Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-07-28
John CI,innman and womnn's Wages.


From the Womans Journal
The injustice of woman's Acknowledgement !
forcby illustrated in the Chinese question, az it
now presents itself. ian ounce Of example is
worth pound of precept" Take the following
instance.
Among the new avenues recently opened to
womans labor, one of considerable Importance
Is found In steam laundries. A number of these
establishments arc already in successful opera
tion in and near New York. Mr.. II. G. Browning,
the enterprising proprietor of Doty's Washing
machine and the " Universal Cothes-wringer, 7"
who has done 30 much, by the successful intro
duction of these invaluable household machines,
to relieve the women Of America from domestic
drudgery, has recently erected one of these
lanndries in Orange, New Jersey. In this large
establishment he employs some two hundred
women. These women work altogether by the
piece. With the aid of powerful steam machine
ry, shirts are starched and ironed at eight cent?
apiece. At these prices the women earn from
dollar and half to three dollars per day, az
cortling to their strength and skill.
A few days ago we called, in company with MIR.
Browning, upon one of his heaviest customers,
Mr.. o., all extensive manufacturer of SHIRTS. In
the course Of conversation, the difficulty OF get
ting faithful and industrious working-women
being considered, Mr.. G. urged Mr.. Browning to
import Cinnamon to take the place of women in
his laundry. Cinnamon can be hired at seventy
five cents per day, in gold by the year. They
are steady, strong, docie, patient, industrious
| will do more work for seyenty-iiye cents than
| the women now do for three times that sum.
| MIR. browning admitted the facts, acknowledge
ed the greater convenience and larger profit, but
| Ito his honor be it spoken-expressed his nm
Willingness to supplant the labor of women by
importing men to ill their places.
| Yet how few keen, sllrewd business mel
would share this ciyalrous feeling How long
will it bc ere working-women will find tleii
scanty wages still further reduced by the com
petition of these aborous Asiatic human ma
| chimes
| And yet,---while working-aen have the matter
| under their own control, and can influence legis
lation in their own favor, by their votes, as the,
may deem wise and expedient,- tens OF thou
sands of wofking-women are prohibited by Law
from expressing an authoritative opinion in re
gard to matter of vital interest to themselves
The very bread may be taken from their mouth
by the importation and substitution of servil,
laborers. And these seryile laborers are legal,
constituted their political snpcriors, aud are an
thorized to make laws, public opinion and soci
usages, to which these DISTINGUISHED American
women must helplessly conform.
Without expressing any opinion as TO the wis
dom of admitting or excluding their Chimes
competitors, we demand the ballot for thes
working women as Htir natural riJH. 1t is ia
them to say whether this immigration shall b
permitted OF prohibited. No other class of cit
zenH have an exclusive right to settle tluestio
i'll which these women have 80 vital an interest.
What would any class of working men say
they were thus excluded What would the Cris
pins say if they were disfranchised when til
rights of the laborer are III question. bcedH'
they are Crispinsy Or the lawyers il they Mer
disfranchised when laws are to be enacted. be
cause they are lawyers Or the liquor seller
/ if they were prohibited from voting on the que
ton of licences, because they arc liquor seller
: What cry of injustice would he raised, All
What sympathy would be awakened
Shame ON our code of political ethics II is n
spectacle to he II Crispin, on Il lawyer, or llqu,
, seller II is a rt'inp 10 b. tr06tdH.