The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-22

fH1LosoPHIzE Fok THE LADIES.
Pref. Clark or Csiumbin ana Dr. Rainsrora
Talk to the Consnmers, LeaGue.

Talk to the Consumers' BeaGue.
The annual meeting of tho Consumers League
of Now York was held yesterday afternoon In
the rooms OF the Young Women's Christian
Association, Z East Fifteenth street. Two or
three hundred women were present, with an
occasional stray man, who looked as II his wife
had brought him. The object of the league is
to secure fair wages and the best conditions
possible for workers, through the effort of those
who consume the goods produced. Tho Presi.
dent, Mrs. Frederick Nathan, took the chair,
and reports were presented showing the growth
OF tho league and the work 1t has accomplished.
1t issues a white list" Of shops which live up
to the conditions which it demands. Thirty
seven firms, most Of them well known, are men,
toned as offering fair wages and conditions to
their employees.
After the election OF the Governing Board
for 1898, with Mrs. Nathan as President, John
Bates Clark, professor of economics at Column
bia, spoke on the economic principles at tho
basis of the league. He said that the league
cannot hope to succeed widely II the white list
shops are compelled to rail- Q the price OF goods
materially in order to live up to the required
Miss Charlotte c.. Wilkinson, an NJ. A. Of
Smith College. spoke OF the evils Of the sweat
ing system. and was followed by Miss Minnie ~ mo
tinted brotherhood OF Tailors, and OF several
strikes, who told something from practical ey-
DerlCnce OF Inc OWLS % I Shops.. 'hS ."hN'
I'VE did not think of coming to tho rich Tor
help, but we sec that those who work are power
less. We strike. and things are netter II mo
You can abolish the sweat. shop system only
through legislation. | am In the battle, l sec
the injury and harm, and l come to you TO ask
you to help us. We only want regular hours,
pay each week and better conditions in which
80. Flesh and blood are cheap. but bread Is
dear. We are powcrless. we come to you to do
something. Legislation is the only way.
The REV. DE-. ". S. Kainsford spoke Of the
causes of the presen. state of things. ut is
E9od to look and h see s. Why !AInss are Tsu in ncs sp 1Sat,
il is easier to change things TO the better. There
Is trouble among all the poorer citizens con,
sweat shops. Tho world is not less full OF pity.
man not more ready to grind the faces OF his
not vet into another. The rush of advance Of
the last hundred years has been through indi-
yidrsl t freed9m; tb ga'h ne make OK ' men fr naa would do
everything for them. This is only "A half truth.
characterization OF the race cannot come ohro9sn
society is more than the individual, the group
more than the unit. This truth is not confined TO
m Ias GsG or li ;is aR We are In b tTsd1 ana tn to 7" feel dep that
duty can be done. only who're the good Of one
saSm 4ish to i how 5000 ssSn Sf.f how h ! paRi e shl Ro ldsa V IS:
1t appears in trade. where it takes the form OF
the trust and the department store. You may
shout against them; you cannot stop them.
Combination is right, and therefore 1t Is eco,
nomically sound. 1t is hard Oh the individual
CTONutt oul, III btiCt 10 VI hi.iS Ati'lN
In a few years you will see the distributing
trade turned upside down. The small shops
! will he driven to the wall. They will cry out,
but they have got TO be driven TO the wall; 1t Is
f, economically right. The laws of tod %nnderlie
human progress. Economic and Christian laws
are one. The face OF the nation is set against
the sweat shop because it is economically and
therefore morally unsound. The principle OF
union is morally and economically sound. It's
tho basis OF the trust, the department store, the
labor union. We do not work without hope.
With larger combination larger moral concep,
lions will come. and a new and higher sense OF
justice. The nation has stood for this idea OF
individualisIn. We are passing on to-the know.
ledge that men are created TO combine, and only
BY combination can they live. We must not
| put aside the methods Of progress we do not
understand. Remember that the department
stores will be with you for years to come, in
spite OF cries against them from Chicago. II Is
worse than useless to pass laws ahead 81 the
public conscience. We are too apt to pass q
law in Il hurry and think that that ends an evil.
You pass q law, then go home and smoke your
pipe llaughterI|I beg your pardon-get your
husbands dinner, and forget about the wrong
the law Is to correct. The league should carry
| through its work."