The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-12-13
An Insolent Claim.

II there was a tacit agreement OF
the press of both parties to permit
the question of tariff reform 10 re-
main in allegiance for an indefinite
period. the current news OF the day
would prevent its observance. In
the general assembly of the knights
Of Labor mt Indianapolis. Mrs. J.. NJ.
Barry. rs general investigate"
made II report on the condition OF
working women and children III this
country which cannot be read by any
person with the ordinary feelings Of
humanity without deep and mingled
feelings of shame and compassion
shame that systems Of oppression so
degrading should exist in this coun-
try. and compassion for the victims.
These exist among our highly pro
tected industries. First. among the
clothing manufacturers in our cities
there is revealed tyranny calculat-
ed to crush out every feeling Of indie
pendence. and make those who are
subjected to il the yeriest drudges OF
insolent task masters. The prices for
the work disclose the condition ofthe
operators. Mems pants. retailing
from So To 8. /; pair, are made at ID
cents Mems vests are made Mt
cents each. Operators are employed
or huddled together i'm IL close sitting
back room. where the machine oper-
atives furnish their own machines
and in most eases thread, making
pants for 5 cents pair. exclusive OF
buttons and button holes. These are
paid for at the rate of ) cents a pair.
Six pair is an average days work.
There are other facts connected with
this business which cannot be spoken
of without using such language as is
employed in describing some of the
varied forms of prostitution. The
report of Mrs. Barry on this point
should reach TO every home i'll the
land.
After speaking of her trips through
Pennsylvania, the report says: The
violation of every law in regard t.
the employment Of women and chill
dren in this state is to he met Will
OH every hand" She says there are
zoo 900 children deprived of the priv
lies of common school education, ant
125.OoO employed in workshops, fac
tories and mines. The wretched con
dition Of the miners in Pennsylvania
the mere animal life imposed OF
them alike by their own habits ant
the poverty out of which their wages
cannot lift them. has benu repeated
ly shown by the Leader, and we only
refer to it here. A bare recital of the
details. without comment, would
move the heart of the most hardened
cynic by its pictures of abject misery
Nov we have just closed an elec
ton and these conditions of society
were involved III the issues presented
by tie respective parties. The in.
dustries in which such extreme poy.
erty and such debasement Of woman
hood and childhood exist are highly
protected industries. Their persist
ent. Wanting and vehement claim is
that they insure high wages and
''protect" the toiler IN al avocations.
This is the claim. and the facts ART
that they are foremost in bringing
pauper labor here and fostering pau.
per conditions on the country. Can
they expect or do they hope that the
election will stifie inquiry, or close
discussion upon subject which
reaches to every moral as we'll rs ma
terial interest in the nation! The
falsity and insolence of their claim is
forced upon the attentson by ever.
press dispatch which tells of oppres
sion and iuisery among the porkint
men and women Of the country
DesMoines Leader.