The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1896-10-10
WOULD AFFECT WOMEN
Free Silver Issue of Vital Import
to Wives and Mothers of
Wage learners.
HIGH PRICES AND LOW WAGES.
Working Women will Also be Far
Worse Off Than the
Men.

While the value OF the wages earned
by everyone who works for a living will
be greatly reduced by the free coinage
Of silver. the working women will be far
worse off i'm this respect than the men.
Their wages will not probably be re-
duced In II greater ratio than the wages
of the men, but they will stand n poorer
chance OF securing an advance 10 meet
the increased cost Of living. They will
have to submit TO the hardship of high
prices and low wages with less hope of
remedying their condition.
One principal cause of this disadynnt-
age is that the women employed in pro-
ductive industries have not the organized
unions with which 10 sustain their inter-
ests The great advance i'm thc wages
of labor, especially of skilled labor,
which has been made during the past
twenty years, is due In large measure to
the intelligent organization OF the work
ingmen. Ii is an error TO regard the
labor unions as the machinery for pro-
ducing strikes and boycotts. Properly
and sagaciously conducted, these organi-
cations are preventive of labor contro-
yersies, for they provide the means OF
conference and adjustment of questions
on which there is disagreement between
employers and workmen; and especially
when the question is that of increase OF
wages they have been effective IN secur-
ing Il proper recognition of what Is due
to labor as it's share In the compensation
of production.
indeed, advanced along with those OF
men. though not 90 n corresponding hg-
IRE and the labor unions have regard
I'm some degree for the wages OF female
operatives as well: but the lack OF or
carnations of their own will leave the
In 4NIT
manufacturing industries at marked
disadvantage IL their wages should be
cut down in value by the free coinage
of silver and the consequent depreciation
OF the money in which they are paid,
In this respect, as always, IL IS the
weaker that must bear the greater share
OF the burden: and the struggle 10 bring
wages up 20 living rate after free coin
age has reduced them by perhaps one
half of their purchasing value would be
long and weary for the working wom-
en- IL Is not n pleasant prospect Tor
the thousands OF women who today work
for wages In our mercantile and manu-
featuring establishments. They are an
industrious. self-supporting class, many
OF them contributing 10 the family fund
from their weekly earnings and having
n lust pride In their own independence
and their ability 20 aid others. Any
public policy which cuts of their re-
sources ~ n tTutl WIbHE ny Muitu Aut
whole community must suffer.
Every mother Of n family has ever be-
fore her the dread possibility Of the
death of the one whose labor provides the
means OF living before the day comes
when the sons will be able to take up
the burden Of support and the daughters
be comfortably settled in homes Of their
own. Even IL the children are grown up
and taking care Of themselves, and even
IN they are doing 50 well as Go be able TO
give her n home after the death of the
husband and father, she looks forward 10
the time when she will be left alone with
dread OF the loss of independence In
case the Accommodations of her husbands
working years have not been great
enough 10 provide her means of subsist-
encc after hc IL gone. SO IL is that the
prudent man insures his life for the bene-
M of his wife and his children, paying
from year TO year during his active life
the cost of assurance that at his death
his family will receive n sum Of money
sufficient 10 avert the suffcrings Of desti-
tuition.
In many cases. the insurance policy il
the only thing Of value the husband and
father can leave 20 the wife and chill
dren. lie may have been able 10 lay by
no money In the savings hank. he may
die suddenly In period Of hard times
and business reverses. which have strip
ned him Of the savings Of better days,