Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-05-11
EVEN THE CHILDREN.
LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS OVER
WORKED AND UNDERPAlD.

/
Life-They Are Slaves and Help to Fasten
Chains on Their Parents.
The senate judiciary committee of the
New York legislature gave public
''hearing' on the Saxton bill for the reg
ulation of the employment of women and
children in mercantile establishments,
and addresses pro and con were made.
Miss Woodbridge of New York city fa-
vored the bill, and in the course of her
speech made use of the following inter
esting language:
Visit our charitable institutions, our
police stations, our lodging houses, and
learn how many women depend upon
them for shelter; women who are out of
work, respectable women, not tramps
nor beggars. Upward of $4,000 women
lodged in our station houses last year.
Seven institutions gave 100000 meals.
Eight lodging houses sheltered 145, 900
people. Over 800. 900 cases were treated
in our dispensaries in New York city last
year. About $7,000,000 was spent last
year in public charities. Our almshouse
at Blackwelrs island sheltered 3,941
women, many of whom were willing and
capable Of working if the opportunity
were given them. These people do not
as rule accept charity because they pre-
fer it, but because they are obliged to ac-
cept it.
1t is not women alone who are affected
by the employment of young girls and
boys. Men are being rapidly driven out
of their positions. Every year notes an
i,,np IN ln, ~,
saleswomen and proportionate decrease
of statesmen. There are many men en-
ployed as statesmen in New York city on
salary of $S per week; men who have
families depending upon them. Except
in heavy dry goods and the departments
of mems wear there are few men en-
ployed in dry goods houses save as floor
walkers and superintendents The re-
suit is that the few who remain are, to-
gether with the women and children,
simply slaves. What are they who have
no say as to what they shall receive for
their labor and how long they shall work
but slaves.
There are in New York city about
10000 children employed as cash and
stock girls and boys. OF these fully 5000
are under IA years of age. The work re-
quired of them is more arduous than
that Of the majority of men. The cease
less running to and fro through the
crowded shops, the climbing of long
flights of stairs bearing heavy burdens,
the sharp rebuke if their tired feet lag,
the long, weary hours, are enough to
break the strongest constitution. These
children work from early morning until
late at night during the busy season,
and in some shops they are obliged to re-
main after hours to sweep. In others
they are not allowed to leave the room
after 0 a. m., not even for lunch. They
are fined for tardiness and all mistakes,
and it often occurs when Saturday comes
that the full amount of the weeks pay is
withheld for fines imposed.
The average salary of cash girls and
boys is but SLIGO per week in this state.
There are children employed in this state
for rs cents per week. The argument
has been made that these children help
to support families, but this becomes
ridiculous when the amount received is
known. One dollar and sixty cents per
week will not pay for the raw material
which healthy child should consume.
Another statement has been made
that these children are employed be-
, cause of tho benevolence of the merchant
} rather than because they are desirable
but as fast as possible merchants are dis
pensing with cash girls and substituting
pneumatic carriers. The truth is thai
, the girls are employed because they
5 work for low wages and can be dis
pensed with at the convenience of til,
Q merchant.
These young girls and children are
menace to all wage earners, as well as t,
: the manufacturer and producer. Th
: time has come when we must be initiated
a into a different school of economy thai
: that of the past if we would be prosper
Gus, and it is incomprehensible that W
e are SO blind to the fact The question o
: the prosperity of the individual and tn
s nation depends not upon how little pee
Q pie can exist, but how fast we can adap
f ourselves to the luxuries which inven
: ton makes possible to us. The invention
/ of labor saving machinery has made
/ possible to produce not more than pee
o pie need, but more than they have none,
w pay iOl' AO pleSeuI lile average WdSc
d of all employed at mechanical industrie
: in this country is but SO per week. Wit
our 65,000,000 people we purchase bu
$3.50, 900 worth of clothing OF 81 yearl,
for each person. The sum spent in brea,
amounts to but $3.50 yearly to each per
: son. Does this mean that all have suffi
cient bread and clothing? Not at all
!. Saturday night usually finds the work
ingman in debt for his Sunday dinner
. Trusts are formed to prevent the pre-
I duction of more than people can buy
Q not because it is possible to supply NOR
than people need. If the working peopl
: had fourfold increase in wages, it woul
: only mean proportionate increase il
l trade to the merchant
The only way to remedy it is to shortel
8 the hours of labor and to take our youn
g people out of shop and factory and fore
Z them into schools, where they can be ed
Q ucated to that higher standard of livin
e II