The Labor enquirer., 1885-03-28


pended a great deal of time in earnest
careful effort upon the subject She ii
president of the Woman's Industria
League of America, and is in fact 1
pioneer whose labors have been mos,
useful thus far with reference to the
condition of her own sex and this subject
matter as it interests the people at large
4 I'm this connection, and as bearing
upon one ofthe most important branches
Of inquiry by such bureau, desire to
read letter from the librarian of con.
gress:
Having had much occasion to seek
for facts and information relating to the
employment of women, I have found in
the books upon the subject very great
dearth Of statistical information. In fact
! nothing setting forth the number a!
women employed, the wages paid or the
DETERMINATIONS existing as to the awards
of labor, exists in any work now pub.
lished. Yours respectfully, q,
"A. r. SPoFFoRD.'"
+ Senator Blair, in the course of his re-
marks, said:
There are some 2SS emplovments in
this country through and by which
women at the present time may obtain a
livelihood. That is fact which no hu-
man being ever was able to state until
this same Mrs. Smith, to whom allusion
has been made, had spent something
like year or year and half in that
active, careful, personal work,
l submit the following letter from the
state department.:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington,
April l, 1S84-Mrs. Charlotte Smith,
President Wonan's Industrial League,
Arlington hotel. Washington.-Madam :
Referring to your communication to the
department wherein you request that
certain information concerning the con-
dition of the working women and chill
dren of Europe might be secured through
the consuls of the United States, l have
the honor to inform you that your very
practical suggestions have been en-
bodied in general circular prepared by
the department concerning the state of
labor in foreign countries, which has
been transmitted to our consuls with a
direction to report thereon at their eari
est convenience.
A copy of the circular referred to is
herewith inclosed.
4 am, madam, very respectfully your
obedient servant, JOHN DAVIS,
Assistant secretary"
The bill to establish the bureau of
labor statistics PASSED congress. and is
now law. At the suggestion of m any
friends was an applicant for chief Of
the woman's department with the follow
ing endorsements:
Hon. Senator Blair, of New Hamp-
shire, chairman of the committee on ed,
ucation and labor; Hon. Senator Bayard,
of Delaware; Hon. Senator Miller, of
New York Hon. Senator l. G. Harris,
of Tennessee Hon. C, W. Jones, Of
Florida Senator Williamson Call, SEN
ator J B. Groome, Hon. Senator J. V.
Camden, Hon. Senator Palmer, Of Michi-
gan Hons W, s. Holman, W. S. Rose
Grams, w. W. Eaton, J. H. Hopkins,
chairman committee on education and
labor Daniel Ermentrout, A. &. Curtin,
H. B. Lowering, J. j. O'Neil, NJ. A. Foran,
Frank Wolford, S. Jefords. James D.
Broadhead, Abram S. Hewett, A. II.
Buckner, J. NJ. Jordan, George S. Con-
verse, William McAdoo, j. G, S Black
burn, George n. Davis, ohm R. Thomas,
NJ T. Wait, j. H. Blount, C. NJ. Shelley,
H. S. Van Eaton, Ohio R. Singleton,
Richard Guenther, P. V. Duester, R. &.
Horr, J. C. Cook, Charles ONeil, Thos
NJ. Browne, William D. Kelley, Frank
Hiscock, and 100 others: 81 earnestly
recon- mend Mrs. Smith for this appoint
ment.-Henry w. Blair" II know no
lady more equal to the acquisitions of
the position in question than Mrs Smith,
L. Q. C.. Lamar" At present secretary
of the interior5
81 recommend Mrs. Smith for this ap-
pointment. My services on the commit
tee of education and labor gave me an
opportunity of observing her zeal and
her industry snd valuable service to the
laboring people of the country.
WILLIAMSON CALL,
UNITED States Senator, Florida.
JAMES B. GRooME,
United States Senator, Maryland"
"Mrs. Smith is emipently qualified for
the position named. W. NJ. EATON"
NEW York, April 7, 1Ss4,-Mrs. Char
lotte Smith.-Dear Madam: 1t is a pleas
ant duty devolving upon me to send you
the following communication at regu-
lar monthly meeting of the council of
trades of New York and vicinity, the fol-
lowing resolutions were passed with in
struction TO send copy ofsame to Mrs.
Charlotte Smith, and to the senate com
mittee on education and labor.
"Whereas much effectiyework has been
done in New York City by Mrs. Char
lotte Smith, in behalf of the working
women ofthis city, by her unremlttlng
efforts to ferret out the true condition OF
women's labor and its compensation, as