The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-04
WHAT THE WORKING
WOMAN KNOWS OF
THE COST OF LIVING
Demand for Increased Wages De-
cidcd on Her Testimony.

gives an account OF now the deIHaho
by the Brotherhood of Switchmen, on
the Chicago railways for Increased
wages. was settled in favor OF tho
workingmen, on the testimony OF their
wives and mothers and sisters, the
women behind the purse, who came
into court to prove to tho commits
sioners what had been tho increase In
living for workers supporting an
average family of FIVE people upon an
income ranging from $50 to Sloo
month.
The first woman to go on the stand
was Mrs. Jennie Olson. whose nus
band received about 500 month. Mrs.
Olson said that for the last two years
she had been unable to support her
family deccntly on her husbands sal
airy and send her children to school.
Her eldest daughter had gotten day
work. and night work during vaca-
ton, that she might attend the High
Schools properly dressed and with
out increased expense to her parents.
Mrs. Olson herself had TO leave her
children at homo SO that she might,
as she expressed 1t. mot be dunned
to death and live someways decent"
Cost Then ana Now.
Asked by the Commissioners as TO tho
change In prices that had so increased
the cost of living. Mrs. Olson said:
81 used TO buy whole pig at a nickle
pound and salt it down Then had
all the lard I wanted. but It's up to
IS cents pound now. plain grease.
that used to be five. And we
used to buy apples by the barrel. Now
we get them by the peck as great
luxury. And my husband paid $40 for
suit and now he has to pay SIS.
His overalls cost him rs cents more
this year than last. and hiss shirts
from 20 to % cents"
Things in General.
Questioned as to the advance
OF things in general. Mrs. Olson quoted
butter, cheese, bread, milk, soap, fuel
And rent She concluded thus: Your
honor. figured 1t out that everything
has gone UP double, or else it has
some down to half as good a grade.
You've got either to earn twice as
much, or live twive as cheap, so they
catch you comm or goin'; and you
keep givin' UP something-shoes and
rubbers-rubbers we can't afford to
buy any more, and I keep the chill
dren at home from school when 1t
rains. The grocery order used TO
last me month, and the order Is
over now ten days before payday"
Additional Testimony.
The testimony OF Mrs. Mary Corcoran.
of Mrs. Kirschberg, Mrs OConnel and
others supported what Mrs Olson had
said. Again and again the story
was told OF rising rents. OF soaring
prices OF meat, OF the cheapen!ng quail
ity of wearing apparel. OF shoddy. ILL
made goods The testimony OF the
women agree unninchingly upon one
thing--upon the refusal TO lower tho
American STANDARD OF living. Juxu-
4ies and comforts won at great social
cost were not to be surrendered with
out an equally vigorous effort
TO hold them. Either through
adequate wages with the labor OF
women and children. these house
wives were vigorously resisting the
forces that threatened to undermine
their homes"
When the last witness, Margaret
Donnelly, was called to the stand. she
anticipated the lawyers by saying to
them: II know yer questions by heart
as knows my prayers"
Then Mary G. Field arrives at her
dramatic climax by stating that Mar
garet Donelly reached into the pocket
II her skirt and drew Trim it's capacious
depths soiled and battered note
book. She thrust the book like
1avefsn toward the Judge, whose ex-
preston lodged the blow, and ex-
claimed: There, that's an account
book, your honor. I've KEEP accounts
EVER since 4 was married-dfteen
years. There's some more of them
in my black bag over there by my
seat. Now these here books has got
me prices OF everything that these
ladies' has told you this afternoon.
everything mentioned and more. You
can see Tor yourself how things has
been goin' higher and higher, till I
don't iulow what people like us IL
Eoin' to do. We've tried to fix II
every way SOS to live good, and do
me pest by the children. Why, ever
SINCE ?. page go my husband has had
10 work fifteen hours out OF the
twenty-four. and Sundays; too inst
70 keep us goin'. That's los hours out
OF me l6s week to earn 500 a
q nnon,h; we couldn't pay the bills II
ne didn't The prices is all here IL
Inns DOCK down to this mornin'.'"
Men Awarded Increased Paw.
Largely on what was proven by the
working women, Mary Field points
put that "the court awarded the man
Increased pay. This decision directly
Affected 5000 men. Indirectly. who ca
say how far-reaching are. the edu-
rational results Of such decision?
The peaceful method of arbitration It.
self means an advantage to both en-
p1oye ana employer over the old war
method OF strike, with Its suspension
Of work and financial loss. In award
Ing the workingmen an increase in
wages on the ground of increased cost
OF commodities. the constituted au-
thorlty OF the State of Illinois puts It.
self on record as insisting upon the
american standard Of living which
Professor Patten says. has long been
Inc marvel OF the world It's decision
recognizes the fact that the health Of
nation depends upon the fiber OF its
workingmen and women, upon the
Bturdiness of its children, and that
this fiber and tsturdiness can be re-
tanned only by certain fixed ratio
between wages and the cost Of the
necessities OF life"
Portrait Done by TroubetxlSoy.
Individuality In dress. declares q
fashion writer In Vogue for septem-
ber is rather a rare attribute, and
those possessing it are something
more than modiste's mannequins.
Mrs, Leonard Thomas. formerly Miss
Blanche OelrichS, who iS now hayfne