Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-23
WOMEN WHO WORK.
Mrs. Barry's Report Oh Their COndi.
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Al the annual meeting OF the knights OF
Labor in indian polls, Mrs. l. NJ Barry,
who has charge Of the work among women,
Gubmitted her annual report, from which
we mako the following excerpts:
The organization of working women has
done much To better their condition, bat IL
las, of course, been gradual" She consid-
6rs education the great relief for the masses
Of working people, aud advocates all practi-
cal means looking To that end.
Mrs. Barry gave prices paid women ana
girls in various parts OF the country visited,
and described the disadvantages under
which they work She found much TO criti-
rise and conGemn AT Cincinnati, she says,
organization was In u deplorable disruption
aud after expressing her inability in the
time To detail the women employing indus
tries she says
But OF one or two classes Of toilers i
would like To speak, in hopes that the
Knights Of Labor, ere this convention
closes, may devise some way or means 10
overcome, prohibit, or restrict by legisla
ton one of the most oppressive, perniciouS
and damaging to good public systems that
aiiiicts our country 10 day. j speak OF the
contract sweating middlemen. or stop-shop
plan, which works ruin, misery sin ami
shame TO toilers and death or failure TO the
legitimate or regular established industry
with whom it completes.
Instance the following: Mems pants that
retail at prices from one dollar TO seven
dollars per pair are taken by the contrac-
tor at 10 cents per pair, Operators are
then employed ana huddled together in
close, sitting back room, whore the ma
chine operatives furn sh their own ma
chimes and in most cases thread and do all
tho machine work on pants, without bast-
ing, for ; cents pair They are then pass
I'd over TO the tnisher who puts on the but
tons, makes buttonholes and puts OH buck
les for cents per pair; six pairs Is an aver
gge days work. Surprising live operatives
to be employed, and there are often more
than this the contractor makes 30 cents
head which nets him 81 30 per day, while
the victim gets 30 cents. Mems vests aie
contracted out 1t 10 cents each. the ma
chine operative receiving two and one half
cents and hnisher two and one half cents
elch, making cents a vest for completion
Twenty vests is "a days work. Here again,
with the five operatives, nc or she nets Al
per day for doing nothing, while the unfor
tunate victim has 81 cents for / or l2 hours
Of her iife's energies. These women arc
required by society 10 meet all the require
ments OF nature in an honest woman. Think
Of their ability to do 50 under such oppor-
tunities.
After speaking Of her trips through
Pennsylvania Mrs. Barry says:
The violation Of every law in regard TO
the employment of women and children in
Pennsylvania Is To be met on every hand,
and il is my sincere and earnest request
that every knight of Labor in Pennsyl-
vania will give his support to the bill which
have prepared and will have presented at
the session OF the coming state legislature
for the establishment OF a factory inspect
or law on behalf of the little ones of that
rich and thriving state, 200, 900 Of whom are
deprived of common school education, and
l25, 900 of whom are employed in it's work
shops, factories, mines and mercantile in
dustries.
There are many evils attendant upon the
employment Of children, particularly girls,
which leads to misery, ignorance and des-
pair A custom il rapidly increasing in
this country, which means shame, dishonor
and humiliation 10 manhood, and here and
now appeal TO every father within sound of
my voice 10 be watchful and wary Of his
little daughter if she be employed in any
large establishment, or small one either.
where she is made To understand that the
price OF her position is that she stand in
with the boss" Many may ask why do
not give name and locality. First, because
those who resent such pernicious approach
es shrink from giving publicity TO their
humiliation and those who do submit will
not make their misfortune public until per
haps they cannot longer hide their shame.
Ia very many instances facts were given
that were blood -curdling, but no affidavit
would be made. and neither myself nor the
order was in n position TO stand a libel suit
with all the power Of wealth against us
wherewith TO influence q decision against
honor and truth