The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-09-23
SHY ANOTHER BRICK.
This One Is Awfully Soft and Falls to
Pieces at Touch.

fleCGS aC u 1OuCns i
If Mrs. Lease of Kansas. can spare
a moment from the cares and respon-
sibilities Of electing president she
might take a trip to Springwells
Michigan. and inaugurate some meas
ures looking to the amelioration of
the condition of her own sex. There
scores of women work in the brick
yards digging in the pits and carry
ing the moulds The upper parts of
their bodies are almost nude. and the
lower portions are barely covered by
coarse cloth. Several carry naked
babies while they work. They came
from Poland. Denver Times.
The above reminds me that in the
campaign of 1890 said in one of my
speeches that in the protected state Of
Pennsylvania there were women work
ing at the coke ovens women so
worn and haggard. so bent and
wretched. that even that old savage
chief Sitting Bull marvelled when
he saw them that the white man could
SO abuse his squaw. This statement
was sneered at by a fervid disciple OF
the doctrine of protection to the Amer
lean laborer. who declared that it was
a calamity lie.
1t seems however. that when pro-
tectionist imagines he can score
point or discredit a speaker of the
new school Of politics, he can paint
moro hideous picture than calam-
ityite.
Doubtless the barbaric story of the
Denver Times is true. writes Annie
L. Diggs in the Topeka Advocate and
Tribune. Even still more horrid bells
than the brick-yards of Springwells
are peopled with women. and may be
found in every city in this civilized
Christian land of ours. The women
in the brick-yards are among the
lucky ones who have been able to get
work; they at least may breathe Gods
free, pure air. They doubtless get
something of pittance in the shape
of wages hence they are in the high
way toward prosperity" and should
they be economical. prudent and lay
by a portion of each weeks wages,
they will in time become wealthy. At
least that is the assurance we daily re-
ceive from the upholders of the pres
ent order of business. Why, Carnegie
himself was once a poor boy. He was
economical, prudent and put by
portion of each weeks wages. etc.
But what about the. thousands of wo-
men in the foul pestilential slums of
our American infernos who have not
struck vein of prosperity such as
that within the wholesome precincts
of a brick-yard? How about the thous-
ands of unemployed, despairing. God
forsaken women. and the famine
pinched. emaciated babies sweltering
and gasping in foul alleys reeking
with green slime fetid with stencil of
offal horrible with vermin and dia.
bolicaI with oaths and obscenity.
While the good Denver Times is
picturing the prosperity of this coun-
try why not show up something worth
while. Pshaw, Mr.. Times, don't turn
your readers off with such a pale
little picture as that of Springwells
brick yard. Get thee round behind
scenes in the locality of some of your
infant industries, and don't be bit
bashful about painting the picture
we'll. Then after you have done your
lest in the calamity line, be good
enough to tell us what you propose
to do about it? You seem not to ap-
prove of the methods of the Peoples
party speakers. What better method
for the amelioration of these brick
workers do you propose?
The people who are taking upon
their shoulders the responsibility of
assisting in the election of Gen.
| Weaver do propose some new meth
DDS to deal with the new conditions
which confront the workingmen and
working women of America Per-
haps the people of the new political
school are the better able to shoulder
the responsibility" of electing Gen.
Weaver because they are not bowed
unto earth with the shame and the
crime of responsibility for the condi-
lions which call to high heaven for a
change. The speakers and writer's
who are shouldering the awful re-
sponsibility of electing either Benja-
min +. Harrison or Grover Cleveland
are entirely occupied with denial that
there are any wrongs which need
rightirg. They are too busy declar-
ing that the nation is in high state
of prosperity, to give attention to
women in brick yards, unless they
chance to want a brick to cast at
some woman who is striving with all
her God-given powers to ameliorate
the condition of her voiceless hope
less. helpless sister women.
Women of the Peoples party are
all protectionists, Mr.. Times but we
want the fact and not the theory
We want a protection which protects.
We are out on the march in a great
home crusade. and we charge the pc.
lftical machines which have tricked
and duped their loyal followers. with
the unjust and wicked legislation
which is responsible for the home
lessness the wretchedness and the
crime in this dear land of ours.
Shy another brick at us, Mr.. Times;
that one bounced back.
Where Want and Misery Abide.
The average visitor fancies that
New York is that promenade on