Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-05-07
labOring Women.

few weeks ago, but it was only
subsidiary To the great movement IN
progress all over the country. Ii
cannot be shown as a reason that
they have no occasion for relief, for
! the Unjust discrimination that has
been made against woman In every
active duty in which she has been
brought into rivalry with man, is one
of the most grlevous, unjust and ty-
rsnnical of wrongs. There is no
object yet stated by the oriSinators
of labor reform that appeals more
directly to justice and whose claim
for consideration - more unanswer-
able.
The extent to which women are
employed as wage earners, outside
the branches of occupation usually
regarded as their true mission or
sphere as is shown by the last
census. is a matter of surprise to the
general reader. We find that the
great wooden mills of the country
are run mainly by women; that the
manufacture of mems clothing is
also in the hands of the women, So
600 being employed in shops, in ad-
dition to the millions who work at
their homes; 5000 women are en-
gagged in making artificial feathers
and 1000 are at work at the book
binding business. which employs
but 5 900 men. The pay.rolls of the
many shoe factories in the different
States contain the names of %, 700
women, and their work is considered
first class. In the making of con-
fectionery 1000 are engaged, and
another class produces most OF the
corssts worn in the United States.
The printing Offices and telegraph
stations employ ON Amazonian army
whose tactics embrace only the ma
neuvers necessary to fight that COM
mon foo-Poverty. Even the man.
ufacture OF gunpowder has found
willing recruits from the fair sex,
and that venerated authority, the
census report, lists twenty women
engaged in producing an article in
timately associated only with war,
death and destruction.
The avenues of labor have rapidly
widened the past few years to admit
woman on an equality in every re.
spect except as to the amount of
wages paid them. In this particular
there seems to be no feasible means
for relief. Her helplessness places
the results OF her labor in the market
as commodity capable Of being re-
duced to its lowest cash value.
Thousands OF women IRE employed
in the larger cities at wages barely
sufficient to pay for the commouest
articles OF subsistence. Those en-
ployed at sewing machines earn on
an average 80 cents "per day."
which means fourteen hours of
steady labor. The savings, at these
figures, cannot by any possibility,
constitute q reserve fund, either for
the expenses of a " rainy day." or to
afford subsistence during a strike
for better pay. Fortunately she has
no whisky or tobacco bills to pay,
or the result would be infinitely
worse.
Is it at oil surprising, with these
facts ever existing, that, despite the
better impulses and finer instincts OF
womanhood, proAigacy should exist
and that the great sea of infamy
should be constantly augmented from
tributaries which flow from such a
wide area of restitution and misery ?
Is not this branch of the subject wor-
thy the serious consideration of those
who are dsvisiug means for relief ?
1t seems that ell the better prompt
ings Of humanity would be aroused
by the bare contemplation of these
conditions. to afford some means Of
ameliorating the condition of class
We profess 30 much TO revere.
| Flour at Granite Breek is SIS per
barrel. bacon 80 cents per pound,
sugar 33b cents, nails 25, beans 12AA
potatoes 8 cents per pound. The