The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-10-09
OUR WORKING WOMEN.
NO LESS HONEST AND vIRTUoUS
THAN WOVEN OF LEISURE.

NO LESS HONEST AND vIRTUoUS
THAN WOEEN OF LEISURE.
Conditions That Make Life Less Plea
SAINT for Them in Crowded New York
Than in Some Other Cities Labor
Commissioner Wrieht's investigations.
WASHINGTON, September 30.-The
fourth aonual report of Carroll D..
Wright, Commissioner Of Labor, just
issued, is an interesting addition to the
existing information and statistics on
the subject of labor in America. The
work deals entirely with the question of
working women in large cities. The
book, which makes a volume Of nearly
700 pages, gives an account of the gene
raj condition of working women in all
large American cities, and has special
chapter devoted to working women's
boarding houses, aids for working
women. etc.
Not the least important feature of the
volume is the chapter devoted to the
character OF working women. Original
Investigations we're uade in Brook yn,
Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland,
Indianapolis, Louisville, Newark, New
Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Rich
mond, ST. Louis and San Francisco.
Tables are given showing the various
occupations in which the women III these
cities are engaged and the comparative
per cent. of moral and immoral women.
After giving novel and interesting re-
port of his own personal investigation
into the extent of immortality among
working women and the causes OF it,
Commissioner Wright thus sums up his
opinion on the whole question: From
all that can be learned, one need lot
hesitate in asserting that the working
women Of the country are as honest and
as vIrtIous as any class of our citizens. :"
Relative to the condition of the work
ing women of New York city the report
says:
1.-TWO features in the conditions Of
New York city so largely affect the
working women there as tc dwarf all
other considerations-tnc tenement
house and the influx and concentration
Of foreign immigration. The existence
Of separate homes is rarity even among
the well-to-do industrial classes. The
crowded condition of the poor and strug-
Cling is beyond belief unless actually
witnessed.
This brings with it disease, death,
immortality, etc. Tail rear tenements
block up the small air spaces that are
Insufficient even for the front, and often
third house stands behind the second.
Sewerage is lacking or defective, and
suenches of all kinds prevail in the
poorer quarters. The new. tenements
are built with more attention to air,
light and cleanliness, and there is a
growing movement toward securing bet
ter homes Tor tho working population.
Ground being so dear rents are enor-
nous. The necessaries OF life are high
and many of the poor live on the refuse
of the markets. On the other hand the
comforts of life are found in the best
tenements. Carpets and clean beds,
lace curtains, upholstered furniture,
pictures, pianos and organs are not in
frequent.
"Among the foreign settlers the illit-
eracy is very great. Ambition to learn
English. however, fills the night schools
with eager pupils, while the native
population is content with ignorance.
Working girls born in New York are
alert and worldly wise rather than well
educated, even according to the stand
ard of the public schools. The pres
sure of necessity drives them early into
the workshop. The moral condition of
the working women is influenced for
evil by the tenement house home in
way too vast for discussion here. One
noteworthy cause of immortality is the
taking of men as dodgers for the sake of
extra income. Another is the long dis
tance girls are compelled to traverse
after dark, especially on leaving stores
which remain open till 10 or II o'clock
on Saturday night. Another is the
crowding Of frlendless young women to
the metropolis, where they live without
home restraints, suffering every con-
ceivable discomfort, and subject to long
periods of idlenesS, which they often
enter upon with an empty purse. Even
among the lowest grades, however,
there IS a ready response to gentle treat
ment and an innate politeness that can
spring only from a kind heart. The
truest heroism of life and Conduct was
found beneath rags and dirt In dress
and bearing the better class Of working
girls compare favorably with women of
leisure and refinement. The almost in
variable church contributions, especially
among the foreign population, indicate
steady church attendance.
"As respects ventilation, properly
regulated workshop is the exception.
The average room is either stufy and
close or hot and close, and even where
windows abound they are seldom
opened. Toilet facilities are generally
scant and inadequate.
'sThe moral conditions of the shops
vary with the character of the occupa
tion$, the foremcn and forewomen, and
the interest the proprietor takes in his
SluDlONtCS. w uCuCNCL IiIC SC-iSS
Observation-Disclosures great lSxity OBJ
tains. In well conducted rooms, the home
is often higher than in the girls own
room Open violations OF morality are
rare and are always discounterance;,.
Whenever the employer was personally
acquainted with bis people the standard
of conduct was apt to be excellent. In
many an instance, however, the em-
ployer openly declared that 50 long as
his work was done, be did not ask Or
care how bad the girls might be.
considering the cost of living, wages
are little, If any, higher in New York
than in other cities, though the number
OF well-paid positions beirg creator, the
chances of promotion are better. Act
ual i'll treatment by employers seems to
be infrequent. Kindness, justice and
cordial relations are the general rule.
Foreigners are often found to be more
considerate of their help than native