New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-20
THE CRY OF TIE WORKING WOAEM
HELEN cAMpBELLs SAD REVELATIONS.
A SOCIAL PROBLEM.

series OF articles has been begun in THE NEW
YORK IRIBuSE. written ~ Mr.. Helen C.mO0e .L 70
that city Is she will write, not from hoarsay
will make wherever there Is an opportunity TO gain
Pew people who have given the matter only sursoiy
thought have any realization OF the depth OF misery into
which very many WORKING women are piuhge'' hos
only In NcwYOr but In other large cities AZ well Iley
are Obliged to live upon the merest pi;tance for the
competition great especially In the uhsAieu aDot
nominal. In some establishments brutal employers
grind their helpless workers down to starvation
wages ami often them out OF even these small
SUNS earned which hardly suffice to keep body ard soul
together And matters seem TO he growing wore IN,
AL of better and the bitterness OF spirit
by such hard lives Ia forcing women as well as men
that which will array them in or position 10 law 49,,
Mrs. Campbell has ceen commissioned TO study TINS
difficult social problem In all its phases and present
to the public with the hope that the conscience ana
intelligence OF the latter will be stlmuaten 10 reeoa a
action that is necessary such action can only De
undertaken after thought and careful coosldera-
ample othrr cities may follow in wske,and oder some
protection class compelled TO labor for their daily
bread aud with no poser to resist oppression
LABOR COMPETITION.
From The Toledo Commercial
In one of series OF articles In THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE
Helen Campbell gives some facts and figures which indi
cate accurately who reaps the benefit OF cheap ana
who pays the penalty Figures are unansweaoe tongue
cannot tell nor pen write the msees that these working
women endure the horrors OF the garets ID when they
live or sQualor and wrechedness in which their emil
dren grow up Their condition Is legitimate outcome OF
the law Of supply and demand. The demand Tor their
any higher wages than this pittance In an
least such az cry this must be- II is natural law
The question is whether natural law that WotkS
misery is not to be eombated Just as disease, OF AS
efforts made to remedy natural defects IN drainage
etc II we were allow free drainage where there
would pestence. Yet Of the chief aims OF states
manshP and legislation at present at least s 70 eneapen
which this result l. likely to be regarded as wrong
In an evenly distributed state Of population where
each community its workshops and employer ana
employe come MO immediate contact and have better
understanding another 1t Is good to leave social
functions the OF natural laws But perhaps lhe
reverend sire Of T-tran shandy was not wrong when
he designated cities OF apoplexy OF population
state Of population are beautiful and relieving in great
cities operate with abnormal FORCE and require cohuOi
"'1 s'''''-'' THE OLD QUESTION.
In OF articles In rIIE NEw-Y0kK TRIBUSE MIS- MS
Helen Campbell is Illustrating the condition OF ZOo,oOo
in New York CITY, VINO make thelr ilvns Oy sew n.
readymade clothing, the cheapness OF wuieu 10
wonder in marfet. For various reasons their do
most del orabs. Generally they are very poor unable
IN ssert their rights when oppressed by INSCRIPTIONS
employer, aud often burienet with the . dppofl Oh
family Their wages crowded down TO the lowest ho.cn
by the greed Of and manufacturers have been
s further reduced bJ the practice OF letting out WORK
Almost as remarkabie as these low wages and the
active competition which makes the ne of the seam
class In the same city O Se" lorH lne
difficulty OF finding good servants IS sal 10 oe pe'pon
ing the hOusekeepers OF the great city more anu Ore
each year From the throng OF green emigrauts VINO
Castle Garden each year. tue honss servants are
recruited aud ignorance and caprcoEsnesS OF me
ueIp thus secured has become by word All over tho
land The good wages aud comfortable Iiylnas when
are offered beeu Insufficient TO create CLASS o
reliable and setrespectins house servants iness
conditions existing tho question has been askeu
mu ch rertneuce: Why do not these women VINO arc
s.vng with their needles snatch the opportunity wncn
/, offered by tnis deaIth OF house servants some VINO
have families might lind IL difficult 20 leave 'ner
children; with great majority the cnaose w1ra
or from defects In The social system on whicn the aus
fributon of depends 10 n certain extent. tno
300 600 sewing women suffering for better wa2es
and egons OF hOuekcepers dep lore the scarcy OF goou
help at any wages.
rThe fifth article in Mrs. CampbelPs striking
series w, III appear III THE TRIBUNE to-morrow.-Edl