New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-24
PRISONERS OF POVERTY.
woNEN wAGE.wORKERs. THEIR TRADES
AND THEIR LIVES
ny HELEN CAMPBELL.
Copyright. 1856.


Ing those days as old which we're bat the beginning
of the time we reckon. there certain methods
with workers that centuries ago ceased to have
visible form. The Roman matrOn whose snscepti-
blities from long and tear in the observation
of fighting gladators and the other mild amuse-
ments of the period were triAe bunted, felt no
compunctlon IN ordering a dlsOoedient or otherwise
objectionable slave into chains, aud Thereafter
claiming the same portion of work as nan been
given untrsmmelled. The routine OF the day de-
mapded certain Offices but how these Offices should
be most easily fulfilled. was no concern OF master
or mistress who required simply ful6lmsut, and
wasted no time on consideration of methods. In
The homes of Pompeil, once more open to the sun,
are the underground rooms where wretched men
and women bowed under the weight of letters.
whose corroslon was "a not only flesh but
the no less weary soul. aud Rome itself can still
show the same remnants of long forgotten wrong
and oppression.
That day is over and well over. say. Only
for few barbarians still unreached by the march
Of civilization is hut OF such conditions posi-
ble and even for them the days OF darkness are
numbered. And 30 the century moves on; and the
few who question If indeed the bonds are quite
broken If civilization has civilized. and If men and
women may claim In full their birthright of life.
liberty and the pursuit Of haponess." ara set down
as hopeless carDers, unpleasant. prarmltic. gener-
a1ly dlsagreeable directors to things as they are
Or fit IN admitted that there defects here and
there and That much remains to be remedied we
are pointed with pride to the magnificent insfitn-
tons OF m odern charity, where every possible want
Of ali sorts and conditions of men Is met and full
filled.
"What more would you havei" cries the believer
IN things as they are. What Is higher finer
than the beautiful spirit that has taken permanent
form IN brick and IN prtarf Never since time began
has charity been pn 40 N ignifcent scale: never
has n been SO intelligent far-seeing. No saints
of the past were ever more vowed 70 goot works
than these uncanonized saints of TO-DAY who give
their lives 10 the DO,r AMI CONT them well lost
Shame on man or woman who questions the beaut-
fu work or dares hunt that under this far surface
rottenness and all founess still seethe and
simmer
II is not easy In the face OF such feeling 70 ofi7n
that perfect as the modern system nav he, beauti-
full as is much Of the work ACCOMPLISHED. it still is
wanting in one eleme IT, the lack of when has
power to vitiate the whole No good will. no char
ity however SPLENDID. ills OF can fill the place
owned by that neei which Is forever first and most
vital between man and man Justice. No love. no
labor no self-sacrihce even. balance that scale
In which Justice has no place No know 'dge nor
wisdom. nor anv understanding that en- come to
man counts as force in tn universe Of God Till thai
one word heads the list Of ali that must be known.
md loved and livel before ever the Kingdom Of
Heaven can begin upon earth
1t is because this is felt and believed, bv few as
& co npelling power b. mlnv as dlnly com,re
hended need 40 far IN the shadow that its form is
still unknown that begin TO-DAY the search for
the real presence. What / write wi be no fauci-
fu picture % the helgsiin lives the conditions o.
which ! began. many years ago. TO study. II
names are withheld, and localities not always in
dicaei II is not because they are not recorded IN
full ready for reference any required cOrrobora
ton. Where the facts make against the worker
thew are given with as minute detail
ns where they make against the employer
The one aim In the Investigation has bee"
and IL TO tell the truth simply. directly. and IN
full leaving 1t for the reader to determine what
share Is his vt the evil or IN the good that
the met hOds of To- Law Az hold That our system
of charities and corrections is unsurpassahle does
not toucn the case of the worker who wants n"
charity aud needs correction IL rs something
bevoud either that must be understood III the
methods Of che day ana yzed. till one has den ned
lusuce asked what claim 1t makes uDon the per-
soma life of man and woman. aud mlsteref every
deta that eau render def iitIon more possible. the
uuestions that perpex the most conservative
can have 10 solution for this generation OF for any
generation To come. To help toward such solution
Is the one purpose Of all that will follow.
In the admirable report Of the Bureau OF Stalls
tics of Labor for 1893. made under the drecto"
of Mr. Charles Peck. whose name IN already the
synonym Tor careful aud intelligent work. the
number Of working women in New York ~ gwen
rs very neiry two hundred thousand Investlga-
lions of the same nature nave been made at other
points. notably Boston, the work of Mr.. Car
roll d. Wright Que OF the most widely known
of our statistlciaus But neither BoSton nor any
other CITY OF the Ualted states offers the same
facilities or gives ~ varied a range Of employ
nept as IL to De found in New York. where grind
Ing poverty aud fabulous wealth walk side bv side
md where the life limit In wages was estab-
iished loug before mod"rn poitina economy had
made the phrase current Thus nnmber does not
Include domestic servants but s limited to actual
handlcrafts Ninetv-twO trades are gwen ~ stand
Ing open TO women to-day. and several have been
added since the report was ma 10. A lifetime would
hardly be sufficient for 4 detailed examination Of
every industry In the great city. hut it is quite
posi- to form just Judgment 1T the quality and
character OF all those which give employment to
women. The city which affords the largest per
ceutage OF habItu.l drunkarls. well as the
largest number OF hqnnr saloons To the mile. ~
naturally that which most women are fore al
TO seek such means ~ subsistence a. NAV he had
The better paying trades filed with
vo,o,o who have had some form OF train
Ing IN school or h0ms have passed
FROM one upation TO another, till that for which
they had most aptitude has been determined. That
however. 10 which all the more sel pless turn al
once. as the one thing about the dong of which
there be- nodoubt or difficulty. is the one most
overcrowded most underpaid, and with It's scale of
payments e>senIng year by year. Tue girl too IL
porani 10 reckon figures too duii-wItted TO learn
by observation takes refuge IN sewing in some Of
its many forms as the one thing possible TO all
grade, Of Intelligence and the with
drunken otherwise vicious husband. more help
lees often than the widow who turns IN
the direction. seeks the Same
sources of employment IL respectfully