Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-12-01
MISS MARY

ting the type which should give to tho
world women's ideas OF things in general.
At any rate the opportunity was sought
long ago and women in printing offices
have been familiar figures for these many
years. 1t may be asserted, too, that in few
other lines of work have they appeared to
greater advantage. Their talents and fac
ulties seem peculiarly adapted to the art
preventative, and though it used to be as
serted that they could not stand the mus
cular and mental strain of the night work
necessary for the publication of a morning
newspaper, some few of them lave demon
strated their ability even in this respect.
Women compositors have been a factor
in the printing business in the United
States for a longer period than anywhere
else. There used to be considerable opposi-
ton to them by men similarly employed,
as there has been in all other trades and &C.
equations where women lave gained an es-
tablished footing, on the ground that their
employment tended toward a reduction of
wages. The charge was in Il measure true,
but only in the sense that it was true of
men who worked below established rates of
wages-"rats," as the printers call them,
and that they were not rats the women
demonstrated fully Is years g by estab-
fishing a trade union of their own in New
York city under a charter from the regular
International Typographical union.
After an existence of 10 or 10 years the
charter of this women's union was surren-
dered, but only upon the recognition of the
parent body Of the right of women to enter
the regular subordinate unions on a perfect
equality with men, a right that they have
since SO freely exercised that almost all the
unions nov have female members. and in
the matter of work and wages they are
governed by the same regulations as the
male workers of the craft.
A recent article in an English paper upon
the Women's Printing society Of England
calls attention to the fact that the sex has
made considerable progress even in that
land of conservatism. This society is not,
as might be supposed, a protective organi-
cation, but a purely business institution.
organized and managed by women and
having none but female employees. It has
been in existence for II years, and it's sue
cess is in marked contrast with several
similar establishments attempted in the
United States at various times within the
past IS years, but which have succumbed
to adverse circumstances.
Some of the features of the work of the
Women's Printing society are of unusual
interest. Its business increased last year
to the extent of nearly & $500, and it paid an
interest of 5 per cent to its stockholders.
besides paying liberal wages to its help and
giving them a series of bonuses that made
them practical partners in the business.
That they find it c%ongenial and the COM
pensation sufficient is best shown by the
fact that in the II years of its existence
only two or three of the society's employ
ees have left the service t get married.
Girls are apprenticed to the trade for
three years on the payment of a premium
OF Is, and there are usually more applicants
than vacancies. No wages are paid during
the first three months, but at the end Of
that period the girls are put on wages of 8
shillings a week, and every three months
thereafter brings an increase of sixpence in
their wages.
The apprenticeship over, the girls are
placed on piecework or given established
wages at the rate of % shillings a week. 8
shlllings less than the established scale for
mems wages In London. The wages of the
piece hands vary of course according to the
quici.ntss of the individual, but the aver
age Is about % shilliEgs. The bonuses are
distributed among them according to the
'~>AS shs1s socIlICJlIIlCS {lIllDunt CO 3D
in Il year.
Miss Mary Wcede, the manager of this
unique establishment, has been connected
with it for IL years and has worked her
way up from an ordinary apprenticeship.
She is a printers daughter, but says she
knew practically nothing of the trade until
she began as an apprentice, though she felt
more than an ordinary interest in it on her
fathers account. She has been manager
for seven years, and of course knows NIL the
details of the business, the success of which
is largely attributable to her management.
Miss Wecdc says that their compositors
are an necessarily nonunionists, because of
the difference IN the rates of wages referred
to above, but she thinks the bonuses md
the advantage of shorter hours TINT they
enjoy make their wages very nearly euuiy-
nlcnt to those Of the men and is proud of
the TACT that the union does not put the
won'en's establishment on it's black list.
~ RAYTEn