New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-13
WHAT THE LADIES ARB DOING.

WHAT THE LADIES ARB DOING.
Since the war, the female population OF
this city has made considerable advance
in the direction of social, industrial. and
charitable works. By clubbing together
and organizing fairs, they have succeeded
in building number of new churches, and
have, besides, repaired several old ones.
After riot they generally come in with
theix fairs and their lotteries to pro-
vide for the wounded sufferers and the
families of the slain; they foster orphan
asylums and charitable associations, build
monuments, or at least raise the money to
build them, over the graves of departed
popular idols. and keep up a lively sort
of business all along the line. While the
men are complaining of dull times, and
tuning and fretting because they can not
make as much money as they want, either
with or without work, the ladies keep up
their crusade against. the masculine pock-
cts, and generally succeed, too, in effecting
the object in view. Considerable taste and
artistic skill are displayed in the means
employed. The entertainments prepared
for the double purpose of amusement and
profit in some respects outshine the best
efforts of the imprsssario Of the grand
opera or the managers Of the theatre.
Indeed, we may in part ascribe the virtual
downfall of the drama and opera in New
Orleans to the monopoly of the business
of amusement enjoyed by the ladies.
What with the balls for the benefit of the
various objects for which such entertain
ments are given, fairs for churches, tab
leaus and wax works, concerts, strawberry
festivals and the like, the spare time Of
the average young man is entirely taken
up and his cash exhausted without hav-
ing moment of the one or dime OF the
other to spare fqr public shows.
The most serious objection to this sys-
tenn of extracting substance for benevolent
or quasi benevolent and religious pur-
poses is, that the work which is thus fos-
tered in not generally of a permanent or
unitarian character. Upholstering a
church, building expensive monuments
and maintaining children in idleness who
ought to be set to work at trades do not
add to the wealth and permanent prosper
ity and happiness of the people. If q
suggestion is in order from one who has
rarely escaped from these little social ex-
actions, we ask to make one. As the
ladies are apparently doing the leading
business, let them turn their attention to
something lasting and enduring. We
have need at present for a railroad from
here to Shreveport. Some little cash has
been subscribed by few business men
and more promised in the contingency of
success. An effort has also been made
to raise money by taxation. But it is not
likely that from all these sources enough
money will be realized to push forward
the work as fast as it ought to be. Let US
have a reinforcement of the ladies with
fairs, concerts, tableaus, festivals and
other Establishments to help on the work
of the New Orleans Pacific railroad.
Were the enterprise to prove successful,
they could receive a certain portion of
stock and devote the proceeds of divi-
dends, if any, to promoting the charita-
BILE objects which now engross their pious
care. If the ladies will come to the res
cue with their accustomed determination
to succeed, at least one work of internal
will be assured.