FACTORY GIRLS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2567, 22 December 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

FACTORY GIRLS.

Any one who has seen the working of the English factories must be impressed with the idea that such a life is very awful, and they would be right. The clans of people who drudge out a life-time for a miserable emolnracnt are a saddened, ignorant, life-weary class of individuals, from whose lives all joy, all happiness seems roasted out, if anything of the kind ever existed for them, which can hardly be, when it is considered that children of a tender age are employed before they have learned to read or spell, for wages so small that it takes the labour of the entire family to mako two ends meet.

There is no sadder sight to see than the position of factory girls in tho old country. Children whoso years should be spout in school, with hours of recreation, so necessiiry to the young, are chained to work in din<;y, badly ventilated rooms, employed from dawn to dark, and reckoned by those outside the pale as outcasts. There is something considered degrading in the very name of " factory girl," and without looking into the matter, the prejudies reaches like a black cloud over every daughter of Kvo bearing that name. No oue believes in tho morality of a factory girl. No one could be convinced by word of mouth simply that any girl but those of the very lowest order would risk their reputation by becoming one of a class who have been for years udder a ban. In the British Isles this idea may and does hold good, but in Arrerica the conditions are alt>gother different, and the factory girl of to-day has reason to rejoice that she is in quite as respectable position"as any of the young women who havo to oarn their daily bread. San Francisco may be justly proud of her factories, aud to the class of girls which people them too much praiee cannot be given. Ah a class, they havo risen up to high-water mark, and in therasulvos have lifted the reproach so lout: attached to the name of "factory girl." The young women who are engaged in factory work are not only respectable but educated, and capable of filling better places, but they wisely consider that there is less publicity and ns harder work in tho factory than in tho store.

A saleswoman has a hard duty to ful fill. She must stand all day "on her feet," as people say —as though she could do so on her head—attending to oapricous customers, who have little sympathy for tho tired young women who wait on them, patiently putting up with airs and often insolence in no small degree.

Dressmakers have a severe task to fulfill, as day by day they ply the needlo or run the sewing-machine from 8 a.m. to 6 PM-, and on occasions (which often occur) are compelled to work lato into the night. Milliners have light work, but it is still fatiguing, and the hours are long. Then why should it be considered more derogatory or more laborious to work in a factory than at any other trade? When the matter is dispassionately looked into and considered, it will he found there may be a distinction with very little difference.

I have had a pleasant exporinco while visiting the facrorifis in San Faancisco, where I found well-educated and ladylike girls fulfilling , their daily duty with conscientious integrity.

Going from factory to factory, there is not a shade of difference to be seen. The giils are well dressed, intelligent, well spoken, well educated. There is no restraint among them in the presence of the proprietors, and it is easy to see that they are happy at their work. Many of these girls have been employed in the same houses for periods of eight, ten and seventeen years ; and it is not possible that, were the work either too hard or disagreeable, they would chain themsolve.i down to it for any length of time. From time to time sad, and indeed terrible, accounts rench our coast from Eastern cities, but. though the condition of the factory girls is very inferior to that of those in this favoured land, there is a good deal of sensational gush in the accounts printed in the Eastern dailies. Any one travelling on the elevated railways by the early morning trains will obsorve troops of factory girli going to work, all neatly, and many exceedingly well dressed, and in no way in the wretched plight, the public are givea to understand.

From lack of space, factories in New York are not on a level with those in California by any means, but tho girls who work there are in many cases as respectable as they are here ; possibly not so well educated, because tho school law is not enforced, but they at least are not the abject creatures report makes them. Our own factory girls are superior to any I have ever met, and gradually it will come to pass that American girls will lift the stigma that has bo long lain upon the name of "factory girl." Of course, there are grades, the high and the low, as in every trade; but San Francisco may look proudly on the class of girls, who work in the factories. And the factories themselves, how different they are to any we find elsewhere. Magnificent rooms, high, well-lit and perfectly ventilated; everything arranged for the well-being of the workers; everything clean, comfortable and desirable. Nowhere, I euid, but in Troy, New York State, there is an equally pleasant state of things existing. Troy is entirely devoted to the cuff and collar trade, and all tho surrounding families are engaged, from the mother to the very youngest child, in tho factories.

The people are happy at their work. They own their little homesteads, and live lives of primitive comfort and content. And yet tho cry is ever against the factory girl, forgetful that but for her we should go without many comforts we now enjoy. Who but patient women would sit stocking-weaving, spooling, shirt-making, tucking, quilting, und otherwise spending a life time in endless work, without which the masses would go unclothed. Let us be very liberal and feel very kindly towards the factory girls, and rejoice that they are now chosen from a class of people as irreproachable as many who fill higher niches in society.—Silver Pk.v, in S.F. News Letter.