brings
an amount of happiness not surpassed by that in any
other rank or station.
And now we see the carriage before the door of one of
those marble palaces for which Broadway is famous
It's adyoccupant waits for the bundle which the we'll
dressed clerk brings within, and then drives to her
home she has purchased dozen plain shirts for her
husband at the moderate price OF $50 Let us inspect
them The nateriacotton linen and buttons-may have
cost the merchant prince but not more sewing
machine work he has paid. it may be, - what the
shirtmaker Tor fnisher, as she Is now caed mas re-
ceived we shall ascertain presently ~ orekayimg S % oe
deserintive OF the making or finishing shirts Though
OF fine art than brick.laying, 1t is at the
least, an art "consumptye"
We find the hrtmaker in the close air OF an ilyvent
lated room. aud In painfuiyhxed posture destructive
alike OF health and enjoyment Her work demands
closer attention dexterty and greater care, than
that OF the brickayer II must hear the scrutiny
OF the magnify glass whle relatively his Is subjected
only to the long range of the unaded eye Better vent
laon she cannot command with her too limited Income
Relief from her painful posture she cannot take ony
which the reward for her labor so scant the PIT
which falls 10 her. that there can be no reaAatoh
this side the grave
Her work consists the making OF 10 buttonhoes the
sewing OF 10 buttons the puttingln OF hafdozen gus
and the finishing OF the ends OF the machine work FOR
these 80 operations each shirt she receives the mun
sum of fourteen aud ahdQ eens or VI 10 per dozen
shirts -Four shirts good days woTk-a days work OF
l6 hours The skilled shrtmaker cents for her
days workess than six cents hour and only about
oneenth the compensation 70 the skilled ot,ekiayer:
Need say that the skilled labor of the shirt tmaker Is not
paidi
ductng the OF material OF machine work. andof this
finishing finds himself in possession OF S33 % as hs net
profit dozen shlrs-more than 200 per cent on his in
yestmen We may not desire that the merchant should
be less successful but We cannot forget the cost at which
his IL purchased The poor seamstress ~ cont
PEELED 10 devote all of her time and energy for three
s3J represents not more than five minutes OF his time and
attention Making allowance for elerkhire and rent n
suppose the transaction to represent ten minutes OF
his time his labor and capital IA paid for between 1900
and 5000 times well as tnat Of the shirthnsher
Yet comparison Is needed 10 complete this
picture While the merchant may demand and receive
:" cash down for the property he sells ana while tho
brick layer almost uniformly receives the wages earned
with prompt precision, the shttmaker IS so often and
fouy derauded that the services OF Protective Union
IN constant demand, as means OF collecting the hyo
or SIX cents which she earns by each hours bodily toll
aud scfsacrince Every day law courts are hearing
the complaints OF women against dishonest employers.
nre submitted 10 I'm silence 10 aycid unwccome pub.
cty ~ the sufferers name. The right Of women TO pay
inent for work performed s too Often lght yielded
only at the end OF tedious aud costly legal process.
AeW lOfk, jan, %, 1870,