Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-06-07
From the y. Y. Evening Ea.l.
Blackmailing.



HOW We AEH LEVIED OfoN AT FAIRS AND 1T
EDpINcs.
There exists in s1cietva a system of cxt0r-
ton which. though countenanced bv custom. .
is nevertheless very injurious toall who come
iu contact with it. This NAV be called So
ciaI b.4ck-mail. and there are verv few Per
sI.s who have not been the victims of or
ires-iln In some shane or other Custom
rc.-ll .t,s ana sanctions many absurditie-
but none s., blreaced as tbi. II is levied
in such q manner. and u-artieei sd general
lv. thar a 1.srs,u 4. r,rcyentei from rcsertiu,
the i,ro,,iti97 even if he were So inclined.
The mailritv orrcaulc tolerate these exac-
tions without even giving the matter a
thought. other than that they are 50 much
Q. o1r ofrYcket'' by mean. Of them Those
who rcfu,e 10 nav homage % its dictations
are aurhcl nj and called mean selfish
mi-crlv. Iv the alberents ID this custom. An
Individual cannot obtain recognition in what
IS termed good society without Welding ID
her demands The same rule arulies e. the
man who wishes Cd obtain u5litical fame he
must answer all the various calls made upon
him. and If le refl-c5 his chances of ri--o..
be hIeI Lv the leaders as wcil "a. the rink
and file ofthe rartv.
This sreeie- IF Llackn2il +. moro r.--,1f f.l-
i1 some classcs of society than in other.
e4cb class -g.ferin, from This evil in some If
the forms il assumes. hut the middle class ir
ta, t.r,tIe-t sense suffers most from the nor
5o.gtilu4 which this custom iu1icts. The
custom has become SD firmly established that
t.e e,mtioet efforts ofaI- Glasses will be
nc.es.ar- To aceonrlish IL. overthrow. and
tt.. r,airit, of ,,,arro are nor v,,riio., r, on
fer i7+I "a contest a-,,ins- a sser-r,5teI ems
TON. however injurious 70 them. unless there
are some chances of success. Fashion is one
Of the powers which upho.is and protects
the system and the victims suffer without
any outward show of opposition, because il
is considered fashionable and Is lrIcticcd by
all fashionable people.
I1l cxt1I,nn i- Ileticed on grand scale
at all the fairs which are held in this city,
and its workings can be seen at any time if
the reader should choose to visit one of these
czQs-iti1n-. lJ is considered proper for the
air lady attendants at these gatherings %
squeeze a- much money as possible cut Of the
pockets o the v.i-lrs- None are exempt
la..tlA N.l. ..A tti'7- 's-AAA.f47s 4'A
they attack every one, the poor as well as
the rich. men. women. and even children
who chance Jpvi-itth bazaar, and they eIax
and bother tha visitors until they accede To
their demands IN order 10 get nd of their toy
meatlT-. Upon catering fair the visitors
are Immediately surrounded by a heyy of
young ladies'. who commence their attacks
regardless of consequences or results. If an
individual is Of the masculine gender be Is
" buttan-ioled ' at once by the young lady
who chances to see him fret, and he is asked
o. take a chance In this, % buy q ticket for
that. t. purchase a doll, or try hand at a
grab bag to help Mrs. Browns table or to
Tatronize the undertaking Of Mr.. Jones, un-
I'll be is So completely bewildered that in 5r-
der - escape from his fair prosecutor be buys
an article from her which is of no possible
use 90 him. lie imagines that he has passed
through the ordeal and is all right, but he
finds himself mistaken, for as soon as the
first lady leaves him another takes her place