St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-23
EASTERN wORKYNGMEN
Not So Well OFF as Their Brothers
West..MOmen TINT work.

EASTERN WORKINGMEN
Not So We'll OFF as Their Brothers
West--WOmen that work.
Aid NJ. +. Kahn is a member of company
D, Minnesota volunteers, and went with
that organization to New \ ork to attend the
funeral of Gen. Grant Recently in con-
veiSation with a GLOBE reporter he men
toned, in connection with other incidents
of the trip to the Empire state, that he
took occasion to make inquiries INTO tle
condition of the working people III that
section He said that from the opportunity
he had to observe, and from the testimony
of those who should know. he believed
that the condition of the working
pecnla i'm the East was not so good
by 80 Der cent as is that OF their co-iaoor-
erS in St. Paul and the Northwest. This
opinion is subStantiated by nearly all who
have had any opportunity TO know the
actual conditions of affais in the two sec
lions. and who are fair-minded enough to
give an unbiased statement. Even the pub
shed reports of trade matters in the East
20 to show. when compared with the labor
statistics of this section of the country,
that Mr. Kahn has spoken truly. Perhaps
The most poorly paid and most oppressed Of
all Eastern wage-workers are tie mill
operatives. Let it be known to
any employer that one Of his
mill hands belongs to an organization of the
laboring men and he is forthwith perempt-
0rily discharged, and not only barred from
working in the mill again, but it is sufficient
TO keep him from procuring employment in
any Of the mills of the neighb0rhood. The
mills all own number Of tenement houses,
and the operative is expected to occupy
house belonging TO the mill company. The
company also owns a store or deSlgnateS
place where its employees shall purchase the
necessities Of life. Low wages are paid,
and as a consequence of the system pursued
by those corporations, the laborer, when
pay day comes. has little or nothing
to show for his labor. An employe wish
ing to leave the company must give two
weeks notice of his intention. or have the
amount due him withheld, the mill people
always keeping a certain sum ahead Of the
emDloye. varying from one to three weeks
pay. A system of fines is also in vogue,
and it not infrequently happens that the
weaver puts in a day without compenSa-
lion. An instance is called to mind where
one Of the largest and richest cotton mills
IN the New England states
REFUSED TO PAY
TWO of its operatives half a months
wages, which were due, because
he men became dissatisfied with
heir treatment, and upon an
opportunity presenting itself to get work
elsewhere had Signiiied their intention to
accept the Offer The men finished out the
iay. but the company would not pay them
because two weeks notice was not given.
Ii the men who are compelled to toll on
under the hard conditions imposed by these
Elave-drivers are unfortunate, what is to-
be said of the women who must work for
livelihood? To these defenSeleSS females
r pretty face is a misfortune. Subjected
to insult not only from employer, but
OVerSeer foreman and coarse men and boys
with whom she is placed, the poor woman
who works has indeed a hard life Of
it. This treatment is not alone the
case in the great wooden, cotton and other
mills, but in every branch of industry where
women are employed. What young girl
can live from day to day and month to
month in such an atmosphere and not alb
sorb some Of the cOarsenesS with which she
is surrounded? 1t is such a state Of affairs
that occasions the sighting remarks so fire.
Quently heard about the mill girls" of the
large Eastern manufacturing towns. A very
pretty young woman from an interior town
sought employment in one of the large
manufacturing centerS. Her first attempt
in the search for employment was at the
largest retail glove store i'll the city.
She was sent to the private Office
OF the proprietor, who at once promised her
employment. but upon such conditions that
the luckleSs girl left the store in tears. An
application at one Of the great dry goods
stores for clerkship resulted in such base
insinuations beng thrown out by the pro-
prietOr. that the poor creature would return
al L., 4
These circumstances were repeated at sew
eral other places where work was sought.
WEARY AND HEART-sICK,
the victim Of pretty face and a good
physique returned to her boarding house.
A bachelor railroad engineer in the
same house, to whom the cir
cumstances became known went to his di-
vision superintendent, related the circum-
stances. and through the officials influence
procured a situation for the girl in the as
sorting department of a mandatory turn
ing out different articles. Here the Young
women was subjected TO more or less innu-
endO, and even insult, from the men about
the place. After few months. however.
the engineer who had formed the acquain-
lance of the girl and had continually en-
couTaged her made a proposal of marriage
and was accepted. This is not an eXcep-
tiOnal case in the treatment accorded the
girl by her employers. though in all
instances there is not such fortunate ter
mination as in the ease mentioned. The
Eastern operative, in nearly every branch
OF industry. has very much less independ-
ence than the Western toiler. No doubt
there are branches of industry here where
the pay is hardly commensurate with the
labor performed. but when the workman
out here begins to feel the unDleaSantnesS
of his lot he may think for moment of his
less fortunate brother toward the Atlantic
coast and be thankful that his condition is
so much better than that Of the Eastern
workman.
EFFECT OF COMPETITION.