Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-25

their way through the street. here tney
GOMEZ The working girls of New York and
Brooklyn! These engaged in beadwork,
these in flower making, in millinery, paper
box making, bat, most over-worked Of all
and least compensated, the sewing women.
Why do they not take the city cars on their
way up? They cannot afford thef FIVE cents!
If, concluding TO deny herself of something
else, she get into the car, give her seat.
You want to see how Latimer l. Ridley ap-
peared in the fire! Look at that woman
and behold more horrible martYriom,
hotter FIRE, more agonizing death! Ask
that woman how much she gets for her
work, and she will tell you six cents for
making coarse shirts and finds her own
thread
Years ago, one Sabbath night in the ves-
thule Of this church, after services,
woman fell in commissions. The doctor
said she needed medicine not so much as
something to eat. As she began to revive
in her delirium she said, gaspingly:
eight Cents!
Eight cents Eight cents wish could
get done am so tired! wish could
get some sleep, but must get get it done
Eight cents! Eight cents!" We found
afterwards that she was making garments
for eight cents apiece and that she could
make but three of them in day. Hear it
Three times eight are twenty.four. Hear
it, men and women who bave comfortable
homes Some OF the worst villains Of our
cities are the employers Of these women.
They beat them down to the last penny and
try to cheat them out of that. The woman
must deposit dollar or two before she gets
the garments to work on. When
the work is done it is sharply inspected, the
most insignificant flaws picked out and the
wages refused and sometimes the dollar de-
posted not given back.
The Womans Protective Union reports a
case where one OF these
Poor Souls
finding a place where she could get more
aates, resolved to change employers and
went to get her pay for work done: Ihe
employer says: "Ihear you are going to leave
me?' Yes" she said, "and ! have come
to get what you owe me-" He made no
answer. She said: Are sou not going to
pay meH' Yes" he said, 81 will pay you,
and he kicked her down stairs.
Oh, that
woman's Protective Union,
i9 Clinton Place, New York! The bless.
iDgs Of heaven be on it Tor the merciful and
dlvire work it is doing in the defense OF
telling womanhood, What tragedies of
suffering are presented to them day by Jay !!
A paragraph from their report:
Can you make Mr.. Jones pay me? He
owes me for three weeks at two dollars and
halt week, and can't get anything, and
my child is very sick. The speaker, q
young woman lately widowed, burst into q
flood of tears as she spoke. She was bidden
to come again the next afternoon and re.
peat her story to the attorney at his usual
weekly hearing Of frauds and imposition
Means were found by which Mr.. Jones was
induced to pay the s. so
Another paragraph from their report:
"a fortnight had passed when she mod
estly hipted desire to know how much her
services were worth. oh, my dear! he re-
piled, you are getting to be one Of the most
valuable hands in the trade; you will always
get the very best price. Ten dollars week
you will be able to earn very easily. And
the girls fingers flew on with her work at
a marvellous rate The picture of $40 q
week had almost turned her head. A few
nights later while crossing the ferry she
overheard the name of her employer in the
conversation o. girls who stood near:
What, John Suipes? Why, he don't pay.
Lcok out for him every time. He'll keep
you on trial as he calls it Tor weeks aud
then he'll let you 90 and get some other
fool. And thus Jane Smith gained her
warning against the swinuler. Bat the
Union held him in the tolls OF the law until
he paid the worth OF each Of those days OF
trial.
Another paragraph-"Her modification
may be imagined when told that one OF the
two five dollar bills which she had Just &c.
ce.yed for her work was counterfeit. Bot
her modification was swallowed up in in
dicnation when her employer denied having
paid her the money and instantly asked her
TO prove it" When the Protective MON
had placed this matter in the courts .he
Judge said You will pa7 Eleanor the
amount Of her claim, S5.S3 and also the
costs Of the court.
How are These Evils to be Eradicated'
Some say: Give woman the ballot.
What effect such baIlo, might have on
other questions | am not here 20 discuss;
but what would be the eject Of female sui-
ferage on womens wages? | do no, believe
that woman will ever ge' justice 5y woniens
ballot. Indeed women Cppre's women as
much as men do DO not women as much
as nieD, beat down 10 the loSes, figure m"
wouau who sews for them Are moi wo
mtl as sharp as men on washerwomen and
m.hneIs and msutua makers liza woman
asEs dollar for her work, does not her
female employer ask her if she viii not take
ninety cents2 You say only ten
cents difference" but that is some
times the difference between
heaven and hell. Women often have less
conmiseration for women than men. II
woman steps aside from the path OF recti'
tude, man may forgive, woman never "o'
man will never get justice done her from
wornan's ballot Neither will she get II
from mans ballot How thenr God will
rise up for her. God has more resources
than we know OF. The flaming sword that
hung at Eden's gate when woman was
driven out will cleave with its terrible edge
her oppressors. But
There Is Some thing for Women to DO.
Let young people prepare to excel IN
spheres of work ard they will be able alter
a while to get larger wages. If 1t be shown
that woman can in o store sell more gooa'
il year than man she will sooD be able
not only 10 ask but TO demand more Wage'
and 10 demand them successfully. n
skilled andincompetentlabor must teke What
is given; skilled and competent LABOR WA
eventually make its own standard. admit,
ting that the law of supply aud demand
req requisites these things, I contend that the
demand for skilled labor is very great and
the supply very small. Start with the idea
that work is honorable and that Jon can %
some one thing better than any one else.
Resolve that, God helping, Joa Will tase
care Of yourself. IfYou are, after wh,Ie,
l.. rHTaH a