New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-19
woMAy's INTEREST IN PROTECTION
TELLING ARGUMENTS OF WOMEN BEFORE THE

TELLING ARGUMENTS OF WOMEN BEFORE THE
SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE TARIFF.
Washington, Sept IS (SpeciaD.No argument half 30
telling IN defence OF the American protective system has
been heard by the Senate subCopmttee the Tariff
uttered by members OF Congress In debate during recent
months which senators Allison Hscoek and
Harris to-day The principal speaker was Mrs j.
Ellen Foster president OK the Weman's Christian TEN
Union OF Iowa ana an earnest
branches Of philanthropy. With her appeared
as witnessed delegation Of factory girls
from New-York and New England These
women did not come to sing committee the song
Of To shirt they tell Of state OF prosperity un-
known to their sisters IN any other quarter Of the globe and
to ask that system which they believed gave them the
opportunities Of independent sesupport be not sacrificed
i)r po.tsal CXigcney
Mrs Foster in half hours speech told how her In
teest had been awakened the matter Of the ari during
q visit to Europe yesr ago in connection with
philsnthsoplc work Her womans heart had been deeply
moved BY hand hopeless Doc OF the poor working sister
hood in Germany and Greai Britain and her womans in
stincts had led unnegrngy tie fundamental cause
OF the DEGRADATION Of foreign workpeope compared with
their fellows in her land She patheucay told OF
the harnessed 20 the plough or working with noe
and shovel fields OF Germany, their fathers and
brothers being drafted FOR military service their little ones
left without a mothers care, all Tor pittance when
furnished only the coarses necessities Of Ife She
thought to find improvement IN England put theie
encountered poverty ignorance and hopeesness among
working women while In ireland It even worse on
factory and could hardly escape the Deei
that f. was a gala day. striking was the contrast
She then began study OF the protective system at
home reading aentyey the speeches delivered In Con-
cress In all the pleas put forth for the iaborer the
voting male was always the subject OF Congressional
-na,hv nobody considered the fact that almost one-half
the wage workers The history Of the Nation
she said aud Of every other nation showed tha1 the
civilization OF any period bore certain relation to the
position which women occupied If women must clean the
york he
women across the receive, they could not remain
cb,. they are She wanted to file her solemn protest
ci, any change in the Industrial system that should
hiring hess women to level OF women In Great Britain
Thu DEGRADATION o. the male aboTer she warned the
committee brought greater degradation to the woman
Ms Fosters companions had been selected by chAnce
M ,hei, ,orsen and employers tell the committee OK
he- yayes and their condition. They were I'm no respect
above the average Of fellows yet there were among
Them some who certificates from their States rs
ouasei school tea hers competent musicians
and accomplished in other arts The examination OF the
,etnesse, was brief and 70 the point Some were from
tho ,roolen mills Of Rockville, Conn, some from the
clothing factories Of city and others from the
Entcoods mills Of Ware Mass. No two wore from the
same establishments from Germany, and mad
worked in German mill three were from England, ana
knew by experience OF female mill hands In that
country but they all enthusiasts citizens Of the
United States now.
DO YOU think you can vo better here than in Ger.
many on the wages you earnF quered Senator Allison OF
the German g.rA
OF course. was the reply. with a heartness which
excited laugh among companions and her auditors.
or else would not be back here so many times That
~ what am here for
This girl IN the twenty years 'ince che left Ger
many paid three yss 70 the hone OF her ehdn9od nc
convincing minds OF the eoEmttee as the appearance
OF the women themselves