Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-15
The WOman,s League.

The WOman's League.
"oaANs RIGHTS AT THE CAPIrOL-THE CAUSE
OF THE WORKING PEoPLE-MRs. SMITH AND
THE CONGREssMES
"hen the WomaH's National League met last
evening, Mrs. Smith. the president. stated that
she went to the Capitol last Monday and was as
sailed on all sides because OF the STARS report
last week quoting her words referring to some
OIL the legislators of the nation old scalawags.
she was approached in the ladies' room of the
Senate by one old man, who asked if any per-
sOnal reflections were intended. She told him
that she did not refer to the Senate but to the
House. II say nothing about the old gentle
man, said Mrs. Smith, cor about his sending
his wife home early in the season and flirting
with a young girl Mrs. Smith went on to
describe visit to the House, when gentleman
ron the west approached her. said his friends
had been rigging him and wanted to know if
she intended any personal reference. She told
MN that she did not E!can the House but the
Senate. After this cscapade she had been taken
down with severe sore throat This having
been stated by way OF apology. because little
business had been accomplished since last week
MIS- Smith had Mrs Bryant. the secretary read
series OF resolutions. which were adopted.
woMAN's RIGHTS AT THE CAPITOL.
The preamble recited that 1--WE have recently
been made to know that the ordinary civilites
usually extended to cur sex are being circum-
scfibed by curtailing the conveniences of a
waiting room ut the Senate side of the Capitol
and we are informed and believe that the room
originally intended adopted and used for that
purpose has been recently and wantony seized
and occupied tor another purpose, and our sex
excluded from its occupation" and the resolu-
tons set forth that we hereby enter our pro-
test against this violation of our rights as citi-
Zens and taxpayers. cO-equaI i'm all that per
tains to citizenship and representation with the
other sex. and demand that these conyeniences
be restored to us as such. That as the room so
seiZed and detained from our use Is only in use
not more than once in month, that Hon. j.
Bright be requested to restore said room to It's
original intended use, or others furnished in its
stead. That the obscure and unhealthy apart
ment now designated a ladies' waiting room is
an unfortunate excuse as a substitute and is an
insult TO those of our sex who have occasion to
confer with the representatives OF the people at
the capitol Resolved that We hereby recon-
mend TO those who have these matters in charge
that more suitable room be prepared than
those now in use on both sides of the Capitol for
tins purpose, as being more in accordance with
the advancement towards q higher civilization
now manifest throughout the world"
THE CAUSE OF THE wORKINGMEN
Mr.. Billingsby made an address, urging the
Importance of organization. He referred to the
TACT that there were some working girls in the
city who were not paid more than $3.50 or -
week. Referring to statement in religious
paper, accounting for distress among the work.
Ing classes on the score of the vice of drinking
he asked whether it was the mechanic or the
capitalist drank the most. He spoke of the as
sOciated charities with some contempt as a
charity that cost "a to give 81 to the poor. He
said II fair wages were paid to the working
classes there would be no need of charities He
said no sewing woman need be afraid of being
discharged for joining an organization. because
the first employer that discharged girl for that
cause would be bOycotted.
MI Rosenburg gave his views on the question
OF organization. Mrs. Smith mentioned one
storekeeper, who she said paid only so cents a
week to sewing girls Mr.. Rosenberg said
there was another, who discharged the girls
every day or two, telling them that they were
not experienced enough. and employed new
ones, keeping it up all the year around In
that way he got along without paving ANYTHING
Mr.. Edmonston spoke of the great benefits
done TO the WOrkingmen of the District during
the past year by trades unions. both in a finan-
cial way and in the way of developing and i'm
proving the men. He thought the means
adopted and to be adopted i'm America for i'm
proving the condition of the workingmen would
be fair and open. He did not think the scenes
that attended the French revolution could ever
OCCUR III America.
Lacquer WHO HAS SKIPPED"
Mrs. Smith announced that Mr.. Beckwith, the
gentleman with the ear trumpet. who had at
tended the league meetings and two or three
weeks ago made an attack on the league had
left town. or, to use the common term skipped -"
on account, perhaps, of the league, as he could
not stand it.
Mrs. Cole, of Boston. made few remarks en-
cOuraging the league She thought something
would eliminate tomorrow or next day for the
benefit of the movement She had been negoti-
ating with influential parties who were willing
to help the movement. She had hoped to be
able TO announce the result this evening, but
would say no more than she had.
Mr.. Brown addressed the league at some
length upon the relation of capital and labor
Mrs Smith stated that one woman who had ap-
piled to the league for aid. had been eleven
years yanly appealing to Congressman and Off
Gals for an office. She remarked that If she
had spent Onehalf of that time in fitting herself
for some business she would be better off She
inveighed against men who intruded upon
w0man's field by selling carriers. pins and
needles. manu- acturng cOrsets, land even"
added Mrs. Smith, ''our bangs"