National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-03-14

Say OF Her.
To THE Pass OF THE COUNTRY
Dedicating my time aud means to q 10
cause of woman, making her advanceme ut
the chief aim Of my life, may BIO pc r.
doued for appealing TO the press of no
country. tho great lever which mo res
public opinion, 10 aid mo in furthera nee
f my object.
Ny efforts at the national capital h ave
been recognized by many of our ST. Ites-
men and public men, and at the su sges-
ton Of many Of them and In ccor' lance
with my own desire, mako this appeal
to the press of the country-con fdont
that shall not appeal in vain.
Some years ago was elected pr, ,sident
of the Woman's National Int lustrial
League of this city, and by the W ork the
league has accom- piished its ne me has
been made house hold word in { &c home
of the bread winners of the coun try. aud
the wage. women have friendi in the
organ cation which has stood by their iu-
terests aud done great good ri the ma
tional capital.
An interest in the conditi on Of tho
wage laborers Of the land has byon awak.
ened by the labors Of the league, and tho
senate aud house committees en- educa-
ton and abor,appreciating thdz bal mani
Tested by the league, appoin te d the un-
dersigned, the rst woman ever iIpponted,
to collect information and statistics re-
garding the condition of the wsIgG-women
of the United States and Europe, which
duty has claimed much of nay time and q
considerable amount of my limited
means. has received no remuneration
for my labor, the commit ee alleging
that there was no appropriation to pay
me. So that my appointment was more
ornamental than lucrative.
Tie result of my labors has been shown
in the testimony of the chairman of the
committees Of the senate i.nd house and
the able report of the s'icrq tary Of state Of
the United States.
In the course of MY Investigations /
discovered that France had $50 industrial
schools for women, Russia has medical
schools for hers, and THAI both countries
are far in advance o ours in this regard.
The fact that thisi Is the case should impel
our government ard especially our peo-
pie, to build, ut lea st at the national capt.
tai an industria'i college for women,
where lessons of self-relance aud self
support should be taught the wage-
wOlnen-the UraC steal lessons Of life.
The government of the United States
has in its bene fcence or perhaps eN-
travagance, provided home for many
purposes here al its capital. The deaf
and dumb, tho insane, the soldier, and
even the bird, the fish, and the alligator,
and the snake but no homo where tho
industrious Orker, the wago-wOman OF
the land, can find refuge or a home.
Such AN indu trial college wo1ld at once
DO credit, as, well as an honor. to the
scat of government; it would show that
honest labor was duly appreciated by the
people Of this great country, and that
while mon nments and statues were
erected to man, woman was not forgotten.
The industrial college would soon be
self-sustaiping. Such an institution is
sadly needed hore, and when once its
benefits IRE demonstrated its good results
would bring to its support the wealth
and talent of the country. 1t would
grow in popularity, and the wage women
of America would have college in
which the whole country would take
pride.
But che government has made no sp-
preparation for the erection Of this in
dustrial college. Wage workers are al
ways poor, and no other means is left me
but to appeal to the manhood and woman
hooA of America for contributions to
build this college. No matter how insig-
nihcant the sum contributed by each II
would amount to much in the grand
aggregate. and when once started the
government would lend helping hand.
10 SNOW tile iuu hppEoClhllOu
in which | am held by our public men,
! append the following testimonials from
distinguished senators and representa-
tivcs, many of whom know me in the
committees on education and labor of the
senate and house for the zeal and in
dustry / manifested in the cause of labor
and some of whom hold positions in tbs
cabinet of President Cleveland.
TESTIMONIALS.
In the United States senate, on the 14tl
of May last. the senate having under con-
sideration the bill to establish a bureau o
labor statistics. Senator Blair said:
The bill has been read at length do no
wish to trouble the senate with discussion o
its merits or provisions. | will, however, as
the secretary to read a letter from Mr.. Simmo
our present chief Of the bureau of statistics
which is written in reply to n request OF Mrs
Charlotte smith for Information upon thi
subject, such information as he, the most eX
perlenccd of our government officers upon tn
subject, could give her for her guidance anC
the guidance OF others who are interested i
the matter. / ask to have the letter read, a
throwing some light upon the matter, whic
will be useful To the senate: This lady Ia
expended II great deal OF time in earnest
careful effort upon the subject She is pres
dent Of the Woman's Industrial League {
America, and is In TACT pioneer whose labor
have been most useful thus far with reierenc
to the condition of her own sex aud this sui
Ject.matter as II interests the people at large.
In this connection, and us bearing upon on
such u bureau desire TO read u letter iroI
the librarian Of congress!
"Haying had much occasion to seek for fact
and information relating to the employmeI
OF women have found III the books upO
the subject very great dearth OF statistic
information. In fact, nothing setting forth a.
number of women employed the wages pal
or inc determinations existing as to the awart
OF labor, exists in any work now publisho'
Very respectfully, A. X, sPoFfoRD'
Senator Blair, in the course of his re
marks, said:
There are some 2ss employments in tn
country through and by which women AZ II
present time may obtain livelihood That
tact which no human being ever was able
state until this same Mrs Smith, TO whom d
fusion has been made, had spent sonethir
like year or year and half in that actiy
careful, personal work. submit Il
following letter from the state department.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WAsHISGToN, y. {
April ], lSsi-MRs CHARLOTTE SMITH Pre-
dent Womans Industrial League, ArllngiC
Hotel, Washington. -Mdddm: Referring
your communication to the depHTtme
wherein you request that certain iniOrmutl,
concerning the condition of the WOrkiI
women and children of Europe might be
cured through the COnsuls of the United State
have the honor to inform you that your We
practical suggestions have been embodied
general circular prepared by the departing
concerning the state OF labor IN foreign cou
tries, which has been transmitted - our co
suls with direction TO report thereon Al the
earliest convenience,
copy Of the circular referred 10 is her
with iuCloscd,
j am, madam, very respectfully your oil
dent servant JOHI DAVIS
Assistant Secretary
The bill to establish the bureau of lab
statistics passed congress, aud is now
law. At the suggestion Of many frien
i was an applicant for claief of Il
woman's department, with the Il
lowing Endorsements: Hon. Senat
Blair, of New Hampshire, cha