The times., 1897-06-27
sALEswoMEN AND CASH GIRLS.
Low Salaries, Long Hours and Sian
dertn0 destinations

oef1nG IuSlnuatf0ns.
| How Iong will women continue to suffer
and be still?
] ask this question from heart boiling
over with Indignation a I the in Justice rans-
pant in the world. especially toward the
great army of bread-winnjDg woII.en
Think Of working from in the morn ing
until half after 6 at night, standing for
the greater part, If not all, of the time,
for "a weekly stipend OF $3.50 and S3t
Think, in addition, of being subjected to
the suspicion of immortality, because all
the world knows mo woman can live de-
Gently on such a sunni Yet this is ex-
acty tie situation which investigation
into the wages OF women has developed
III a certain city. And to add to the hor-
ror of the situation there is a disposition
upon the part of certain godly profess
sional gentlemen to accept the implica-
tion of immortality upon the part OF under
paid women with complacency because
''the times are hard"
There are times when l want to carry a
gun and learn how to 'thit the bull's-eye,"
and this is one OF 'em! Tothink thatin ad-
dition to starvation wages women must
he insulted with the complacent conclu-
sion that they cannot do other wise in view
of 1.-The hard times" than sell their souls!
Is there no justice anywhere? Are there
no great souls among the vast army of noble
powerful men and women who W II look
into this matter, and make life, not exist
ence, possible for the tolers without this
added burden of implied degradation? The
world at large hasn't the slightest idea of
the self-denial and heroism OF the vast army
working ~ Qbaf, no
ingenuity, the oontrivance of tie working
girl in making penny often do the work Of
4, and then because she is cunning and her
wits have been sha rpen ed in the hard school
of desperate poverty she must bear the w
ful implication Of dishonor.
During the past winter family of five
lived-that is, breathed on the paitry
$1.T5 earned weekly by the little cash
girl They ate bread and drank water;
there was plenty OF the latter, and their
situation was only discovered when the
little cash girl tainted one day and the
management had her carried home.
Is there no remedy for this awful state
or affairs? Is there no way to rescue the
good name of women from this mire of
asperson? Is there no chance Of increas-
ing the wage OF women to point
beyond which it will be impossible to inn
ply immoral living? Here is work for
women's elubs-real, racticaI, nee Ged
work. Here is an opportunity to solve a
question that cries with the mighty voice
or thousands of suffering women for solu-
tion
Oh. you who dwell in carefully ly-guarded
homes, secure in your untarnished reputa-
tions and relieved from all the stress of
bread-winning, you little know the un-
spoken agonies Of your sister toiler! You
little know how daily and hourly their
surroundings and conditions give an added
twist to the dagger that has already been
plunged into their quiyering breastsi Can
you net find some way to champion their
cause? Can you not reach out the sus-
tanning hand and can you not SO help TO
educate public opinion that this crying
abuse, this awful wrong against the honor
the beauty, the charm OF womanhood, may
be crushed dforever?-Chicago Chronicle