The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-04-03
Sewing women-Domestic Labor.


baltimore Daily NelrS.
Now when popular sympathy and excitement arr
50 active over the labor question. the attention o.
the public should be directed TO the sorrows suffer
vote and hence the politicians do not glibly
urge their cause they cannot organize for they have
moi me ens or me- 9a nary v te e e there 70 do
not on the globe class whose Affections and prva-
fHere IS not Kind heart in this great city that
would not cease to beat if it could for a moment
their poyerty their tol their heipessness To these
we would be a mouthpiece and for these the Ne1rs
Every reader has seen the poor sewing women
who climb with weary limbs into street cars and
stages Juggling heavy bundles of goods that they are
taking TO their bare homes to make into clothing
Every thoughtful and sympathetic person must have
read the story of distress and want depicted in those
some middle-aged, some young and some hardly
than children. There is no question of hours
with them. No robust union demands for them
more wages and shorter hours. No tortured and
worn cattle are more dumb in their anguish than
these No Legislature seeks popularity at their
hands No demagogue finds 1t worth while to re-
present their cause. They have neither money nor
votes to give and they can die in the garnet and ten
ement, mute victims to lives of pain, and misery
and want and toll oh. if the angels do not wait for
them and lit their souls tendery from tired bodies
then close your churches and shut your bibles for
there is neither love, nor hope nor mercy, beyond
the grave.
This is a sad picture and perhaps not over
drawn by our feeling and sympathetic city
contemporary. But there is an diverse and
Il reverse side to every picture. No doubt
the sewing women in our cities are objects of
sympathy which appeal to all humane people.
But is not their condition one which they have
voluntarily assumed? Hundreds and thous-
ands Of these pale, worn and feeble women,
who are dragging out miserable existence so
graphically and pathetieally depicted in the
III
dition of semi starvation and slavery to going
into the country and engaging themselves as
assistants to the wives of farmers who are |
working beyond their strength and endurance,
because they cannot get such help and assist
ance as they need. Many farmers are obliged
to quit their country homes and crowd into
the towns and cities, because they cannot get
domestics to assist their wives and daughters
in the ordinary duties of the family. How
much better would it be for these poor sewing
women ifthey would go into the country where
their services are needed, in preference to
eking out wretched existence in the over
crowded cities. In the country they would
find hearty welcome, comparatively easy
task, with more leisure than they now have,
plenty of good wholesome food, moderate
hours ofhealthful exercise, which would bring
back the roses to their cheeks and content
ment to their minds. How easy it would be
to find such homes in any of the rural districts
of the state, for domestics are in demand in
every part of it. But no, they wont consent
to seek relief in this way. They prefer to
starye in the cities to life of plenty, of COM
parative ease, and of healthfnl hours oflabor
and an entire freedom from care in the coun-
Try at a service everyday preferable to a de-
pendence upon the needle, which will scarce
y keep haggard want and starvation from t
heir doors. And why? Because they are q
lbove doing such work, and too proud to take T
iuch a position. Are they any better than
he wives and daughters of farmers, who are
to do the work themselves, because
hey cannot get assistants. Gladly would
hey employ these suffering needlewomen to a
DthsIp. cook, wash, iron, sweep, sew, and [
= dairy, if they would ~