The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-08

it was so laborious as TO greatly shorten
human lie; that ii led to immorality
in its soddcn, machine-like mixing Of
man and women; that the dress Of
trousers and short petticoat was tndeR.
cato and improper; and that idle and
vicious habits were Ongendercd in the
husbands OF women so employed: The
whole country was astonished and hor-
ritisd at the discovery OF this new blot
on English civilization. It accordingly
arose unanimously with the sponge, as
it were; Of Government Interference in
its hand 10 wipe II out.
Then Quo lone woman also arose.
This one lone woman, almost unaided,
defeated the entire efforts OF the entire
trades unions OF England, conquered
the opposition or indifference OF two
Home Secretaries, Childcrs and Mat
thcws, in succession, moulded public
opinion to the cause Of the pit'brow
leases and achievcd'one OF tho most re-
markAblc social and labor victories ever
won in Great Britain.
II is a pleasure to make such woman
better known 20 Americans. Her name
is Mrs. Margarc: PG5k. late mayoress Of
Wigan. Her husband. deceased i'll
November, 1880, was II leading iron
merchant there, and perhaps the most
popular individual in LanCashire-the
one exception being his wife. He was
elected to the mayoralty for five sue
cssSive, terms, between 1882 and 1855,
the sAlhk being counted an extraor-
binary honor, rs Wigan is the oldest
borough in Lancashire, having mum.
cipal history dating from the days OF
Chivalry and the CrusNdcs. The city
is the, center OF the Lancashire
coal and iron trade. 1t is district OF
collieries and colliers. Mrs. Park is n
Lancashire lady by birth, and had all
her life striven for the betterment OF
the lowly. She is shining example Of
thoroughly cultured woman Of wealth
making use Of her gifts and means in
her own neighborhood, without requir.
ing mission" or the recognition OF
the Sunday papers in order to reach
the highest frIition OF her genius for
good. She consequently knew these
Lancashire folk in their everyday toll
and in their homes. Naturally she was
beloved and almost idolized. And she
knew too, possibly because woman,
and because Of intelligent studies and
practical ministrations, the merits OF
the pit-brow woman question perhaps
better than any other living man or
woman.
MRS. PARKS WORK.
These 5000 helpless women had no
defender. She instantly became one.
BY cloar and truthful presentations Of
their morality, their healthfulness their
need and that Of those dependent upon
them, and the injustice OF the proposed
deprivation OF their only means OF sub
sistence, with her ringing urgency upon
the influential women OF England OF the
principle thatall avenues for voluntary
labor BY women should be expanded
rather than restricted, such noted wo-
men rs Emily Faithful, Lady Latham
and Lydia Becker, Of woman's rights
fame, gave the pit-brow woman's cause
their support instead Of opposition. In
telligently presented facts and clear cog
ent logic on the subject were at once
supplied to Home Secretary Childers
and to members OF parliament.
With the enthusiastic cooperation
OF Vicar Mitchell, OF Pemberton, an i'm
portant colliery townncar Wigan, where
large number OF women work at the
pit-6row, great meetings OF the pit
brow women themselves were held, and
these were followed by like great gath
erings in Yorkshire and Wales. This
class OF women arc noted for their in
tegrity and bluntncss. "They are jan
mock right through" as they say i'll Ian
c0shire. They not only have ready
tongues, but there was y, to them, ter
rible conviction and necessity behind
their rude speech. Petition after petit
ton was despatched to London. These
extraordinary gatherings OF extraordin-
airy women, with an extraordinary wo-
man as their leader, interpreter and de-
liverer had an electrical effect through
out Britain. A complete revuIsiOn Of
feeling was the result.
Not content with this, Mrs. Park in.
sisted that now as the pit.brow lasscs
had been heard at home they should
also be heard in London; within the
awful silences OF the Home ScCrctary's
office, il needs be. But Mr.. Childcrs
had heard such tales of the "Amazons"
in the press, read such tragedies OF
them in tho shilling shockcrs, and seen
such hideous representations OF them
in the illustrated prints, that this was
too much. No BrobdignaSian, sooty
hcroines, armed withrshovrls, spades,
screens, clogs and perhaps picks, for
him! The hint OF their readiness to
swoop down upon him, with what Ind
already been done, and the press OF
England now being unanimous against
the measure were seemingly sufficient.
The prohibitory clause was withdrawn,
and The pit-brow leases Of England and
Wales were destined to remain per-
manent British institution.
But their first victory was temporary
one. The trades unions, appearing to
graciously accept dcteatsSsWere only
awaiting Better opportn1ity.S. Just n
wear later, early in the spring,ot 'S7,
word came to Mrs. Park from London
that thee against pit-brow womcn's
work was again being pressed, secretly
but powerfully, by trades union and
other political influence, and that there
was great danger OF the government
recommending the measure, through
the then new Home Secretary, Mr..
Matthews. ..,. tr
DBFoRE PARLIAMENT.
Mrs. Park at once determined that
tho pitbrow women should go in per-
son before Parliament and the Home
Secretary, She wrote and telegraphed