Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-22
Skilled Labor Still Lacking.

than skilled laborers. The life Of the
Lowell factory girls is told in the little paper
which they publish. To them factory employ
ment meant relief from other degrading labor.
In those early days the learned class were the
only order of good society, and before the
stumps in their fields had turned brown the
sturdy colonists laid the cornerstone Of Har-
ward College The sentiment of that time was
expressed in the words of a New England
mother to her son: Child, If God will make thee
good Christian and good scholar 1t will be
all Isask. In early factory days there are rec
ords of IA and l5 hours labor day for women,
and IN Paterson, N. j.. at one time the women
morning at 4:S0 o'clock. More than that, the
pay was very inadequate.
"lu September In 1884 the first meeting was
held to protest against the evil treatment Of
women employees by factory employers. Among
the things desired by this convention, to which
Boston sent 80 delegates. was the ten-hour sys-
tenn; AT this early time woman's entrance into
trades was fercely protested against but the
CIyilW offered her the necessary opportunity
to become an Garner. In 1870 the wages of
women were about two-ffths as much as those
OF men. and in reply to protestations the en-
ployer offered the old excuse that woman al
ways had something to fall back upon. The
knights OF Labor at their first annual conven-
tion started the equality of the sexes. and this
~
and has been most important factor In the
ameIoration Of the laboring classes.
IlI.Treared Working Girls.
HI N % cities in which girls began work the
average age is Is. We find that major
ity Of these were American and not foreign.
The United States report proves that the ma
jority of laboring women are single. In At
Ian ia, Ga, of all the cities investigated, we
find wages lowest, and In San Francisco the
highest. Unskilled laboring girls earn not
more than 500 or $500 per year, and they lose
much from the fine system, for intelligence and
training begets punctuality. The masses of
laboring women are characterized by thrift
lessness and ignorance. and often their treat
ment Is intolerable. I am inclined to look upon
charity as the insult heaped upon the injury
received from insufficient payment Of honest
work. AS surely as the world moves on its
axis, changes born of material progress deaden
the conception of real progress. The hand of
man Is each day deprived from its original
trust and unframed intelligence finds success
more and more difficult to attain, 1t is not
alone the present that we have to deal with,
but the problems that will face us in the
future"
In the afternoon Mr.. Leland Powers gave his
last dramatization. taking as his subject the
play of David Garrick," which gave him good
Many good and pious Chautauquans go and
laugh with giddy glee at his mimicry of
man who would not be seen inside of
our best theaters, but they think nothing of it,
as it goes under the name of readings.
Gossip of the Grounds.
MR.. A. M. FAIRBURN continued his lectures
on Religious Leaders of the Nineteenth
Century," and was as logical and philosophical
Is ever.
In the evening William II. Sherwood played
upon the piano. Nine. Darlington, the Schu-
bert Quartet and the chorus sung at grand
The question heard on every hand about the
grounds is, what is the latest about the
'trikesf" Many Eastern people are staying for
fear of getting delayed on the road. Secretary
Duncan has a weapon ready for the man who
said that he is in direct communication with
Master Workman Powderly to continue the
strike until the assembly closes.
A large number left on the boats to-day who
we're here for recognition day exercises
Prof. A. l. Marks conducted party through
The Holy Land from Hebron 20 Mount Her
non.
The Towandas and Chautauquas played base
oall to-day to the tune of to in favor of the
after, Stagg occupying the pitchers box.
One hundred and fifty travelling passenger
agents of various railroads over the country.
who have been in convention at Buffalo as the
yuests of the Western New York and Pennsyl-
Iania Railroad, enjoyed trip over the lake TO-
lay.