The Labor enquirer., 1886-02-06

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Certain departments IN iron manufac-
ture paid the wage worker $l.l6 per day
and the capitalist made 81 per cent on
his capital invested, while in steel man
ufacture the wage worker got $1.5l, and
the capitalist made 81 per cent.
l might 90 on, but / deem this amply
sufficient for the present.
Mr.. Kelly, speaking in favor of pro
lection at the last congress, describes
with much feeling the miserable houses
in which the workingmen live in En-
gland. A Christian woman ofMr. Kel-
lly's district wrote letter to member of
congress giving some light as to the con-
dition of Mr.. Kelly's constituency.
This woman SAYS she has been through
every street and alley in her ward Fifth
Ward of PHILADELPHIA and that she is
thoroughly acquainted with the condi-
ton of the working classes therein. She
says: 81 have seen hundreds of little
girls or years old, employed In cotton
mills. They work at spoollng because
their hands are small and there is less
danger from the machinery, etc. The
effect on such children of tender years is
apparent in their wan countenances.
They work full time. Women generally
go to work In the morning at and work
until in the evening. When they 20
home they are often compelled TO work
several hours at washing, ironing, patch
ing, .scrubbing, cooking, ETC. l know it is
common practice on the part of many
mothers going out to work to lock out
their children in the Streets They do
this because 1t is safer than locking them
in their rooms. Fatal results have fol-
lowed the latter practice. In verymany
cases the children are given piece of
bread when 80 turned out. There are
several sections in this citv in which it.
would be no exaggeratlon to say that
there are daily thousands of little chill
,dren roaming the streets uncared for in
the absence Of their parents"
Speaking of mothers leaving their lit
tie children at the "baby farm" when
they 90 out to work, she says: f..
"a mile or twoi is not an uncommon
distance for mothers TO carry their babies
to these places. l know a case where a
mother carried her babe three miles
every morning and then walked back
mile to the factory where she was en-
ployed. She had to repeat the same
walk returning from her work after 6
o'clock every evening. 1t makes no diff
ference as to the kind of weather there
is to be encountered. Think of a woman
scarcely half clad, getting up at o'clock
in the winter. preparing. a scanty break
fast, then WALKING with a baby in her
arms and perhaps couple of children
trudging alongside, through the rain,
snow and sleet by gaslight to nursery.
1t appears to me the condition of the
working class is getting worse instead of
better"
1t was also shown by sworn evidence,
that the miners of Pennsylvania, in
order to make living for their families
were compelled to take with them into
the mines their bows of IL years of age
and upwards. They would go to their
work so early in the morning and come
out so late at night that they would
never see the sun except on Sundays.
Another blessing that they have in
Pennsylvania, and indeed in all mining
districts, is store kept by the proprie-
tors of the mines. The miners are COM
PEELED to buy at these stores, and pay
about rs per cent more than they would
IN the open market. They are known
in Pennsylvania as "pluck-me-shops."
They used to be known in England as
"Tommy shops" They are now prohib-
tied in that "klng- ridden" country, and
only flourish where the "free intelligent
American laborerer" is found.
There is not class of producers that
is accumulating anything except the far
mer, and the statistics show that he
makes scant 10 per cent on the capital
he has invested. Take man that has
a family to feed, cloth and educate, who
must pay rent, and how can he care for
that family properly, IN $500 or even
$500 per year2 Let alone the question
of laying up anything for old age. .
Still, in the face of these facts and fig
ures, the politician comes to us about
election time and with great burrah
points to these census reports for the
purpose of showing what a great and
glorious government we have. He says:
"See! your total wealth is 43,000,000,-
000" Where is this $4,000 0OO, 900?
The producers have it not. The men
that made It all have but very small
fraction of it. If your producers are
laying up treasures it must be in heaven,
for they are certainly not shown by
your census reports. f.. ..-
Where IS this $4s, 900, 100000 of wealth
then2 Ask your 500 millionaires of
New York City. Did they ever create
any of their wealth? Ask "the people
! f. .
be d-d" Vanderbilt family. Did that
family ever create or produce any ofthe
wealth tney control? Had William 81.
Vanderbilt been born in Adams time,
and had he made $4,000 per year from
that time up to this, it is estimated he