New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-06
SUEdTSHOP EVILS.

The announcement that the Rcnhard Assem-
bly Committee will continue It's Investigations
of the sweltshOp system rs carried on III lhls
city, and that further appropriation OF S"""
has been made by the Legislature 10 enable II To
comDlcic It's work, comes rs welcome news 10
all those interested in bctering the condition ~
the poorer working classes. 1t Is evident from
fine work 80 far done that widespread violation
of ,he factory laws exists here. under conditions
which make the application II effective RENE
dies exceedingly difficult. Moreover, the oppoSl'
lion which the committee has encountered ana
the putrut perjury of some Of The employers VINO
manage the most oppressive shops hnv" inter-
fcr,d with any adequate solution by the mem
beers Of the problem presented 10 them \ thor
ough examination into the administration 81 me
present laws and m exhaustive study Of shop
,,c,I,tlous the question Of excessive fines for
moor work. aud The earning possibilities for IL
borcrs are necessary II any real Improvement Is
10 be made.
II * quite rs much Tor the interest Of the gen.
cral public as Of the particular workers directly
affected that some Improvement should be made
The failure TO enforce strictly the regulations
concerning contagious diseases in cigar ANA
clothing shops threatens the whole community
All ethical considerations aside the selfish In
tcrcst which for the common safety conpclS the
butcher and stable man TO comply with PLAN
sanitary laws dictates care u human creatures
whose capability Of spreading disease l. mu'h
greater Besides. in permitting the development
Of class Of unhealthy, ovcrworked ana under
! fed people in the city, the State Is adding 10
! itself the burden Of vast body OF incomp'''h'S
and criminals among their children. The people
| .l... ,1... fhn
in two WAYS: by police power and popular feel
ing which. refusing to share in the proiits OF
sweatshops makes their conduct Improbable.
| Testimony before the committee has shown mat
the worst offenders are the companions Of the
oppressed workers persons OF their own Glass
and race. who, 10y greater shrewdncss and greater
hardness than their fellows, get control Of their
work and coin the blood Of their own fathers
and brothers and sisters. II has been shown
that the worst tenementhouse landlords are
| those who have themselves lived in such houses.
have scrapcl together enough money 10 make a
first payment on building and then begun to
wiring from their old ncighbors unreasonable in
| terest on the investment. So II Is with the en-
u,ovcr: he is generally the hardest who hires
work done which he himself has done for others.
His own struggles make him Indifferent TO the
|
but the loss Of trade and profits and the fear of
laws which experience has taught him will be
| strictly enforced.
The task Of making laws which Will rcacli
him is a difficult one Great moderation must
be observed. The people 10 be most directly
benefited are often unwilling or unable 10 take
advantage Of remedial legislation Their work
unhcaithfu as it is. may be all that keeps them
! 4 eIupOycT better
than none, and shop closed by the law may
mean want for the workers. Cupidity or need
frequently leads employees themselves TO evad'
the laws to make false statements Of the age
Of their children. TO conceal disease in thcii
homes. and generally maintain the evil con
ditons which 1t Is sought 10 abolish. Perhaps
the one swcatshop evil which the workers Them
selves would not sometimes De In league 10 main
tain is the outrageous system u fines which ha'
been exposed. Small shortcomings are punished
SO excessively that n Iaborcr may for u week
work receive only few cents while his EN-
! poyer has been able TO reap almost II not quit
his usual profit from The material turned on'
This and other troubles may be- reached by care
ful legislation. and n summers study by III
Rcinhalh Committee may result In much good
But the essential cyll cannot be reached by laws
'''n i'"FH '''lp'H'"S "PP'''"'"6 " ''''
$ shop were 10 be abolished. SO long M pcppl
Of good intentions and In prosperous crc'ln
. stances The people for whom shops are rn
4 and who buy clothes and hats and cigars y
long M they go on buying and consuming. care
\ less Of where. how and by whom their goods nr
. made 50 long viii the INSCRIPTIONS inan'ifa'
p urcr ana sh0pkecpcr seek 10 gain trade by loN
. prices. due not 10 The sacrifice Of hls own proiii'
but TO the pairing down Of the living Of thos
il who work for him. The fact that the indusirif
+. system Is q machine does not release from mori
:. responsibility those for whom the machine nil
listers.