The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-04
CHARLOTTE IVES KIRBY.


leads with seventy, but as everybody
knows, Massachusetts, gathered its
forces for the final fight on the color
question and reorganization.
The literature session is always a star
affair, and the one which came off this
evening under Miss May Alden Ward
Of Boston, was no exception. The en-
tertainers We're Mrs. Jessie Eldridge
Southwick Of Boston, the Shakespeare
an reader; Mrs. Mabel LOOMS Todd Of
Amherst. Mass, the writer and wife OF
the astronomer, and Mr. John Fox, jr.,
Of Kentucky of Hell fer Sartin'
fame.
MIS-. Jones' address, complete, was
as follows:
There is no problem upon the solu-
ton OF which hang SO many vital is
sues as the problem of intelligent con-
sumption.
The answer to no present-day ques-
ton IS so freighted with veal or woe
to such vast numbers Of people as the
way in which we spend the money we
must use for actual necessities. day by
day; nor is there another question to
which the buyers OF the wOr1d--women
give less thoughtful considera ton.
During the last ten years the wo-
men OF the east have been awakening
very slowly. very gradually. to a sense
of responsibility along this line of
economic reform. but still they call in
vain to their sisters Of the sunset land
to join hands with them in their al
tempt at the abolition Of the most de-
graded system Of labor under heaven
/ that Of the sweatshop. In answer to all
| argument, to all appeals for c0-0peTa-
/ ton in this tremendous undertaking,
+ has invariably come the compliment re-
ply that in this respect the west is all
right; the blight Of the system of
! white slavery" as sweating has been
! aDtly termed, is not upon it, so why
/ any necessity for Government with
that which is Of moment to the east
/ alone2 In other words-I am in no
Z sense my brothers keeper unless my
brother chance to live in my section OF
the country. This at q time when uni
versal brotherhood is the ideal toward
| which the highest thought of the world
is tending. when reciprocity, cO-Opera-
ton, are the watchwords of the hour
"C"atentedly. quite virtuously, even
we lave closed our ears to the cry OF
abject, black despair that goes up from
the thousands Of sweatshOps in the
great cities OF the east, where it's new
er too late at night nor too early in
the morning not to hear the sound OF
the machine, which becomes an instru-
ment Of torture to which the victim i;
bound as hOpelessly. under present con
ditiOns. as fXiOn to his wheel where
baby hands are so early initiated into
Iife's steTnest reality-the struggle fol-
bread-as to wiring ones heart in tn,
mere considering of it.
"PhariseeS we are-all Of us out her,
in this great, broad, glorious west-yOl
women Of Colorado, Kansas. Washing
ton, OregOu-all who are in the atti
tude Of thanking God that you have NJ
sweating problem to meet, while yea,
after year you help fasten its coils NOR,
firmly upon the cities OF the east be
cause you don't refuse TO buy sweater
made goods.
"Our completely with the horrors o
the sWeatshop-'the inferno Of moderl
times'-is so evident that he who run
may read. Responsibility in this mat
ter IS just as plainly the portion of tn
western woman as of her sister in tn
east. What difference does K make il
the ethics Of this question, whether tn
sWeatshOp, the miseries Of which w
help perpetuate by buying the preduc
of its hopeless toll, is in our midst o
in Chicago or New York? Does it FIRE
US from completely in a crime that W
] do not see the results Of it2 Are "
of the west willing TO look upon our
selves as impending the march O
Righteousness, as clogs upon the wheel
OF industrial progress, as mere obsta
r cles and hindrances2 It is impossible
S that we should be regarded in any 9th
er light by the devoted men and wome
{ OF the eastern cities who are consecrat
{ ing time and thought; who are givin
that hardest thing in the world to Civ
-themselves-tO this work until W
change cur attitude of unworthy sell
cOngratulation and demonstrate tha
I we have come 10 help; until by on
deeds IL is shown that we refuse {
participate longer in the tragedy (
: the clothing industry. in the process {
= which ali joy all comfort. all know
b edge OF the sweetness and dignity
p life and labor are eliminated from II
existence Of its victims; until we TAX
% our stand for living wages-not tt
dying wages that are the present Dol
tion Of the needlew0rkers whose toll
r. sweated.
Whatever the consumer asks +,
with sufficient patience and persistent
= he gets. If we care that the condition
= which surround the needle-workel
+ shall be such as are consistent wit
y decent living and good citizenship;
= it means anything in particular 10 I
& that the garments with which our boz
e les are 60 come. lin contact. wherewit
our children are to be clothed. shall
= made under clean. wholesome cond
tons, in well ordered factories. fr,
from the danger Of contagion and il
lection. if. I say, all this really meal
( anything 20 US. We shall win in Il
= struggle with the sweatshop, hanC
y down
. With a large number OF manufa
= turers avOWedly waiting 10 comp
= with the demands OF the National Coz
sumers' League, which viii EMIT
Il them to the use of the label until Il
pressure from among their patrons b.
N comes sufficiently positive and persis
s ent TO no longer be disTegarded wit
n iynpuRity does it not become appsrei
: 10 every woman here who calls q
4 west her home. that her Influence
n needed. can be made potent, in II
e solution Of a problem that is Of SUI
Is vital Importance as TO actually mes
y life or death TO numbers Of her 1ello
.r creatures2
.e Already forty manufacturers are e.
titled to the use Of the label. Our pa
n Is to accelerate the movement tOwarl
Is its use by those who wait for the pres
T. ure TO grow greater. A most importal
= factor in this game IS the west
O. we don't manufacture our unde
# wear. shirt waists or wrappers tc ar