, 1892-02-24
IN THE LAND OF PROMISES.
DeIuded Would he Americans Who Ar
Victims of New York's Sweaters
The sweaters and the sweated?

Victims of New York's Sweaters
The sweaters and the sweated?
Their story forms one of the most ro-
mantle and painful chapters in the his
tory of labor. Like Banquo's ghost, this
lamentable story will 10 down. 1t
rises again and again, crying for atten-
ton against monstrous injustice.
The great, rich and powerful city of
New York must learn what iniquities,
what expressions, what tyrannies are
practiced within its boundaries. The
public forgets so easily Eighteen months
ago it was ready to weep over the o
of the complaining cloakmakers. Today
it scarcely remembers their existence,
save when it sees one Of the pale faced.
heavy eyed slaves of toll half asleep in a
corner of a horse car, or wandering aim
lessly on the Bowery of an evening-so
stupefed by the possession of a little
leisure that he does not know what to do
with it.
Yet since the great cloakmakers'
strike the evil of Sweating" has been
week a new army of helpless immi-
grants, refugees from oppression else
where, has presented itself, asking for
work for bread"
These refugees number nearly 1000
in the metropolis today. They occupy
and monopolize whole quarters of the
east side" They nave come to stay.
Great indeed must be their desire to
become American citizens if they persist
in settling down where nothing is offer
ed them but crushing toll at derisive
wages.
They were told when they turned
their backs on their homes and set out
across the stormy Atlantic that they
would find an earthly paradise in Amer
lea. In the picturesque language Of
Joseph Barondess, their prophet and
leader, Nothing can persuade the ref
ugee who is starting for America that
he will not find b streets paved with
gold, and that roasted quails will not fly
into his-mouthl" Not ever a letter from
a workman who has been through a
sweating experience would prevent the
poor people from setting forth Have
they not been told all their lives that
America is the Gland of promise9"
Judging from the conversation of
some of the 10000 now here. they have
lost their illusions and have come to
consider America as the land of prom
ises-ill kept.
To cross the Atlantic, fleeing from the
wrath of ear or emperor, to fancy ones
self sailing to a new Atlantis or to the
Hesperides, where life is a perpetual de-
highland then to land in Hester street.
The downfall must be startling.
"And these people," says Mr.. Baron
dess, with few exceptions, were fairly
well to do at home. They were moi
herded in small and unsavory rooms and
compelled to work from twelve tt six.
teen hours daily for a miserable pittance.
Each worked at tailoring in his or her
own home, and although they did not
receive high wages, it must be remem-
bered that one dollar in Russia will buy
more than five dollars in New York city
especially when everything has to be
bought in small quantities"
Mr.. Joseph Barondess is coming to the
front again. He is one of those intense
and earnest natures which cannot endure
inactivity so long as there is wrong to be
righted. AS a leader of his people he
had some harsh experiences, and doubt
less mad some mistakes at the time OF
the last cloakmakers' strike. But that
did not discourage him, for beyond the
present dreary panorama of toll and
privation, of injustice and slavery. he
sees the promised land. These people
are all here to become Americans" he
says, and it helps them through their
troubles to think that they are acquiring
right and title in the great republic
which mas received them so harshly
A representative of The Journal spent
an hour in conversation with Mr.. Baron
dess the other day, and became convinced
of the sincerity of the famous young
labor leaders convictions. New York
Journal.