The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-19
THE WOMEN At HAND.
The silly Arguments They Use for q
Protective Tariff.

WASHINGTON, Sept. lS.-The proceedings
Of the Senate subcommittee on the tariff
this morning were in refreshing contrast
with the average Of the last two months.
About fifteen well dressed, fresh looking
ladies made their appearance at the doors Of
the committee-room at II o'clock, headed by
Mrs. j. Ellen Foster president OF the
Womcn's Christian Temperance union. of
Iowa, and were introduced by Senator ALI
son 10 his fellow members as q delegation
who wished to be heard in respect to woman's
especial interest IN protective tariff.
Mrs Foster addressed the committee elo-
auently, and at considerable length. She
described her experience in Europe year
ago whittier she went In connection with the
philanthropic work in which she has spent
her life, setting forth the steps which led her
10 the belief that the incomparably superior
advantages enjoyed by the American wo-
man as wife, mother or soli-supporter
10 her European sister were due
TO the American protective system.
She contrastcd the manufacturing and
farming localities Of Germany, Eng
land Scotland and Ireland, with their
women harnessed some times like beasts OF
burdens In the field, leaving their little
ones without u mothers care, earning the
| barcst pittance necessary To support life,
| with the conditions OF life here, declaring
that on her arrival in Massachusetts, on hcl
return she could hardly escape the oonvic'
ton that the occasion was gala day. She
did not claim TO be n specialist in regard "a
the tariff, but had read the debates in Con
grcss and noted that wherever the wage
worker was referred 10, II was the work
ingman who excited the sympathes oil
the Legislators. Would not society, sh,
asked herself appeal for the workingwomeI
Of American She warned the COMMITTEES
that It was in all history, the condition o
womAnkind which had contributed most &
the uphuilding or pulling down OF nations
and told them that wherever the condition
Of men was degraded there women went
little lower. Onc-thirl the relief support
ers in America were women, and for thes
she had sought this hearing She had bcol
into the mills and workshops Of New Ior
and New England and had, with the con
sent Of employers, invited some OF the Il
male employees TO come to Washington wit
: her and tell the committee how they wcr
situated. These were the Indies present
She assured the committee that they were I
no wise superior to their fellow worker
had not been picked out for greater intel
I selves that the choice should have fallen o
them rather than on Others.
Her companions were then briefly que'
I toned by members II the committee. Mr.
Bomber. German lady who had worked I
factories In the fnthcrland, had been en-
4. ploycd about twenty years In Rockyiil
Conn, in weaving cloth for mems clothing
Her weekly wages were from - 10 so
! compared with two marks in Germany ~
4. l.I IL
visited her birthplace paying the cNpcns
, from her savings. Miss White, Miss Pit
and Mrs. Stan,geld, all born IN Englan,
were also employed IN mills NJ Rockvill
0 | Conn, but no Two were Ia the same mil
They told similar stories 10 that of MI
: | Bomber OF the superior wages and supcri,
4 advantages ~ their present condition to tli
in which tLey lived In the old country ~
> declared themselves with enthusiasm 10 ha
| become Americans IN the fullest sense OF 9
word Miss Gallagher aud Mis-, Dcmpwo
II were from mun's clothing house IN n,
!, | York City.
; Mis-, Jennie CAecycr. Mrs Studd and Nj
~ Clark were from the mills Of Ware, Mi
ii There was but little variety IN the stur
briefly and modcstly told. Their positio
" wcrr those of The average In their rcspccti
u localities, and they were earning comic
able liylihOpls by the work of their ~,
u hands Tho appearance Of the ladies WI
in however the most convincing part IT {
evidence received. by the committee
q part which carried conviction quite
IA respective Of the tariff views Of the co
mittccmcn. Senator Harris, who =,
T. resented the tariff reform doctrine ON
II committee, calamity oontcntcd himself
developing the fnct from each OF the Ro,
N willie witnesses that the foreign boru clcmc
largely prchominatcd among their fcllo,
aud from the Others that Il about equal
:, that Of native born both IN the New 40
" shops aud the Ware mills.