The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-05-28
THE GATE CITY.
SATURDAY. MAYss.'


Inc movement now pending among tn,
ladies of Chicago, towards general re
trenchment and economy in expeditur,
for imported articles, merits from tbi
press and from al our citizens not mere
ly notice, but an unequivocal sympathy
and generous corporation.
From no other motive than true de.
votion to their country, and profound
conviction OF duty, could such q move.
ment have originated. They whose homei
have mourned and whose hearts have bIed
they who, touched in their deepest sensi
bilities by the sufferiugs and calamities q
their own dear native land, have benz
every energy, and labored only as woman
can labor, in the divine ministry to the
suffering, may we'll have asked themselves
whether they were doing al they could
and all they should for their country
And now that. of their own unselfish i'm.
pulse, they seek to stem the tide of. pre.
vailing extravaganza, to stay the rsino u
fashions and excuses of the hour, which
are swelling our importations. exhausting
the nations treasure, and periling our
credit at home and abroad, adding to the
calamaties of war las il they were not
enough the threatening woes ola worth
less or deprecated currency, which would
bring financial ruin to many and impov-
erishment to all-surely such an enter
prise is one to be greeted with glad &C
claim, and cheered and aided to a happy
issue by every lover of his country, and
all who wish well to that country's cause.
That the enterprise is involved in diff
culties is not fatal, or ipsuperable objec-
ton to it. 1t is much to know that those
very difficulties are clearly foreseen, and
are calmly met by its projectors them
selves. We have little sympathy or res
pect for the captiousness or weakness,
either of men or women, who, looking on
ly at those difficulties, unfeelingly con-
denim the whole movement as visionary
and utopian, in the fact of the acknow-
lodged and ever swarming evils, fast
gathering upon the nation, from the drain
OF our gold abroad, and the increasing
extravaganza in female dress and decora-
ton. Surely If the evil is to be arrested
at all, it must be done by the brave, bold
purpose of women themselves. And hav-
ing come to that issue, we may be assured
that ''the will" will find "the way
And ore the difficulties alleged the for
midable aud insuperable ones supposed !?
d. you maintain that the revenue will suf-
fer by stopping the importation Of female
Injuries? The answer is, that the aggre-
gate of all such importations is not ffth
part of the whole; and if the imports
could be reduced so as to balance our ex-
ports (and even this cannot be expected J
the nation viii gain immeasurably more
by the retention at home of its gold than
lose by the substitution of a few millions
from its revenue. In the prospective de-
cline of our exports of grain, the balance
of our European trade is constantly
threatening to be more and more adverse
to us. Shall not the patriotic retrench-
ment BY our women be welcomed as a
help rather than stigmatized rs him
dranee to the national credit and finance?
But it is objected, again, that if the
rich retIench, those whose labor has been
fed and paid by them will suffer. In
other words, extravagance is good to be
encouraged, not an evil TO be repressed.-
The objection overlooks the fact that the
war is constantly depicting the very
sources of labor, which was never 50
scarce, never so dear as now. We do not
believe that the proposed retreuchment
will injuriously affect labor. Should it
suffer in one form, there is yet room
enough for it to expand, and find employ
ment in other forms. & SEA =.
But others, again, object to a pledge.
eWho can conscientiously take it I? Is
it not snare? Will it not be broken by
many on the first temptation" Our an
swer to the objection is, let us wait and
see what pledge is proposed before con-
demning it, The ladies Of New York
have adopted pledge that has already
received the names of the noblest and
fairest of their sex. Can the ladies of
Chicago be supposed incapable of provi-
ding one for themselves worthy of ap-
prevail and adoption? For our part we
are quite sure that the women of our city
Will lahe bu plcuEc, WnfCu 10 hos wVithy
to be taken, and that when they take q
pledge they viii keep it. ~
Surely this is no time hastily to CEN
sure, or unthinkingly to distrust such a
movement. from such source, and from
such an impulse. Three long years of
bloody and fearful war ought to stir the
deepest and best thoughts of our people.
The worst is not yet over, even though
Richmond be possessed by our victorious
army, and the city which first Haunted
the red bauner.of rebellion and strife be
made to submit 10 the irresistible flag Of
the Republic. The reaction of returning
Peace may bring trials not surpassed in
severity by these of war. Our noble
women instinctively foresee it all. I'm.
equal to the toll and danger of the battle
field. she but Graves to do her part in the
struggle for the nations existence, safety
and hanar