Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-07-27
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
WOMEN WAGE-EARNERS.


come Interesting Statistics on This impor'
tant National Subject.
1--WE come now TO the final report,
in some ways a summary OF all-that OF
the tinted States labor department. at
Washington, and the work for 1889,
SAYS Helen Campbell in an extended ar
ticle in the Arena. In the % cities IN
vestigated by the agents of this bureau,
the average age at which girls began
work was found to be ID years and 4
months. Charleston, S. e., gives the
highest average, it being there Is
years and months, and in Newark,
N. j., the lowest IA years and Z
months. The average period IN
which all had been engaged in their
present occupations is shown TO be 4
years aud 0 months; while Of the total
number interviewed, o, $40 were engaged
in their first attempt TO earn living.
As against the opinion often ex-
pressed, that foreign workers are in
the majority, we find that OF. the
whole plumber given, 14,12O were
native born. OF the foreign born,
Ireland is most largely represented,
having p36, and Germany comes next,
with 1853. In the matter of parentage,
1877 mad foreign born mothers. The
number of single women included in
the report is 1881; 745 were married
and 2,03S widowed, from which it is ev-
ident that, as a rule, it is single wom-
en- who are fighting the industrial fight
alone. They are not only supporting
themselves, but are giving their earn
ings largely to the support of others at
home More than half-s.754-do this;
and 0,S13, besides their occupation, help
in the home housekeeping. OF the total
number, 4, 1928 live at home, but only
FOL OF them receive aid or board from
their families. The average number in
these families is 5.25, and each contains
Q. as workers.
Concerning education, church at
tendance, home and shop conditions.
1888 reported. OF these 10,45S were
educated in American public schools
and 5,875 in other schools; 1854 attend
protestant churches, 1900 the Catholic
and S67 the Hebrew. A very large per-
centage, compromising 5000, do not
attend church at all In home con-
ditions 12,12O report themselves as
"comforta ble," while 1902 give home
conditions as poor" Poor" to the
ordinary observer, is to be interpreted
wretched, including overcrowding and
all the numberless evils of tenement
house life, which is the portion of
many. A side light is thrown on per-
sonal characteristics of the workers,
in the tables of earnings and lost time.
Out of 10, ss9 who reported, S73 earn
less than 500 year, and this class has
an average of S6.5 lost days for the year
covered by the investigation. With the
increase of earnings the lost time de-
creases, the 2,147 who earn from 5000 to
$3.50, losing but S7.s, while 1893 earn $3.50
to $500 year, lost but 1873 days.
Deliberate cruelty and injustice on
the part of the employer are encount-
cred only now and then; but COMPETE
ton forces the working in as inexpen-
bive a manner as possible and thus
often makes what must sum up as cru
city and injustice, necessary to the con-
tinued existence of the employer as an
Industrial factor. Home conditions are
seldom beyond tolerable, and very
often intolerable. Inspection-the eff
ficiency of which has greatly increased
the demand by the organized chart
ties at all points for women inspectors
and the gradual growth of popular in
terest are bringing about few i'm
provements, and will bring more, but
the mass everywhere are as stated.
Ignorance and the vices that accom-
pany ignorance-wa of thorough
ness, unpunctuality, thriftlessness and
improvidence-are all in the count
against the lowest order of worker;
but the better class, and, indeed, the
large proportion of the lower, are lily
ing honest, self-respecting, infinitely
dreary lives
1t is a popular belief that the work.
ing women form a large proportion of
the numbers who fill houses of prosti-
tuition; and that "night-walkers" are
made up chiefly from the same class.
Nothing could be further from the
truth, the testimony of the fifteenth
annual report of the Massachusetts, bu-
reau of labor being in the same line as
that Of all in which investigation Of
the subject has been made and all con-
firming the opinion given. The invest
igation of the Massachusetts, bureau,
in fourteen cities, showed clearly that
a very small proportion among work.
ing women entered this life. The
largest number classed by occupations
came from the lowest order of worker
those employed in homework and ho-
tells, and the next largest was found
among seamstresses, employees of shirt
factories and cloakmakers, all of these
industries in which under-pay is pro
verbal The great majority, receiv
ing not more than FIVE dollars a week
earn it by seldom less than ten hour,
a day Of hard labor, and not only live
on the sum, but assist friends, contrib
ute to general household expenses
dress so as to appear fairly well and
have learned every art Of doing with
out. More than this, since the deepen
ing interest in their lives and the forma
ton of working girls clubs and socie
ties of many orders, they contribute
from this scanty sum enough to rem
meeting-rooms, pay for instruction il
many classes and provide relief funt
for sick and disab led members.