, 1891-06-30
THOSE sHRewD WOMEN.
A Worthy Chicago Alliance That Has
Big Political Pull

A Worthy Chicago Alliance That Has a
Big Political Pull
The WOman's Alliance Of Chicago is
one Of the most powerful bodies Of work.
ing women in existence. Its organiza-
ton was brought about through the eff.
forts Of the WOmen's Labor union. II is
a central body Of women sent AS dele,
gates from various clubs interested in
women's work There is no restriction to
organizations composed entirely Of WON.
en-, but all delegates must be women.
The constitution Of the alliance provides
that any organization receiving n ma.
lority vote and paying one dollar shall
be entitled to three delegates. Varied
organizations have sunk petty differences
and met on the platform Of 'justice to
children, loyalty to women"
Represented there are a Masonic chap
ter, charity aid societies, Christian
science associations, woman's suffrage
leagues, ethical, temperance, medical
and labor associations. Monthly meet
ings are held, at which seventy or eighty
women are in attendance. Its objects
are to enforce all laws relating TO women
and children, to secure the enactment of
new laws, to inspect factories where wo,
men and children are employed and pub
lie institutions where they are main
tanned; to secure the appointment Of yvo-
men as health inspectors, factory inspec-
tors, members Of the boards Of manage.
ment of public institutions and Of the
bourd Of education.
The work is divided among commit
tees, AT the regular meetings notices Of
tnjustices or wrongs Of any sort to WON
en- are received from any sourca, cue
committees report mi -.vttces OF delin
1---.sga III any public department are
sent to the proper authorities. As this
usually means that further action will
be taken If this is not attended to, and
as the alliance has behind it the Trade
and Labor assembly, representing 81, 600
votes, a second notice is seldom neces-
sary to remedy an evil. The work which
it has accomplished in the three years of
Its existence is marvellous.
1t has revived the compulsory educa-
ton law, which had been a dead letter
for seven years. This necessitates the
employment of twenty-five truant Off
GERS, thirteen Of whom are women. Five
women have been appointed sanitary po-
lice officers, the first in the world
through its efforts. They wear a silver
star and are admitted everywhere. Or
d%iuances have been passed limiting the
employment Of children &c eight hours a
day and forbidding the sale of cigarettes
TO thcm anu UsC-eEA+HaHeA are en-
forced.
They have visited and remedied abuses
in t~wenty-six public institutions; public
meetings have been held in the interest
of sanitary improvements, and on one
occasion 900 women attended a meeting
of the city council in n body aud secured
tho appointments Of a occoal woman
member Of the board of education, de
spite the opposition of the mayor. To
prevent any possibility Of its being Used
by politicians, it has provided in its by
laws that no person holding political of
fee shall be a member of the Alliance.
Would it be difficult for New York wom-
en- TO follow the example set by their
Chicago ~sisters2 The good they might
do in this city is Observation-Disclosures
York Recorder.