The Evening critic., 1882-11-03
TILE MOMENTS LEAGUE.


Interesting Speeches ana Other FRO.
cecdings vt the Meeting h"sI Nis'
Trying TO Purify the Bepnrt'
ments and 10 Get Proper Work ana
Good wages for thc Women.
Tho womane' National Industrial League
yyas chilled to order last night at o'clock, Lot
| tiers were read from prominent men expressing
sympathy with those working for the eleva'
| tlon OF the working classes, especially women.
Numerous communications were rchu oy tuo
| secretary from working girls and women sot-
ting forth their DISTRESS and asking Tor ASSIST.
anco. communication was recelvSn from e., ~.
girl stating that her father was asoldier IN tue
| war; he was not wounded, but contracted
| disenso which makos hin unable to work, and
now the family Is In destitute circumstances
'"' Her Poor Mother,
| who is weak, has 10 do hard labor TO support
| the family, and she is In very bad health
| The writer, I'm conclusion, asked for work.
Many letters were read from other femalo5
| In need and the writer's seemed 70 look upon
| the league rs their main helping hand.
Mr.. Brown was then called upon for an "a
| dress. He said that great many hard things
| about the league were being said on the
streets, many OF which we're entirely untrue, untrue
Every enterprise, no matter how worthy,
| would be nt first met with tho opposition OF
the unthinking multitude: Il true
| in the organization. This was caused by per'
sons attempting TO enter the league VINO were
| not In hearty sympathy with II, and dld things
| that wore not In uCCOfnhuce WIN puLp'So9
for which the league was created. These dts
advantages would soon be romedied, and tho
| organization begin to achieve tue grand trl-
| umphs for which IL was created ana DO u
Means of Elevating women
| and placing them In positions where they
| could mako comfortable and honorable ltvlng5.
| As long as he remained In tho leaguo no should
| only contend for Its Legitimate purposes, and
| he intended 70 stay with the leauge as long 20
| ltlnsted. A great many charitable and hODlo
women have attended tho league, Tno ,i were ',,I
mot memoegs and tsa sa2 s hearty sappor
could not be- considered as part OF the work
| done by inc league. Tho league was formed
| for n speclnc purpose,
] Mrs. Franklyn was tho next to speak. She
| spoke OF the disgrace that labor brought TO- a
| person in this country, especially women. Tho
| moment n girl won't out 10 work, sho was
looked down upon by her former companions.
| This should not be.
work WAS No Disgrace,
| and instead OF looking down upon girl who
| went out TO work, she should be encouraged
by all persons well disposed Honest labor
| Is an elevation and will be considered so be.
MIR. Campbell said ho heartily agreed with
| tho lady. He said that women themselves
were TO blame, for they were even quicker
than men 10 look down upon their poor strug-
Cling sisters. A great many ladies' had tried
TO come Into this league simply to do harm,
Tho speaker called attention to the fact that
many vlllainous characters were already going
about the city contracting debts and attempt
Ing TO hiro rooms and doing other things In the
tho members TO guard against these imposters
Miss Weeks ther spoke about the
MisernbIy Poor Wages Paid
10 working females in some OF our stores, and
mentioned ono store In particular, that was
unusually hard on It's employees. She advised
the members TO abstain from trading with
these establishments. She also called atten-
tion to the number OF hours they were COM
PEELED to labor.
Mrs Smith replied that she had called upon
Mr., Baum and he told hor that he deeply sym
tNot nd Nrfth pluggag. nannntn1Iv
women, and would agree with any combina'
tion of merchants to close at an early hour
each evening SO us to
Give the Shop Girls n Chance
to enjoy themselves. Mr. Baum spoke strongly
| against long working hours, and hoped for
| the time when an early hour each evening
| would be selected to close the business houses:
| Mrs. Smith added that she was In receipt OF
| numerous slanderous and threatening letters.
Many of these cowardly communications were
warHy' worthy of notIee Mrs Smith said also that
| she was severely spoken about during tho
week. She was willing to stand any Just cen.
| sure.
Mrs. Smith also spoke OF the numerous
cases of destitution in the city and the
Heartlessness OF Those with Riches.
She instanced the case ola young girl whose
| father was in the insane asylum and tho fam
lily in the utmost destitutton. She said that
| prominent Government official was once q
| caller at their house whom they were we'll to
| do. When the family was about to BIO turned
| out for rent this little girl
Called on the POmpOus Official
and asked for the loan OF small sum Of
money, but she was sent away without re-
ceivlng a single cont. Such cases as this were
more frequent than one would suppose In this
boosted city. Tho league was now running
without any regular source OF Income, and
for the organization could not long run and be
help to the working classes otherwise
Mr.. Brown again arose and said that he
thought 1t was the solemn duty OF tho league
| TO enter the Departments as
A PhilanthrOpica and Benevolent As.
sOciatiOn
and turn out all disreputable females whose
places should be occupied by pure women
| These spicy parties are known TO many OF us,
| and Il Is a shame that females OF known chas
| tity should be compelled TO work with them
The moment this subject was brought to the
| attention of the villainous politicians they
said that II was not subject TO be considered,
and showed disposition not to notice the
matter at oil. Many
wicked Females Came Here From
the States
and passed themselves Off for perfect angels
when they were, In fact, models OF pollution
He would hate for his sister to sit In an oflice
all day with one OF these modern Cleopatras,
and he thought the same about all other
ladies' This thing must stop. We should en-
ter these dens of iniquity and ferret out the
branch leagues in the States would do tue
same with their departments. Wo shall, any.
way, have the credito OF
| Purifying the departments III THIS
CITY.
Tho speech was received with much enthu-
siasm by the audience, and caused much mer-
riment at the close.
Many positions have already boen secured
| In the departments for ladies, and the league
has been often unJustly denounced for doing
| no good The fact Is the league has done an I'M
mense amount OF good, but does not Haunt II
about with trumpets as some other organiza
tions have been doing.
Mrs. Smith again nrese, and spoke OF the
| difficulties that n female labors under
when She Applies For GOvern
ment Position,
and gave instances where they were expected
TO compromise themselves. 1t was almost I'm
| possible for strange lady to procure place
unless she was uncommonly comely In appear
ance. This was n well.known fact, and was
diagrace To n republican government In thl
enlightened age, and should be checked a
speedily as possible
Mr.. Wright, OF the Federation OF Labor, mex
spoke, and called attention TO the fact tina
women were often doing responsible wOrl
under the Government, and were not gettlni
near the pay OF men doing less work. He be
lleved that
n woman Should Receive as Mucl
For Her Work as n Man.
He disbelieved the idea; he thought It to-
damnable that women who took positions II
tho Departments often agreed TO grant lar q
| portion OF their salary 10 the inhuman ma
who procures the place for them. Ho coul
not believe that such damnation existed unde
Jefferson. When women fell women were tn
| first n mnla than fa