Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-07-26

Snl tclI nllll lIlS ldl W Slep uoNu anu
out with the reputation which he will
have richly earned, of having been the
shabbiest Mayor in the United States.
MY friends, it is to the ladies we
must appeal in this early closing move
ment. | think that the ladies of Yon.
kers have their eyes open as wide rs
any in the country. They must take up
tins question, agitate it among them
selves and exercise their influence
throughout the community. Women
are acting greater part every day in
the economy of this country, and by
reason of their increasing number in
the manufacturing and commercial en-
ployments they have growing interest
in the conduct of affairs, private and
public. Some of the abIest advocates of
economic justice are women. Out of
221 900 people employed in the various
manufacturing industries of New York
City in 1880, $4,000 were women, and
their number has largely increased in
the last ten years. In New England
there are factory towns where nearly
the whole population consists of women,
and which, on that account, are called
she towns. Laughter. You laugh!
Why, you ought to cry in shame at the
mere mention of such fact. For it is
shame that whole town exclusively
composed of women should work under
the lash of hunger to keep in luxurious
idleness few plutocrats; and it is a
greater shame still that we, strong men
and free citizens of republic, should
permit such thing to be. Applause.
"Let me call your special attention to
the grocery clerks, for they are some of
the hardest worked employees IN this
city. All they ask for is to be per-
mitted to work from A. M. to P. NJ,
or 13 hours. They are now working
from IA to 10 hours five days of the
week and Is hours on Saturdays. Think
of it! 1t has come to that point where
men, and even boys 16 years old, have
to beg as favor shortening of their
hard working day to thirteen hours!
This demand surprises me. | should
have advised them to demand eight
hours, and expected that the whole com
munity would rise in their favor. Is
there in this town a grocer that works
his horse thirteen hours per day? No,
the horse is his property and he cares
for 1t; but the boy is only his wage
slave and he works him 10 hours.
"This great meeting is going to have
a wholesome effect, l hope. If it does
not prove sufficient to carry out your
object let others follow, larger STILL
Don't get discouraged, but rather grow
more persistent and determined, if you
do not gain your point at once. In this
manner only can you gain it. / know
whereof speak, for | have been fight
ing for the cause of labor for the past
30 years and will continue to fight for
it until | die. | had many disappoint-
ments and it seemed to me at times that |
the movement was very slow, or even
carried us backward instead of forward. |
But ! can see very plainly that there
has been a great advance in the last |
few years and that all the signs of the
times point to general awakening |
Of the people and the final triumph |
of justice. And now, thanking you for
your kind and sustained attention, | bid |
you early success and good night"
The speaker was heartily applauded |
as he retired, and Secretary Bennetts |
read the following resolutions, which
were unanimously adopted;
WHEREAS, The Early Closing Associa.
ton of Yonkers, comprising the clerks
IN dry goods stores, boot and shoe clerks,
together with the clerks from millinery
and clothing stores, have long felt the
necessity of movement for bettering
their physical, moral and social con,
ditons by shortening their hours of
labor, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the working people |
of Yonkers will positively refuse to
purchase or cause to be purchased any
goods in the stores that will not com
ply with the hours of closing adopted
by the Early Closing Association
Resolved, That we will only patronize
such stores as display in a prominent
position a card issued from the Clerks
Early Closing Association stating the
hours of closing.