Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-06
The Workingmcn,s.Asse

Christian secretary pro te;sa. Attention Of the
meeting was called to an erroneous impression
port OF the proceedings OF their last meeting Of
last week, respecting the action of the meeting
on the resolutions submitted by Mr.. Campbell In
relation TO suffrage IN the District. The report
has 1t that the resolutions were tabled, whereas
as a,matter Of fact they were adopted
CHAIN GANG LABOR.
Mr.. Campbell, from the special committee to
present a protest to the District Commissioners
against the employment of the prisoners
OF the chain gang upon the repairs Of cur
performed the mission assigned ned them l
and had laid their grievances in detailed form
before Commissioner Dent GIN Saturday last;
stance that they were compelled Of necessity to
put this pauper labor upon some of our street
work, as they have limited appropriations for
Improvements and repairs, beyond which they
have no authority to go on with work; that
there were some Kinds OF work that is absolutely
necessary to be done to. save the District from
loss and as they had no money to eXpend 1t
seemed right and proper that they should put
these men whom the public have to feed to do
something for living; It was ewing entirely
| to insufficient appropriations and the Commits
| SioDers had no desire or purpose to 1njure the
| labortng classes. Mr.. Campbell stated how he
had endeeFored to point out to the Commits
| stoners the great wrong done and maintained
that the work should go undOne rather than to
| put criminals at work to cheat honest labor out
| OF what was manifestly its right. The report Of
the committee was adopted.
| FEMALE LABOR.
Mr.. Hamilton from the special committee on
female labor, made a report, stating that they
had come to the conclusion that they can do
! nothing In reforming the existing evils without
the aid OF the press and tie good citizens of the
District and unless they will give their aid and
assistance 1t must be abandoned altogether.
They could only give general review Of the
matter for the very best reasons As to the
| matter of young ladies employed in shops and
stores, being required to remain standing dur
| ing business hours, there Is no remedy unless
| the press will denounce it, and the charitable
ladies take the matter in hand, and refuse to
| purchase goods OF any merchant who requires
this service. AS to sewing girls employed
| by the various manufacturing houses
OF clothing and na,lliners is simply de-
very best, do not make S. per week. How can
the public expect these girls to live virtuous
lives and support some widowed mother and Or
phan sister or brother upon such aSalary? They
know Of girls employed in the various mechani-
cal departments of the government who make
such small salaries that they cannot support
themselves, ana, in many instances, are COM
PEELED from necessity TO resort to immoral habits
Statistical reports from Boston show that 1000
girls live in that city land their parents know not
how, and never question them, and that more
than 800 in the past few years have disappeared
from their homes and have never been heard OF
by their parents. Another evil that we look
uDOG as OF the most demOraliZRg nature is The
requiring of girls employed In our hotels to force
their way through the lObbies where all kinds
OF vulgar gaze and indecent remarks are
made about them, and the effect is they become
so hardened and careless that they soon fall into
the ways. of the wicked and are lost To respecta-
bllity, when, If not exposed to such treatment.
would lead virtuous lives. These are q few evils
the committee have pointed out, and there is
but one way 10 remedy it, and that for the press
to denounce it, and the good citizens will aid
them in it. A move in this direction will interest
every subscriber OF THE STAR, and the commit
tee hope it will give as full report as they can
upon this subject"
WRONGS OF FEMALE EMPLOYEES.
Mr.. Hamilton supported his report with re-
marks in which he stated that there are dozens
of shops and stores In this city where female
clerks are required to be constantly on theil
feet, never being allowed to sit from o'clock
in the morning to II O'Clock at night. There are
other abuses quite as Migrant and common.
The evil effects are to be seen on our women in
the outcropping OF immoral lives and broken
down health. Some eight or nine years ago the
press of New York city and the humane men
and women OF that city took up this subject;
and undelpaying the working girls, and to a
very great extent the evils were remedied. The
good women ONE OF that city had eanyassed the
and candidly told the proprietors that
they would discontinue patronage and
persuade all their acquaintance to do likewise
very life blood of the working girls. The result
was that it became popular reform, and i'm
menSe and lasting good was done. He related
many Instances In this city, giving names and
pressions are practfced daily; one of a delicate
and refined girl but poor, who to gain an
uNelluOOul now dt WOTk 81 per week,
and last week the price of lamp was deducted
from her wages, which she was so unfortunate
as to break This girl was supporting a mother
tS e2pe to n9q Ha 81 he or s
ed directly In the cause of workingmen
and women, and but few Of the read
ers Of that valuable 49,, paper would
Mcdonald then proceeded to name persons he
knew OF in his line of business who pay working
girls from s. 25 to So per week, and the number
nfI nYlH Ia 0.p
was outrageous to humanity and reason. He
was not backward in mentioning names and
circumstances. Mr.. Craney fnStanced cases
were sewing girls to fashionable dresSmakers
get but So per week to work on dresses, when
the dressmaker receives from $50 to 500 for each
dress Another great evil is the miserable pri-
yate accommodations in some of these shops
and stores which are common to both
sexes. He said 1t was not expected
that the press OF this city would publish
names OF these leeches, and he advocated the
publishing of all the facts in pamphlet form for
free distribution among our purchasing and
consuming community. Mr. Boron instanced
knowledge. Mr.. Hamilton said they did not ex-
pect the newspapers to use names but fair
agitation, he thought would help the condition
OF the working-Women In this city amazingly.
An amendment was adopted to the report re-
commencing the assembly to authorize the
same committee to publish pamphlet of facts,
giving names" &C; and the report OF the COM
mittee was adopted unanimously.
THE ANTI-sANTA CLAUS RESOLUTION TABLED
The resolution offered by Mr., Boron at a for
mer meeting, respecting the inconsistency of
the contract system and the popular SuperSti-
ton connected with the Christmas holidays
about Santa Claus, came up. and Mr. Boron con-
tinued his remarks OF the same tenor as before,
denOuncing the whole Christmas layout as
based upon falsehood and fraud. He had made
his point attacking lying parents of children
The resolution was Iurther discussed; Mr.. Julian
and others saying the Workingmen'S Assembly
had made themselves laughing stock to the
community by entertaining such matters. Mr.
Boron said he had never done anything in his
life that had given him more satisfaction than
the bursting of this Santa Claus bubble which
had so long demoraliZed our youth. They are
spoiled with lies and deceit. What they need
is facts alone, and to revere truth for its own
sake. Further discussion followed, and the reso-
lutions were laid on the table; all but Mr.. Boron
voting in the affirmative.
PROPOSED LABOR UNION.
Mr.. Craney offered a resolution that the
WOrkingmen's Assembly call mass meeting of
workingmen OF this District for the purpose of
forming union for their protection. He adj
vocated such union for the benefit of ALL and
to enlarge the sphere OF the agitation on labor
interests; referred The election OF officers was
postponed for one.week.
AmuSemenls, &c.
NATIONAL THEATER.-The Strakosch Opera
company appeared last evening before large
and fashionable audience. The opera 81 Puri-
tana" was given most acceptably, and full JUS
tice was rendered to the difficult music of the
opera. The acting was also very good. Miss