The Labor enquirer., 1883-11-10
Inhumanity Of Employers in the
Large Mercantile Estab-
lishments.
How Our Sisters are Worked, Sim
posed Upon, Starved and
Ruined.
A Matter in Which a God-Loving
Public Should be Deeply
Interested.

parts are to be found in all large cities
throughout the length and breadth of
the land in the monster establishments
combining every business or. calling
NEEDED in domestic economy. The inn
mense power concentrated in their hands
for evil to society seems to be little
thought of or people would make some
effort to crush it, for if they do not it
will soon be an impossibility for any one
of moderate means to compete with
them in an honestway. They use the
press largely, and there is no end to the
cunning devices to which they resort to
attract the people to purchase their
wares-by the way of}feelers or bats.
These creatures are well versed in the
weaknesses of human nature and to
make success doubly sure they sell some
leading article at price less than the
cost of its production. How can they af-
ford to do it? many will say that pur-
chase these things and think they have
saved money by going there. Poor, de-
luded victims, you forget the thousand
and one other articles contained tn ereln
that they realize their profits upon. If
d they made present to each purchaser
of the bait or feeler the purchasers are
still cheated and would find themselves
better in mind and dollars at the end of
each year by dealing With small trades
men in their own locality, where they
are not liable to be pushed and crowded
like sheep in a slaughter-pen, as they
often are on particular occasions, and
very often the unwary get relieved of
their money and valuables by another
set of light-fngered gentry that abound
in all large cities, and especially in these
places they are as thick as flies around
a sugar barrel in summer time.
Now, if people would but stop and
think for a moment on this practical
question they would see the impossible
ity for any one to build fine stores and
princely mansions in both city and coun,
try and sell goods at less than cost.
Why, the thing is preposterous and
dives the lie direct to their fraudulent
pretensions to benefit the public. Bosh
By this mode of doing business the
Door as we'll as the rich are drawn to
these fine establishments and help to
swell their Golfers.
Let us pause here and see what is the
condition of the poor shop girl employed
by many of these purse proud gentry.
Thousands are kept in abiect poverty by
the small pittance they receive for lnces-
SAINT toll behind their counters, and the
cruel tyranny they have to put up with
in shape of fines for the most trivial
causes can never be fully known. And
when sickness or accident befalls them,
too many of the poor creatures as last
resort are compelled to 60 to the hospl-
tails or charnell houses, whichever they
may be termed, and potter's fields are
supplied with these poor victims of slow
murder. Then the vast numbers IN the
work rooms in their varios umanufactur-
ing departments, in many instances, are
hacked almost like sardines. No at
tention is paid to the laws of health !;
only how much can be ground out OF the
human machines so many hours per
day, for next to nothing, and when weary
and worn out with the fatigues of the
dav, after many hours of confinement
many have to wend their way to a mis-
erable abode in some wild tenement
where pure air and Gods sunlight can,
notpenetrate. Those great caraVansa'
ries of brick and morter are put up by
the greedy yultures of landlords, who
look on these poor creatures as SO many
chickens to be plucked.
If Gods word is true surely day VII
come when they must appear before the
bar of eternal justice and woe be to then
when they are confronted with thel
victims of avaricious greed, from thu
tender babe to man in his youthful prime
murdered by inches by disease con
tracted in these fever nests, leaving the
widow and helpless children too often II
end their wretched lives in the same sac
way in those horrid pens unfit for pls
styes or dog kennels. No man that own
a good horse would allow it to be KEEP
in such place for twenty-four hours ye
in the eyes of many they are good enough
for human beings to live and die IN
Why is it thus in this great boastln
Christian land that the people are
terribly blind to justice and common
humanity2 For the sole reason tina
wealth must be accumulated at a
hazards III opposition to human or divln
laws. -.
The thought often has struck / tn
writer how it Is possible many of tn
wealthy landlords in New York City dar
sit on Sundays with their families in ga
attire on their fine velvet cushioned seat
in those fashionable churches, to moe
their Divine Master, the meek and lowl
Nazarine with their impious prayer
Their hearts must be harder than ads