The record-union., 1891-06-12


will publish short letters from correspondents
on topics of interest to the general public The
matter in these communications will be un-
oerstood TO represent only the views of the
writer's. All communications must be accom-
panied by the name of the writer not for pub
lication, unless so desired, but as o guarantee
OF good faith.-EDS.l
About dozen communications were
received at this office yesterday on the
subject of open-air concerts at Capitol
Park, some of them couched in very
incorporate language. We have decided
not TO print any of them, as we believe
the public has had enough of the contro-
versy. We desire to call the attention OF
several correspondents to the fact that
while we are disposed to give considera-
bic liberty in "Eyerybody's Column"
to writers upon matters of public interest,
we will not permit the department to be
made the vehicle of personal abuse.-EDS.
An Appeal for Working Women.
EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN. The census
shows that in 1870 13 per cent. Of all the
children of the United States between
10 and Is years of age were employed in
the industries. In 1880 they had in
creased to II per cent, and to-day it is
not less than 20 per cent. Over one mil
lion of our infants pressed into service.
In 1880 81 per cent. so employed were
girls To-day we have about 5000 of
the future matrOnS within the factory
walls. Seventeen per cent. OF all the
women of the United States were EN-
ployed in the industries between 1870 and
1880. The largest increase has been girls
between 10 and 10 years of age; the
smallest increase was men between lG
and % years of age, and yet there is one
million idle men who would like to work
but are denied privilege of earning a
living for their families.
By the report of the California Bureau
OF Labor l find that .5l3 women work
ing at the best paid employment in San
Francisco do not get enough for their
labor to pay the actual cost Of their living.
OF the 5l3 women but twenty-five saved
any money, and they were girls who
lived at home. The total saving of the
twenty-five was $2,9S5, while fifty re-
ceived aid TO the amount of S4,6S6, which
would leave the amount paid the 5l3
women 81, ,701 less than the actual cost OF
living. Investigation showed that SO
per cent. Of the fallen women We're
driven to a life of shame by want. They
stated that they had worked night after
night to keep body and soul together.
The truthfulleSS Of their statement is
borne out by the following advertise
ment: plain sewing, 80 cents day"
A lady interested in the work of the
bureau dressed herself as a working-gir
and went to work for firm who kept a
standing advertisement in the papers for
apprentices. Here is her own statement:
Il went to work January 9th, worked
seven and one-half days. Agreement
was to serve one week as apprentice. He
would not guarantee any set wages, but
said he would give good wages. re-
il,
end of the first week he said he would
give 81, and after that would raise the
amount fifty cents II l continued to i'm
prove. The first week there were twelve
girls working on same conditions. only
two earning wages. One ran a machine
and got 50 80 week, the other got 81 30 a
week; the rest received nothing; worked
from Z A. NJ. to p. NJ. very hard, one
hour for lunch He advertised in San
Francisco papers to get new girls as
apprentices on coats as operators and
finishers; steady work and good pay.
He would promise So to SIS a week after
girls knew the business; would sayIthey
could learn the business in one month.
Between twenty-five and thirty girls
were taken in during my time, only two
remaining more than q week. His main
object was to induce girls to come and
work for him for nothing. When it came
to the time for receiving wages he would
not accept ii, and when wages were due
instead of paying he would tell them to
call around again as he had no money
about him"
The paying withdrawing g-apprentice-
ship advertisement is often resorted to
by the unprincipled sweater who is
only on the lookout for cheap labor
With this class the working girl is always
an apprentice, and her wages will re-
main 81 to 81 week as long as the
sweater can keep her at that figure.
The sweater is the middleman who
contracts with the large manufacturer for
quantities of work and gets it done by
poor people at the lowest possible cost,
making big profits without using any
capital, skill or labor of his own. 1t
would be a good thing if the law could
reach these ScOundrels who speculate on
the poverty and helplessness of these
young girls. Some OF the large firms
protest that they know nothing about the
sweating" practices, but when they find
sweaters" contracting 10 do their work
for less than living rates, surely they
must know that the poor girls who do
the work are not fairly paid. The only
way to reach the sweater is for every
consumer to demand union goods. Ifevery
man and woman would refuse to purchase
any goods unless they had the union
label attached, these poor girls would soon
have union and would be protected.
1t would not cost the consumer any
more for the goods, but would simply
remove the sweater" /" and the sooner such
things are blOtted out of our industrial
system the better for all concerned. 1t is
well-known fact that the Trades Union
has been the means OF elevating the
American workmen TO the present high
standard Of skill and morality. The fac:
OF their meeting together and exchang-
ing ideas improves their intellectual
faculties and with an increase cf intelli-
gence the morals are bound to improve.
So it would be with these poor working
girls if they had q union; they would
meet together, exchange ideas, have
literary and musical exercises and enioy
the society of each other; have protection.
and be above temptation, and the next
generation would be free from the moral
disease fostering in the slums of all our
large cities.
This is practical method of ameliorat-
ing the present bad condition of society,
and costs nothing but the trouble to per-
form your duty TO your fellow-man and
woman. Stop and think moment on
the subject. May not your own daughter
or sister be thrown into the great social
maestrom to be devOured by the pangs of
hunger, or, perhaps, q life of shame. No
one can read futurity. Fire, flood finan-
clal panics, loss in stocks have in the
past thrown many into the labor market
as wage-slaves. Your turn may be next
and if not you will have the comfort Of
knowing you were not a party to the
robbery of these poor girls. So let Tpe ap-
peal TO you to do your duty TO your fei-
low-men and women, and demand goods
with the union label attached.
L. C. Fry.
Sacramento, June 10, 1891.
Nancy Nobody'' Talks Sense.
EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN: This mornin'
after / got my man off tn his work Sat