The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-18
Is A PUBLIC DANGER
REV. s.. G. SMITH SEES 1T IN ANY
THING WHICH ASSAULTS
THE FAMILY
IMPENDING DOOM OF GREECE
Was Not More plainly ForetOId by
the SuppIanting of Penelope by
Aspasia Than the Downfall of Any
Virtue or It's ViEiIance-DivOrce
and Other Evils Discussed.

Civilization by the Lapse of Its
and Other Evils Discussed.
Rev. S. G. Smith continued his discus
ence especially to the woman wage earn
ers, at the Peoples church last night,
before a large congregation. He said:
| The address of last Sunday has called
out from the press some courteous dis
sent, some cloudy invective, and very
little real discussion Of the question at
issue but in all the paragraphs to which
my attention has been called, in only
single instance has the terrible indfct-
ment of present conditions been chal-
lenged, and then only in single particu-
lar The Chicago Post says that my sta
tisticS were old, but does not point out
wherein the facts stated are wrong:
1t is plain that the Post supposed L
increase. L have repeated several times
recently that child labor, between 1880 and
1890, decreased from II per cent Of all chill
dren between ten and fifteen years OF
age to S12 per cent.
The Post makes the astonishing asser-
ton that the result was brought about
by the increased rapidity of machinery.
That may have influenced a very few
occupations. The fact is that a wave of
indignant protest swept over the country
resulting in laws restricting child labor
being passed in every state Of the Union
except Texas. That was the kind of ma
chinery that became too rapid for the
employers. Massachusetts led in the
number and variety of these restrictions.
Children under thirteen were forbidden
employment in factory, workshop and
mercantile establishment. Georgia stands
at the other end of the process, and de-
clares that no minor under twenty-one
! shall be compelled to labor longer than
from sunrise until sunset
My statistics related to the employment
or young girls, which has increased so
enormously in recent years The effect
of these child labor laws has been to
increase the pressure on girl labor, be-
tween the ages of fourteen and eighteen
My statistics were not old, but were
1897 just received from Washington, the
very latest information on the subject.
In the same article l was advised to read
what Olive Schreiner had said while in
| the very address under discussion 1 had
dealt with the philosophy Of Olive
Schre1ner, Have 1 not a right to ask
| tnat people shall read what have said,
| before they criticise it? OF my critics,
SOME ARE IGNORANT
of what I have been saying, and a few
differ from me fundamentally in a way
that will be pointed out later. The con-
ditions, then, remain as follows
Women have been increasing in all
| industrial pursuits in such numbers as
| to Indicate time in the near future
when they will rival men in point of
numbers in most occupations, as they al
| ready surpaSs men in some of them. In
| taking these places they have displaced
| men, and have fnterfered with the scale
! of wages, because for the same work
! as men, the average wage of women
| IS from 81 to % per cent lower than the
! wages of men. The reason of this is
! largely because the wages of men are
set by the family standard and the wages
| of women are set by the individual stand
| ard. The results Of this condition are
| MANIFOLD AND INJURIOUS.
| 1t is not alone physical incapacity for
maternity in the large number whose
! health is impaired, but the resultant do
nestle and social incapacity How can a
| girl who has been employed from the
early age at which they enter these oc-
| housewife or the mother? What is need
| ed in the home is sympathy, BREADTH
| household economies, but above all the
finer virtues to which the public indus
| trial life is hostile.
| To show that he was, not alone in his
| views, DR.. Smith quoted from many let
! tiers received by him, one from lead
| ing local physician, published interview
with one of Chicago's leading clergy
men, and a half column of interviews
with labor leaders in Philadelphia COM
mendfng the sentiments contained in his
address Continuing; he said:
| L am asked to remember that in former
! times women had to work in weaving
! and in all manner of industries at home
| which have now gone to the factory. and
| therefore the women should follow their
| task The old days were rigorous, and
! the duties were hard. but they were I'M
der the influence of home, the product
| made was for her and hers, and the sus-
| tanning and ennObling ambitions and mo-
| tiVes sweetened and blessed the toll
| But l am not arguing against machinery,
! or In favor of a return to the eighteenth
| century L am rather urging that the
| race shall take advantage of its higher
| producing power. have never thought
| that the world existed for the sake of
| making goods. but rather that making
goods Is of no account except as it serves
| the development of a better race.
| come here to deep point of real di-
| Vergence between myself and some of my
! critics. They believe in absolute indus
trial freedom. that all evils are transi-
| tional, that things would better take their
natural course, and that everything will
come out right in the end Yes, the
feudal system was transitional but shall
| batter down its walls? American slavery
| was transitional, but were not the hot
| hearts Of Indignation against It inspired
of the Almighty? 1 am an optimist, but
not one who believes that ali things are
SO good 1t is no use trying to make
dustriai conditions those countries
which have the most woman labor and
child labor have the lowest wages, and
| the lowest standard of living. / am fold
1 have pointed out great evils but have
not pointed out adequate remedies.
therefore l am an idealist How the
OHuLieidtloH VI DdQ economic conditions
constitutes one an impracticable idealist,
Is somewhat difficult to see Nor will I
ADMIT that having pointed out an evil I
am therefore under obligations to sug-
gest remedy. One might easily be right
In the first matter and wrong in the sec
fntio IN the division of labor character
share In exhibiting the
EVILS AND DANGERS
of the present situation. Let nv critics
spend their energies in finding a cure
since they cannot convict me of misrep-
fesentat1on. But [ am disposed to point
out some things which may be done.
done
In recent years no less than Twenty-Five
states OF the Union have passed laws
intended to regulate or ameliorate the
conditions of woman labor. New Jersey
IS one of these. A manufacturer from
New Jersey writes to complain of the
state of things in Pennsylvania, where
there Is no law to forbid night work by
women. and where young girls work in
Two gangs one IN the day time and one
at night. in the silk mills
Five states forbid women to work In
mlneS-Utah, Wyoming, West Virginia
Pennsylvania and Indiana The legisla-
tlon follows somewhat the course of that
means gone far enough in the protection
of women.
AS TO REMEDIES.
In the first place 1 would urge 1ee,s1a-
ton which would reduce the number of
working women by about one-haIf In
addition to mining there are many other,
occupatlons IN which the employment of
women should be prohibited
According to the last census. women are
engaged as blacksmiths, brewers brick
makers, builders. butchers. carpenters
carr1agemakers, .coopers, distillers. door