Page:How contagion and infection are spread, through the sweating system in the tailoring trade.djvu/25

19 lay the secret of the inferior social position of the journeyman tailor as compared with other workmen, they state that they were enabled only to furnish a mere skeleton description of the subject as it exists, but from this statement of their investigations the readers of this pamphlet must themselves form an opinion of what really does exist. In many cases the sights that they saw were merely the remains of many human forms, physically dry, shrunken, and in premature age, shaken by the winds of adversity, and the blasts of avaricious employers. In some cases their moral and spiritual condition was a disgrace to the age, and prevented them from going into proper workshops. The curse of man is verily fulfilled by this class of operatives—"By the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread." If there is a scheme of redemption for fallen man in his spiritual state, it is necessary that the condition of his life should be to enable him to appreciate and value the promises of a redeeming Saviour. The system here described in this pamphlet shows man has doubly fallen, and needs the conscientious assistance of the public in giving their orders to tradesmen only who provide proper workshops for their operatives.

We appeal to the public, in their own interest, and for the welfare of those employed in this industry, to endeavour to prevent the spread of contagion, by patronising only such firms as keep their workshops on the premises clean and healthy, to ensure the safety of their customers, their workmen, and the public at large.

To publish a list of firms resorting to the abominable practice of giving work out might entail legal proceedings, but the committee are prepared to furnish information to anyone who may ask for it, as to firms who do not resort to this practice.

REPORTS FROM OTHER TOWNS. We have reports from several towns on the system.

The Trades' Council in this town have issued a special report, showing the evils attendant on the system. The report proves that this evil is as extensive there as in other places. The following extract is taken from the report:—

"Your committee, desirous not to appear amongst the alarmist sections of social or sanitary inquirers, have felt disposed to moderate some of the extremes put before them, and have taken the system as a whole rather than individual cases.

"Finding the case stand thus, the question arises, What are the remedies? and in this your committee are not unmindful of the responsibility that rests upon them. Having taken the trouble to inquire what has been done, they have also turned their attention to what might have been done in the past, and to what may be done in the future. It is a question that involves many points, and the application of measures that to some will appear most objectionable, but which under the scrutiny of calm reasoning may be divested of all their worst features, and without which no true remedy can be found. One great difficulty that presents itself to your committee is the fact that laws, already in existence and provided long ago for the purpose of improving the bad condition of our workshop system, were for years allowed to remain a dead letter, while if they had been applied must at least have modified in some degree the evils that are inseparable from the present system. It is a matter for deep regret that the corporate authorities of this borough, with their great power and desire for sanitary reformation, should have lost sight of or neglected to bring into use the instruments that were then placed in their hands, and so powerful to produce good results. The difficulties in the way of carrying out the provisions of the Workshops Regulation Act were known to be many; but if an honest and determined attempt had been made to put it in force, its insufficiency to meet the case would have been made more clear, and such modifications sought as would have brought it into harmony with the Factory Acts, which have become more appreciated by both employer and employed; or they might have been condensed into one measure generally applicable to all premises where manufacturing is carried on, and administered without increasing our burdens. It