The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-05-02


When a man poses before the
world as q better christian than his
neighbor, his daily life and CONVEX
sation become subjects for ol)serva-
ton and criticism. When q man or
a party poses before the world as q
better friend Of labor than others,
their claim becomes = proper subject
for the public to study and criticize.
A man may cry ont against the in
Justice inflicted upon labor and vet
his own circumstances be such that
him self IL unable to render to labor
the full measure Of justice he de-
lmands az its right. Is this the case
with Wanamaker, Professetlly IN the
interest of labor he demands the ex-
clusion Of foreign goods from our
markets. He il q man Of sufficient
wealth that he could donate $l0O, 100
to the election Of candidates who favor
the policy Of exclusion Of foreign pro-
ducts. How does he compensate Ia
borf The New York world sent Nell
Nelson, the woman who achieved
national reputation by her articles
in the Chicago Times, to visit and
obtain work in Wanamaker's manu-
featuring establishment at Philadel-
phia, and report the wages paid and
the condition Of the workers.
The substance OF what she raw and
learned may be found In the follow
in statement;
AT least q dozen years ago 1t was
a common remark in Philadelphia,
whenever the subject was referred to,
that the employees Of Mr.. Wanainaker
now called merchant prince by
those who are fond Of royal titles,
were very poorly paid. The New
York World has recently--since Mr.
Wanamaker became parsonage Of
national importance by his elevation
t, the postmaster generalship Of the
United States-sent Nell Nelson over
to the city of brotherly love to in
vestigate this wage question. By
getting employment Of this concern,
going into the shops and working fol-
the actual wages paid, she learned
the facts from practical experience.
Most of the tailors work by the
piece. Being q skillful needlewoman
she hired ont as a tailoress Mt 80 cents
a day. None Of the girls had less than
6years experience, and but two receiv.
ed 81 a day. One woman making
pants could make only 30 cents day
Nell Nelson worked on corset GOV.
ers also at 60 cents u dozen, and made
Is cents the first day. Anot her wo.
man worked two weeks at shirt max.
ing for Nottingham being the rule
for beginners-and for the next five
weeks earned $40 i'm all. This in
stance il narrated; ''Only last winter
a young lady at one OF the ribbon
counters, who had been working un
\ til II o'clock every night, overcome
by fatigue, fell in q swoon while wait
ing on a customer and had to be
carried from the store. A carriage
was called at Mr. Wanamaker's order
and the frail little saleswoman sent
home. Everybody said How goo(
OF him." And SO it was. At the enc
Of the week the young lady's envel
ope contained 81 and q receiptel
livery bill for "a.
| Last fall after Mr.. Wanamaker'
lgenercus contribution to the repub
lican campaign fund, which was tn,
cause Of his being made postmaster
general, he made things unpleasant
by shrill cry for q reduction Of ex
penses"-in other words to use thu
republican campaign exp ession. b!
frying the fat" out of his employees
Among the men, it is stated. wa
ges are shamefully low, but when i
is known that 40 cents il paid fol
making II storm coat, that undercoat
range from 30 cents to $3.50, vest,
from 30 cents to 90 cents, pantaloons
from 40 to IS cents. 1t il hard t.
guess how they manage to live an.
} feed their children"
Had Mr.. Wanamaker been In IN
vor Of protection to labor as h,
claims, the 100000 he paid to cor
rupt the ballot box, would have beef
paid to the women whe earned 1t, an,
from, whom he had unjustlly with
held It. The facts disclosed force
the conclusion that it il Protection
in the interest of WanaMaker ant
not for labor that concerns him.
And it must be remembered tina
he Is q representative of his party.
L