The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-04

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal
Perhaps threefourths of the misery Of this
world springs from wrong use Of power Men
are constantly taking advantage Of weaker
brother. "Miaht makes right is q principle
which rules too frequently in all the affairs of
life. To this principle is due the continual an
tagonism between capital and labor-the con-
slant contention between employer and work
man. A relation between man and man,
founded chiefly. on money, seems almost inevita-
bly, inimical. and to have q hardening effect
upon character. A blindness in regard to
mine and thine then suddenly develops
itself, and prevents each side from
observing just and natural limits; each endeav-
ors to obtain the greatest possible good for the
least possible return. 1t is, indeed, considered a
wise maxim in political economy to buy where
you can buy the cheapest and sell where you
can sell the dearest. But this maxim is not
found in that old book whose wisdom most civil
lied men regard, theoretically, at least, supreme.
In it we frd this rule for business: DO unto
others as as ye would that they should do to
you" This same old book has also much to say
of the oppressor and the oppressed, and of the
vengeance which will surely fall on the man who
wrongs the helpless. 1t would scarcely be worth
while to refer to scriptural rules and njunctions
were it not that SO many merchants. manufact-
urers and capitalists are professedly Christian
men. But in the name Of common honesty,
without regard to religion, what right has any
man to wealth, a life Of luxury, or even to daily
necessities, while one who helps him to obtain
these must thereby Undergo almost uncomfortable
fatigue, and at the same time does not earn
enough to ward off cold and hunger! In short,
what right has any man to coin money from the
flesh and blood of his fellow-men2 Yet this
wrong is Of daily occurrence, and the public
looks alphabetically on.
Strikes foolish and unjust as many Of them
are, have their foundations too frequently in
natural struggle against the oppressor. But
strong men and skilled mechanics have weapons
of their own. It is the women and children,
forced to pass under the rod of a strong master,
helpless and incapable of redressing their
wrongs, whose rights all honest men and women
should unite to protect When public opinion
demands common humanity for these weak
wage-earners, great point will be gained I'm
fortunately the heedlessness and indifference OF
comparatively good men and women has in this
as in all other things proved the greatest him
drance to reform, nor can ignorance in
this particular matter be pleaded, for
those sometimes useful public servants-news-
paper reporters-are constantly giving publicity
to facts and occurrences showing the hardships
OF working women and children. Of late the
''care of saleswomen" has been again brought to
light and variously commented upon. We are
reminded that these women are expected to stand
behind their counters from morning till night,
with slight intermissons for lunch, and occas-
sional absences, which become Unable ofenses if
prolonged. Every woman knows, though her
experience may be limited to one all-days work
for church fair, that constant standing and
running about are of themselves pain
fully fatiguing and if long continued must be
dangerous to health.
Again, the salaries paid to these saleswomen
are in many instances wholly inadequate to their
support, or what is perhaps even more to the
point, are by no means equivalent to the work
done. In exteruation of this it is said. while
i've women are waiting to step into her shoes,
the sixth cannot command fair wages" But
women in want of bread will grasp at that which
seems nearest and easiest to obtain; and their
hopes for the position of saleswoman are kept
alive. doubtless by what is said to be a common
practice among merchants, of constantly chang
ing their female clerks, without sufficient rea-
son. New clerks, OF course, are not entitled
though they do almost as much
work; change is therefore profitable to the en-
ployer. Every employer has moral as well as
a legal right to discharge employees, who, after
a fair trial, prove idle and inefficient. But no
one can be justified in accepting services for
which he does not pay fair price-that is price
which covers the time spent as well as the work
DONE The merchant who pays girl little or
nothing for weeks work, and the manufactur
er of cheap clothing who expects poor sewing
woman to work all day for twenty five cents or
less, are as guilty in the sight Of God as the
man who is sentenced to a term in the peniten-
tiary for house breaking. The burglar is proba-
bly, the better man.
1t is said, and truly, there is always room at
the top, and if women would fit themselves for
better things they would not be so often OPP
pressed. But neither men nor women are
always to be blamed for lack of efficiency and
skill. It is the ill-trained who is the most help
less, and though he may be little deserving, his
feeble rights should be the care of the strong.
In more barbarous times, the survival of the
ittest had most literal acceptation-the rule
was to simply let the weak die. In our days a
different plan is taken: we permit the weak, if
to death. We do not even heed the "cry
of the children" but 60 as serenely
about our affairs as if hundreds of little men
were lot daily more than exhausting their feeble
strength to earn a mouthful OF bread for them
selves, and perhaps also for their miserable
parents, while they gain handful of dollars for
their too often cruel employers. We may close
our ears to the wall of these infant toilers but
their blood will be upon our skirts. and their
cause God will plead and their wrongs he will
surely avenge
Every person is in some degree responsible for
the oppression of his fellow-men. 1t is simply
Sinking this responsibility to act upon
the belief that one persons efforts
for good will of themselves avail little 1t is the
constant dropping that wears away the stone,
and the accumulation of raindrops that makes
the refreshing summer shower.
There two direct means by which every
man and woman can aid the oppressed-by Civ
ing willingly fair price for whatever is bought,
and by paying all bills promptly. 1t is spe-
cially shameful act in man or woman to with
hold, purposely or negligently, money due to
servants. washer-womem, sewing-women and
small-salaried employees. A dollar the day it is
bread and fuel for the day, warm clothing and
shelter for themselves and their children.
A fair price for manufactured articles means,
as rule, a fairer price to those who have done
things which are marvelously cheap, are there
fore not only in themselves generally mean and
contemplate, but they also strengthen the OPP
pressor's hand, and make the customer a party
to crime against weak wageearners.
NEW ALBANY, Ind. MARY E. CARDwILL.