The Labor enquirer., 1884-12-20
J.

m n 1nq1tloa
lt shis llnf5 u q : :ylss - = ~
c3aek md sllt hliihmsnfs shlt DOM.
'snd this nsans ;some several thounand
sewing wc111h ont of employment
throssh tho hardest md coldsut Of the
Wintsr uonths s =
II cont Of uork1 meant What Il shdnld
rean ! Hme for ri. reezeation and re-
cupssation~ve would welcome To sdull
season" and send the snowy days flying,
With our mirth and good cheer, while
we gathered strength for the WORKING
days again. But strange and Sad g it
is, we'll we realize Hout of work. means
nothing ike this Our backsare aching
our eyes are dull and our minds feel
cramped and narrowed, but We dare not
rest. We can get no more bundles Of
calico wrappers at sl.25 dozen no
more coats to finish off at 10 cents 9
piece no flannel shirts at IS cents a
dozen, or cheap cloaks At next to moth
ing piece. We have carried the abom-
Unable brown bundles back and forth
till we are sick at the sight Of brown
paper We have run machines till the
constant wbirr makes Us doubt our own
sanity. We have worried over "altera-
tions,n chafed under the tyranny Of 9
little brief authority and despaired un-
der the hopelessness Of it all till life is 3
burden. Now. what are we to do? Is it
due to our own ''improvidence." as a
sleek and pompous preacher puts it, that
we have nothing to show for our long
months Of toll? Iwish l could make
every one of these would .be-advisers
live on what the poor have to, for one
year.
Let any who thinks he could have a
nice little sum laid by for an idle time,
after eight or nine months labor, try
what it is to work from till 10 or II at
night, and earn perhaps S1-if he is .
good fast hand.s Let him pay room
rent, buy bread, a little meat and tea
and sugar, car fare now and then, for
tired limbs will not bear too much, pay
for the making of a few poor garments
(for mind you, when we can 'get work"
we dare not stop to sew for ourselves, and
even to keep clean we must steal from
our hours of sleep or pay for 1t out OF
our hard money and see what there is
left to 'lay up" Books, music, pictures,
ornaments, lectures, amusements, have
not mentioned, for we have precious
little to spend on these. though our
minds and hearts were starving. We
have worked too hard for the last eight
months, to know wbat'rest ment or to
enjoy recreation if offered to US free, and
now that we have time, We have nc
money and no opportunities for enjoy.
ment, We may feel sort of satisfaction
for awhile in sitting idle in our poor lit
tie rooms, but not long, for the cupboard
is bare. We can get little sewing from
friends occasionally; We can get some
sorts of work from the shops, at low q
rate that it seems mockery to call il
wages at all some of US can find places
in the kitchens of the rich, if our weari-
some toll has left us strength enough
We will drag through the winter drearlly
enough somehow Isuppose. if we have
only ourselves to look after; if there are
children God knows what is to become
of us and them.
And what are our employers going to
do through the winter !? Are they wor-
ried about the cold weather and the
price of bread per loaf? They could not
afford to run the shop through the dull
season. Are we to pity their condition,
too?
No; we shall read in our penny papers
if we can get them-that Miss So-and-
So, daughter of our enterprising and
prominent fellow citizen, gave asplendid
party on such an evening. We shall
read eloquent descriptions of the decor
ations, the toilets, the gems and the
flowers. We shall hear of $50 seats at
the Italian opera, where the wife of Mr..
Blank displayed diamonds to the value
of $4,000. We shall hear ofmagnifceDt
toilets, balls, receptions and theater
parties, and we will know that our en-
ployer is very well satisfied with the
profits of last years business. How long
are we to be made the victims of this
terrible unjust system?
We ask the question of ourselves, Of
one another, of you ministers of a gospel
first preached to the poor, of you editors
and leaders of public sentiment, of you
teachers of the people, wherever you are
We ask your aid. We plead with you
not for charity, but forjustice. Only
recognize the fact that we are wronged
that laborers cannot under the present
STRUCTURE of society receive the benefits
of their labor. and out of the inherent
spirit of progress dwelling in humanity
will evolve better and GENERALIZATION
than We have yet known.
LIZZIE NJ. SwANK. &