The Wilmingtonian., 1886-02-27
The Labor Problem.


movements instituted for the ameloratlnn
of tho laboriug man. Earnest, honest and
practical men are now at the helm aud con-
cort of action on the part of the united as.
semblies eau command the attention OF CAPT
talists.
oNeither religious creed nor politics shall
enter here" is written in letters of fire Or
the onter door of the Knights of Labor Hall.
The seven thousaod men enrolled under the
banner Of the Knights Of Labor in this city
are as honest, peaceful and as law abiding
citizeus as can be found in the whole land
They do not seek TO altt yoniz capital. They
ask that capital be just to labor and they
will enforce this demand by all of the ageu-
cies at their command,
The history of the past twenty years dem
onstrates that there is well marked tenden-
cy to the development of two cassei in this
country-one the very wealthy aud the other
the very poor.
The proprietors of large manufacturing
Establishments are not satisfied unless they
realize small fortunes each year and these
fortunes are partly made from the semi-star-
walton rates paid to the employees.
1t is discouraging for man to toll from
Monday morning to Saturday night aud then
find that his wages are barely sufficient to
keep grim starvation from the door. Work
day after day and then cannot clothe his
little family for Sunday school because of
his small wages is indeed hard lines, YET
there are hundreds in this city whn are now
passing through such experience.
Msn cannot pay reht, cannot pay store bills,
cannot pay for medical attendance, can
scarcely pay for anything, because they are
So lily remunerated for their daily labor
But meanly as men are paid for their daily
services, women are treated infinitely worse.
Women behind the counter, women at the
sewing machine are expected to work for
nothing and keep themselves.
Tho attention of thinking people is becom-
ing directed toward revelation recently
made IL regard to the misery and oppression
which the working women Of New York cit
are compelled to endure III n5t highly
colorea piece Of fiction but starting statis-
t,o.f :, \, t,sto ,,,ati IL, ,,,,, 4
r,-,.a,.=
make It and with The ability to make it.
q We refer to the report jnst published by
Commissioner Peck o. the New York Bureau
of Labor Statistics. He states that women
arspaid but s1.5O per dozen for making
trowSers and but Is cents for making vest
The manufacturers seem to regard them.
selves above censure because they give the
bulk Of their work to contractors Tue lat
ter, in turn, could claim the exemption, i
they cared to claim it, for they sub-le
the work to sDedterS, who are SO named be-
cause it Is upon the sweat of the workin.
women that they live. The manufacturers
claim that they make but little, the toing
half-starved women know that they max
less. The middle men make the money anC
live at ease off the privation, the self-denia
and the misery OF others. The manu- factur
ers could prevent this great wrong by deal
ing directly with the working women an
giving them fair wages, 1t might increas
the details of their business, but what {
thatp I5 would be in the line of earnes
human sympathy, and an approving cor
scieuce should be their sufficient reward.
Commissioner Peck did not do his wor
by halves. He went about it conscientou
ly lie did not sit at his desk and compile
he went down into the narrow, cherries
fireless homes and saw for himself II
stood face to face with the outrage and til
destitution. He is therefore competent
testify. He has not overdrawn the picture
the coloring which he gives it is the coloril
ofa righteous indignation. His "Workil
Wcmen, their Homes and their C0ndtiou
ought to stir us just, as a few years ag
''ThC Bitter Cry of Outcast London" stir
that great metropolis. These women ha
too much dignity to beg they disdain to
paUpsrs they want to eat the bread of he
est labor; broken in health and broken
spirit they toll and slave, early aud late,
fling themselves upon their hard beds in
stupor which is mockiugly called rest. tt
must accept the miserable pittance 1t
the only thing that stands between them a
starVation-and, if they are young and ha
some, between them aud shame No W
der they cry, out Of the depths OF their ii
and hopeless hearts, ''How long, o Lo
how long !"
Tue workingmen are not thus lii
They revolt against oppression. They ct
bine; they institute common fund; Il
insist upon fair wages and short hours h
make demands and they are granted. C'
talists sometimes may b. justified in c
ing them iusolent but they treat with th
all the same, under the promptings Of 5
interest. For the toilpg, suffering, st;
ing needle women there seems to be no L
ennium save that final Que which is to n