Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-11-30
The Annual Convention Of the KNIGHTS of
LaboF-ALFa. HarFy's Interesting Re-
pcrt-shs Makes some Very
Startling Disclosures.
Evils Attendant Upon the EmpIoynnent OF
CEfldEen-Legislation Badly Need
oG-Lhs Constitution aud Condi-
tlon OF the Knights OF Labor.

aAs5E4uEy t4liB morning. ana Hl81E aGGLou
VII be awaited by him before he does any
thing further. Just what he may do Is a
problem that causes some worry among the
Knights.
The general treasurer gives an itemized
report of the receipts and the expenditures
for the year ending June 80, 1888, and in g
supplement report up to October 3. 1888, the
receipts Ia the first from supplies per capita
/ tax, journal charter, special defense, as
/ sessment, appeals and miscellaneous aggre-
gate S255,5O7.CO. The expenditures were
/ 1922, 507, 900; for the four months contained
| In the supplementary reports, the receipts
! were $50, 591.72 and the expenditures S42.-
816.63.
MRS. BARRY's REPORT.
/ In the report of Mrs. Barry read before
/ the Knights of Labor assembly to-day she
/ gives prices paid women and girls in various
parts OF the country and describes the disad-
! vantage under which they work She fouLd
/ much to crltIcise and condemn.
/ AT Cincinnati she Gays the organization
I was in a deplOrable disruption and after ex-
/ pressing her inability in the time to detail
/ the women employed IN the industries she
/ says; But OF one or two cl3sses Of tOiIers
would ike TO speak, IN the hope that the
/ Knights OF Labor ere this convention closes
\ may devise some way or means to overcome
] prohibit or restrict by legislature Cor COM
/ pu-6OEy use Vl 4hDGL Oh lar maze EDGQBr
] which, IN my Judgment, is the most practi-
| cal one of the most oppressive, pernicious
I and damaging to public good systems that
/ afhIct our country to-day. L speak of the
! contract sweating middlemen or slipshop
/ plan, which works ruin, misery, sin and
! shame to toilers. and death or failure to the
/ legitimate or regularly established industry
/ with which it completes.
! 81 instance the following: Mems trousers
| that retail from 81 to 81 per pair, are taken
/ by the contractor at 10 cents per pair. OPP
! eratiVes are then employed and huddled to-
! gether IN a Close sitting back room where
\ the machine operatives furnish their
\ own machines, and, IN most cases, thread
I and do all the machine work on trousers,
/ without bast1ng, for cents pair. They
/ are then passed over to the hnIsher who
/ puts Oh the buttons, makes button holes and
l puts on buckles for 5 cents pair. Six
pairs are an average days work.
''SuppOsing i've operatives to be en-
/ plOyed, and there are Oftener more than
/ less, the contractor makes 30 cents head
/ which nets him or her Sl.50 per day, while
/ his or her victim gets 30 cents per day.
''Men's vests are contracted out at 10
| cents each; the machine operative receiving
/ % cents and the hnlsher % cents each,
making cents vest for completion.
/ Twenty vests are a days work. Here again
1 with the five operatives ne or she nets 81
| per day for doing nothing, while his UnfOr-
| tunate victim has so cents for eleven or
/ twelve hours of her LIES energy.
! 8 These women are required IN secresy to
meet all requirements of nature in an hon
/ est woman. Think of their ability to do so
I under such opportunities! Oh, brothers of
/ the Knights Of Labor, 1 implOre you, by
/ your love for mothers, sisters, wives and
/ daughters, those sweet little innocent girls
/ who to-day gladden. your heart and brighten
! your heartnstOn6, unite as one man on some
| course that viii have tendency to remove
/ this curse from our fair land-th15 blot upon
/ American liberty and Independence, ere the
] tender feet Of your loved ones are COM
! PEELED to press this LIES pathway of thorns.
And in the manufacture of WOmen's IN
/ derWear this hellish method is carried on
/ with equal force. On Central avenae, Gin
| CHM at, o., under garments are made for %
/ cents per dozen, trimmed with either lace
or ruffies; white shirts, with rufdes, lace and
tucks, so cents per dozen; the average week
/ ly wages of such employees running from
/ S1.50 to So per week.
After speaking of her trip through Penn
/ syIvaniR, Mrs. Barry says: ''The violation of
/ every law in regard to the employment Of
women and children IN Pennsylvania is to
/ be met with on every hand, and 1t Is my sin
! cer6 and earnest request that every Knight
/ IN Pennsylvania will give his support to the
/ bill which have prepared and viii have
/ presented at the coming session of the state
| legislature for the establishment Of factory
/ inspector, q law on behalf OF the little ones
| of this rich and thriving state, 100000 of
/ whom are deprived of the privilege of COM
mon school education, and 125,OOO of whom
/ are employed IN the workshops, factories,
mines aud mercantile industries. There
! are many evils attendant upon the employ
ment of Children particularly girls which
| leads to misery ignorance and despair. A
| custom is rapidly increasing IN this country
which means shame, dishonOr and hu-
initiation to WomanhcOd, and
| here and now appeal to every father
within the sound of my voice, to
/ be Watchful and wary of lsi5 little daughter,
/ If she be emE lOyed IN any large establish
/ Enent or small one either, where she is made
1 to understand that the price Of her position
/ is that she islands in with the bOss.' Many
Z AL Vry+7y do not and local
/ ity?
First-Because those who resent such per
/ niciOus approaches shrink from giving pub
! iiCity to their humiliation and those who
I do submit, viii not make their misfOrtunes
public until, perhaps they can no longer
I hide their shame. In very many instances
facts were given thaG were pIOou c0rd!!ngs
I but no affidavit would be made and neither
myself nor the order was IN a position to
stand q libel with ali the power of wealth
/ against US whereWith 80 influence decision
/ against honor and truth"
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon session to-day was brief,
/ and like the morning. was devoted 20 the
/ introduction of resolution and other matters
] for reference to the committees No more
/ reports were made but the reports of the
I grand master workman and the general sec
! rotary are looked for tomorrow.
BaEry's appeal has not yet come before
/ the assem- bly,, but is also expected tO-mor-
row. BE now thinks be VIII be heard, and
I that the treRsurer's report VIII have much
/ TO do with IL, If such il the case.
Tonight most Of the committees are
WORKING on the matters assigned to tn IN.
and their reports viii be made from time TO
I time durirg the meeting. Many Of these
/ committees are given all the room they want
for approving or disappearing or matters IN
+ part or whole, and IN some directions lively
times are anticipated. The question Of
elections continues one Of interest, but
I PoWdeFly VIII probably be prevailed upon
/ TO assspE once more, and after the size Of
{ thu board has been reduced the remaining
/ officials viii speedily be chosen.
A public speaking was held tonight IN
/ the court house The report Of J. ". Hayes,