Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-05-29
A Plea for Citizens.
Mr.. EHtor

"a IVA iOt
Mr.. Eiitor
In your issue of last week noticed a
lengthy article entitled "A Plea for Sales
men, which contains some thoughts wor-
thy of the earnest and instant attention
both Of our merchants and citizens. The
figures, instead of being exaggerated, are
rather undcrstatcd as find upon inquiry,
Such a system is certainly unjusttiablc,
and there is terrible responsibility some
ligous rights Of our statesmen and clerks
have been 81 lily tramplcd upon, all must
see; and the fact that they say little or
nothing about it does not alter the cnormi-
ty of the evil. But they are not the only
sufferers. Society is n body, and one mem
Der of it cannot suffer without aficctin" the
others.
wish to call attention to another phase
of this evil, in the name of our citizens.
Are these Young men worth nothing to the
community, socially, intellectually and re-
ligiously? While the mechanics, the miner,
and the common laborcr- white and blHck
are permitted to attend the lecture, the
prayermccting the literary society, and to
grace the social circle are these young men
fit for nothing but to adorn the inside of a
counter-mere automatons to tell the price
of goods, and pack them up for customers !?
Why, fellow citizens, these young men and
married men, are fit to cntcr any circle, to
talent, and we all suffer together in their
loss. Their families, their friends, the
community at large-all suffer. We want
them, and ought to have them, in our so
cal circles We want to visit them in the
privacy of their own homes, untrammeled
by the pressure of business. We want
them to visit us. We want them in our
literary societies. We need the aid Of their
influence and talent, the cheer of their wit
We want them in the beneficiary societies
to which they belong, but in the transac-
tons Of which, at present, they have no
part. We want to honor them by putting
them into the chairs of these institutions,
which many of them would grace. We
want them in the lecture. room, and in the
prayermccting. We want them to be re-
minded by their liberty and the voice of the
gospel messenger, and to remind us, that
there are wares of greater value than those
to be found in stores and warc-rooms. We
tn, hnnr fl,nir
in our spelling contests, in the praises and
prayers of the sanctuarics and in the cX-
percnccs and cNhorting meetings of our
different churches.
Merchants of Fro>tburg, will you derry
us these privileges? Will you rob these
men and yourselves of these invaluable and
inalicnable rights? Will you, for the sake
of any supposed gain, run such a risk, both
for yourselves and those in your employ?
We want y0n as well as your employees
We all need you. Your families need your
company and conversation MS well as your
support. Your churches need the encour-
agcmcnt of your countcnanccs, the cheer of
your voices, as well as your contributions
I'VE seek not yours but you"
| do not think that the plea of necessity
can be urged in this case at all. do not
think that the legitimate wants of any com
munity demands that any set of men, and
especially those who are among the most
intelligent and talented, should be doomed
to perpetual burial in dry goods and gro
ccrics, or any other mere worldly concerns
In speaking thus generally of the mcrch-
ants, do not mean to say that there are
much as any of our citizens, and perhaps
more | believe there are such among our
merchants. But the practice is general
one, and how are we to Discriminate
Let some action be taken. Let them call
the attention of their fellow tradesmcn to
this evil, and and let them all unite. And
if some will not do it, let those who are
conscientious in the matter set the example
Then let the community rally around sucb
countcnance them, and so arrange their bus
mess as to attend to it at the stores within
reasonable hours.
Why there is not another class of people
in our community that would submit to
such demands, at any price. You could
not continc the miner to his room, or
the mechanic to his shop for any such
hours. Why should we impose such tyr
amy upon these men?
Let us all help.
| shall upon another occasion, if spared,
expose another evil tendency of these late
hours in our stores, but will desst for the
present to give us all thinking spell.
CIvIs.