The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-02-01
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
woMeN's WORK AND WAGES.
Report OF Extended Investigation of the
Condition of Working women.

Report of Extended Investigation of the
Condition of workingwomen.
There are now in the Knights of La
Dor between 10000 and $4,000 women.
These organizations were represented
at the General Assembly of the Knights
of Labor at Indianapolis by Mrs. L. NJ.
Barry, of Philadelphia, general organ
izer and lecturer; Mrs. A. p. Stevens,
of Toledo, and Miss Mary Burk, Bel
laire, o.
Mrs. Barry made an important and
Interesting report of her work in inves-
tigating woman's work and wages in
various parts of the country. She
gave facts and figures regarding 'the
contract-sweating middle-men, or slop-
shop plan, which works ruin, misery.
sin and shame to toilers, and death or
failure to the legitimate or regularly
established industry with which it COM
petes. Instance the following: Mems
pants that retail at'prices from one to
seven dollars per pair are taken by the
contractor at fifteen cents per pair.
Operatives are then employed and then
huddled together in a close, sitting
back room, where the machine opera
tives furnish their own machines. and
in most cases thread, and do all the ma
chine work on pants, without basting.
for five cents pair. They are then
passed over to the finisher, who puts on
hn hut hut hn1 nd
puts on buckles for five cents per pair.
Six pairs is an average days work.
Surprising five operatives to be employ
ed, and there are Oftener more than
less, the contractor makes thirty cents
a head, which nets him or her one dol
lar and half per day, while his or her
victim gets thirty cents per day."
In Pennsylvania she found 1.-THE vio-
lation Of every law in regard to the en-
ployment Of women and children is to
be met with on every hand, and it is
my earnest request that every Knight
of Labor in Pennsylvania will give his
support to the bill which l have pre-
pared and will have presented at the
session of the coming State Legislature
for the establishment of factory in
spection law on behalf of the little ones
of this rich and thriving State. 10000
of whom are deprived Of the privileges
of common school education, and 1885,
600 of whom are employed in its work.
shops, factories, mines and mercantile
industries There are many evils at
tendant upon the employment OF chill
dren, particularly girls, which lead to
misery, ignorance and despair. A Gus
tom is rapidly increasing in the coun-
try which means shame, dishonOr and
humiliation to wOmanhOOd, and l here
and now appeal to every father within
sound of my voice to 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 posi-
ton 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 approaches
shrink from giving publicity to their
humiliation, and those who do submit
will not make their misfortune public
until, perhaps. they can no longer hide
their shame. In very many instances
facts were given that were blood-curd-
ling, but no affidavit would be made,
and neither myself nor the order was
in position to stand libel suit with
all the power of wealth against us
wherewith to influence decision
against honor and truth"