The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-19
HELPING OUT STRIKERS.
Millionaire Society women Giving Al
TO IDLE Tailors.

~,
Mrs. Frederick w. Vanderbilt. Mrs.
John Jacob Aston, Mrs. Seth Low. MIS-.
Joseph ii. Choate. Mrs. Charles Russen
Lowell-these are the names OF a Few
of the wealthy New York women VINO
are interested In a project having Ior
its main object the establishment ~ a
cooperative shop to be run by the
striking ladies' tailors OF that city. Inc
women named. with a number OF oth-
ers almost equally well known, pro-
pose to establish tailor shops In which
good wages h be paid. they fur
nishing capital and patronage. The en-
tire movement IL based on the idea
hat a satisfactory return can be a
upon the investment. Beyond furnish
ing employment for a number OF per-
IONS who are now idle. there Is nothing
benevolent about the project. and this
is pointed to as the best and most hope
full feature OF the enterprise. The so
cial Reform union Is taking a leading
part In furthering h scheme. m
President Edmond Kelly OF that organ
ization says that $50. 900 is at the dis
posal of those having the work in hand.
This may be easily believed when IL
Is remembered hat the Nanderbilts
the Sloanes. the Astors, the Duers ana
scores of others whose names are syn
onymous with great wealth and social
prestige will be the patronesses OF this
shop-in fact, kin Of silent partners.
The fact that these women Will advance
the money to start the shop Is of
course much less important thar their
assurance that they Will patronize the
workers. No woman, be she fashion,
able or otherwise. likes the idea that
her me garments may have been made
In sweat shops or In the tenements
which are so often to be found reeking
with disease. II In equally r~epugnant
to any right-minded woman that the
makers of these garments are paid
starvation wages while the proprietors
OF the shops make big profits. some
times ranging as high as 200 per cent.
according to recent investigation. And
thus Il came about that when the
ladies t~ailors" went on strike against
reduced wages a consumers league was
established. with a long list of infu-
entail sponsors. Sewers floors are to
b. rented at 10 East Thirtieth street
and a factory which the former sweat
shop workers Will regard as a heaven
OF delight will 1901 be In operation.
hat the movement would be In the
interest of economy was demonstrated
to a society leader who yearly buys
about five golf suits, paying about 3I5
for each of them. President Kelly
showed that even paying the unheard-
or wages OF us per week this same
suit could be made for at least $40
less. leaving a profit sufficient to take
care of the workers lin dull seasons
II Is estimated that IL the cooperative
shop procures 800 customers nom the
rich and fashionable women the W n
g number of garments to each would
not be fewer than five. As a matter
OF fact. those who ave social prestige
usually order tailor garments twice q
year and 10 to Is at a time. But to
keep well within bounds IL was decided
to estimate m total number of gar
ments at 1000 a year. On this basis
there would be a profit OF about si2.-
600. Mr.. Kelly Is confident hat the
cooperative ladies' tailoring concern
will be a pronounced success