The Butte inter mountain., 1901-10-21
BUTTE WOMEN WHO WORK.
Condition of the Fair Toilers Materially
Advanced in the Last Few Years.

Advanced in the Last Few Years.
The women Of Butte who have to de-
pend on their own resources for live
iihood have taken a greater or less in
terest in organized labor affairs Tor
many years, says Clarence Smith, Sec
retary Of the Western Labor union, IN
the Helena Sunday Record.
Ten or twelve years ago. the most IN
fluenttal labor organization in Montana,
next to the Butte Miners union. was
Pioneer assembly Of Butte. This was
local branch of the then powerful
knights of Labor. Few of the trades
were then sufficiently developed to main
tain separate organizations, and Pioneer
assembly stood as the great bulwark for
the protection Of the interests Of all
the workers outside the mines.
In this assembly were to be found
many women, among them laundry
workers. employees of hotels. restaurants
and boarding houses, seamstresses'
clerks, etc.
1t was here that the women. as well
as many of the men who have since
proven useful to the labor movement in
Butte. learned their first lessons IN
unionism.
In Butte now, however since unionism
has been reduced to a system, and the
benefit Of all classes Of workers has be-
come so marked, the women are more
deeply impressed with the power for
good which organization affords.
A unionist in position to know
whereof he speaks, says that at present
there are in Butte more than 600 women
enrolled as members Of labor Organiza-
tions.
The greater part of this number are
to be found in the Women's protective
union, the Laundry Workers union. tha
Clerks union, the Musicians Protective
union and the Stenograp.ers' associa-
ton. although some other unions also
have ladies as members.
For instance, Mrs. NJ. G. Howell IS
financial secretary Of Butte Working
mems union. which. in spite of its name,
has a number of the fair sex among Its
membership.
If the average Butte workingwoman
was asked why she belongs to a labor
organization, she would answer: Be
cause it is protection to me, 1t betters
my condition and enables me to COM
mand a fair days pay for fair days
work"
The laundry workers will tell you that
unionism has increased their wages to
an average of $25 or $50 a month. and has
reduced the working hours to such an
extent that they now enjoy at least
part of the rest and recreation that Is
so necessary to healthful minds ana
bodies.
The saleswomen in the stores will say
that where 81 and $6 a week was the
common pay for their work years ago.
through the influence of the Clerks
union they now command a minimum
wage of $12 a week, and work from ten
to fourteen hours less per week than
formerly.
Mattresses, boarding house help. stem
ographers, seamstresses, ETC.. will also
assure you that unionism has proven a
good thing for them.
OF course, the reader is interested in
learning who is prominent among the
union women of Butte. So many are
earnest workers that it is impossible to
mention a few without doing prejudice
to many others who are deserving.
Miss Maggie Keegan, president and
business agen of the Womens Protect
i've union, Is an indefatigable worker for
unionism, and to her judicious counsel
and active service is due much OF the
success of that union. AS secretary OF
the same union, Miss Lizzie boyle rem
ders splendid service.
The members of Butte Workingmen's
union are unanimous in the declaration
that Mrs. Howell is the most efdcient
financial secretary the union has had.
Miss Ada Thayer is an officer and ac-
tive member of the Clerks union.
For years the laundry workers have
recognized in Miss Bessie Hughes one
of the most able, energetic and faithful
members of their union.
She has occupied many positions OF
trust and responsibility. and has cred
itably performed every service required
| of her. She was for two years secre-
| tary of Pioneer assembly.
She represented Butte Laundry Work
ers' union, No. 4, at the last annual ses-
| sion of the Western Labor union. al
Denver in May of this year. and was
the only lady delegate in the convention
| Miss Hughes is educated. is an elocu-
zionist of no mean ability. and is vel
versed in the principles of unionism.
Though modest and unassumtng. hei
| ability and earncstness won for ner the
respect and admiration of that srea'
body of delegates.
| Naturally. in the Stenographers' asso'
citation the fair sex are largely predomi