Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-02-15
White Slavery in New England.

The Committee of education aud
labor in the Senate Of the United
States, had, before them the other day
Mr.. Frank X. Foster of Cambridge,
Mass, who furnishes very vivid view
of the white slavery" of New Eng
hand in connection with the manufac.
lures of that section. According To his
statement the mill life Of Lowell and
elsewhere develops a slate of society
FULLY rs discrediiabIe to the boasted
intelligence OF New England. rs the
brutality they SO freely charged upon
the south in the days Of negro slavery.
Mr.. Foster said that "most of the teu.
ement houses in the manufacturing
cities of Massachusetts were owned by
the mill owners, and that the secs
were obliged To furnish So many oper.
atives. The houses are generally small
III ventilated aud uncomfortable, and
the operatives are compelled to live in
the companies houses, or be dismissed.
The sewerage and sanitary facilities
are bad, aud on summer nights the
stencil from the cesspools is nearly
overpowering.
Thr French Canadians, continues Mr.
Foster. nr" l." New England " hat Chin-.r
,re tu California and the Pacific comet
h"Ir mrrHi- ARE l"~rr, their nrcr..illr.
.'wrr and their only sim seems to be- tn
80" huw much money thy rnn get Ia trk"
"ul of III" country. They de- not ~l.h
th'ir children - z,lrnd .yhrui- and when
compelled "a send them, often muv" t.
Huuthrr lace. Th"v seldom Hrrrtt the
rIcbl ut franchise. Ont "l = French Cana
dHu population OF ss Gj3 m thir,y.tw"
rlu., IN M England only 3 goG are nat
urnlrz"d and 1883 property "wn"r.
Mr.. Foster rp"kr strongly AUzin.t the
employment children uf trnd"r y"sr.
Ia Mn--Hchu--lt- there j. n lHW Again-t the
.tupi"yurni In mills Of children unh"r ten
wears uf a.", ard thusr from I'm b. fuurt.ral
uu-l Hltrnd -rh"rl thirteen Wrpk- ia the
,.Ar. Thu law do,.s not Include the lIl,lr
cash b,ys ahd girls employed IN larr mum
r.rs In tho city stpFas ths-ss iit,l,. ere. b..
ing t"o Young In msny cas"s t' h.'"ut from
under Ia" ..,c Of m"thrr, aIth"ugh em-
lI"y'd iuring IN" busy scason from SAN
until Q aud 10 VI
The girl- rmpl"y"d "a 'hnrvomen are
paid on an sSrrag.. about 81 80 I,-.r w~-k
a "a ~ D. 81
th"ms-Ivrs. provide frr ali tho nc,,..sHrir.
"r liI- ami drr.- wrll. Safety dctnHud.
thal they -huuId be- yirlu"us, vet with IN.
meugrs stipend received Hud the snurrs
"iu.n thruwu Hr"uud them by th"-e ov"r
them, It 3. not wonder that many tall.
Th. firm. OF Jordan, March * Co aud
N'Cullur Williams x Co, at b. IN. nrr
shining exceptions tn mu-l drIn.. Thr fnr.
m.r have provided y lsrr" ball. the Cum
mrrrlsl r,ut Vrlu" ui Nbirh y So 30 tor
yrar, In which their "mpinyrs can mecl, IN
= -,rytzl w-v. u-r HsH r-Hding F,stm, ur
give dsnriuc parties in O,rr year aga
thi- firm ,-tahli.h"d fund tu Uhich, '.rrh
week, "suh rmpl'yr contributed very
-tnhll -um Last summer they drew lot.
and m" Lucky unes vent tn EIrupa und-r
the dIrrrtiuu at \ mem brr ui the firm
The condition uf the mill girls i ~ be-
d"plurrd Away from hume iu1u"ncr and
restraints, thrown utl''n HInoug the d"prrv.
sd uf bath srKr-, IN Inv tenement huu-rs.
their murul- mr.. i"n often low. IL speak
advi."dly," ..id MIR Foster, "thst the
city ui l. ,wrll, Mrs.Hohu.ells, u"nr, pre-.
-"nis vid" Hrld fur rhiAnthr"Iic work
There J. more need thrrs and b,tt..r "b
JET than tn" building oi places for decay.
II gentle women. or donating large sums
Ia Harvard cnl"ge. Ltrg" strides have
hrrn made In B~tnn t'~srd. giving the
working I~uple the benefit II art Galleries
and libraries by opening them on Sunday"