The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-05-08
A GOOD PAPER
Read Ssfore ths Federation Of
Monan's Clubs
RECENTLY ORsENVlLlE.
The Consumers League snd
What 1t Is Doing 20 Help
Worsn and Chi dren
Wage Farmers

fore the State meeting OF the Fedora
tion Of Womau's Clubs recently held II
Greenville by Mrs. Calvert, talented
Spsrsanburg womsn:
Ten years ago, the Women's Work
ing Society of New York iDaugursted
movement in the interest Of the Womer
and children employed iD the retail
stores Of that city. Their investigation
proved that the working hours we're ez
cessive, that overtime vas not paid for
fines were ezorbitant, wsges were loF,
children under fourteen were employed
contrary to law, ard all sanitary and
physical conditions were unnosiceo
Such surprising 6 conditions were fouuo
to exist, that public appeal vas made
which resulted in the consumers Lesgue
of Nsw York city. Some time after
ward, State League was organized.
and so confident and persistent have
the workers in the emoveuent beep, that
now there are leagues in eleven Sistes,
all united under The National Con
sumer's League:
The word consumer" here, for want
Of more specific term, is used as
synononous with the word buTer."
4 consumers league, or a league OF
buyers is an association OF persons,
who purpose to do their buying in such
ways IS will better the conditions OF
those who make andthcse who distribute
<ba %bioos houpht
In the ten minutes limit SLOWED me
By our president, csn merely outline,
first, the teacbicgs ard principles OF
the league, and second its p7aclica?
aims as spplie6 to Individual effort:
The general principles as stated IN
the constitution are:
l. That the interest of the commu.
nifty demands that sll workers should
receive fsir living wsges.
2. That the responsibility for some
Of the worst evils from which Esge
earners suffer, rests With the consumer
who persist j., buying in the cheapest
market, regardless Of how that cheap
ness is brought about.
8. That it is therefore the duty OF
consumers to ind out under what con
ditions the articles they buy are PR
duced, and to insist that these condi-
tion shall be decent, and consistent
with . respectable existence on the part
cf the workers.
The immediate aim Of the league is
first. TO extend among all classes OF
mercantile houses the ccm nendabie
conditions now existing in the best; and
second, 70 abolish the sTeating system
this last beir 6 the special task Of the
National League.
The league practically applies these
principles by promoting the standard
ola Fair House, and White list by the
use Of . Consumers League Label, and
By promoting more humane labor laws.
The advisory Board and various COM
mittees work continuously with the
factory inspectors and by patient In
sistence, succeed in some measure IN
having the labor laws enforced.
Their standard Of fair house regu
lates the wages, working houses. fines,
holidays, yaostions and physical con-
ditions Of all employees. The white
List is published list Of sll retsil
houses, which conform most closely to
the standard Of fair house.
The Consumers League label is theil
trade marx, as it were-ano IS used to
enable the purchaser to distinguish gar
ments made in factories approved by
the league from these made under Other
conditions.
TIE National League, leaving the
local organizations to adapt such lines
Of special work as seems most needed in
its locality, has confined itself to an in
vestisasion of the conditions of the
manufacture Of white muslin underWeal
to the prc motion of the use of the label
and most largely to the education Of
purchasers By means Of lectures, iitera
ture, and organization. twenty-five
factories have adopted the use Of the
lsbel-and glance at their names II
convincing proof that the very bes'
goods are made by them.
The work Of creating 3 steady de-
mand for label goods deVolVes upon the
State lesguea, and upon the effort o:
Individual members. This work is be
ing most thoroughly accomplished Il
New England, Massachusetts ane
Rhode Island being far in advance o:
other States.
In Pennsylvania, the State Lesgu'
is making constant effort to induce ner
chants to use label besrirg goc6s-ant
is doing much educational work among
the shoppers. =.
In Illinois, the State League has di
rected its best effort to the discussion
of the power and duty Of the purchaser
It has vigorously supported the etfor
of the custom tailors to secure iron
their ers the merchant tsilors. TIT
concession of comfortable workrooms
thus sidirg most effectively IN thel
revolt against tenement house manufac
ture.
In Kentucky, the league is attempt
No. in sddition to the usual work o
solution of that problem which IS ju'
now confronting so many Of our Soatn
ern States, the child labor question.
Such in brief is an outline Of III
Consumers LEAGUE, as it exists Today
an outline of its work It's sims and re
spoDsibilities.
there is urgent need Of leforn aco he!l
and synpaibyfo these w hlte Saves,
as the Governor Of Canada calls tnes'
toiIers-and the question arises how cal
we as individuals help them? Does ou
ordinary buying of things carry with !
aDy moral rsspos.billsyt =,
Do We buy so as to increase tn
worlds good work, and lessen its Oa'
work?
Within the last few years, socla
economists have devoted much time t
the question Of "consunption." They