Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-07-12
A PLEA FOR EARLY CLOSING.
What As one i'm New York City TO ford
the Clerks ANA Mechanics
4 m Opportunity of Enjoying Some Rest
In the Closing Bay Of the Week.

To the Editors of the Appeal:
Going iEt) New York last Saturday from
''over in Jersey" where I had been
spending quiet week, l called at the
house Of f lend and asked if she could
60 with me TO do some shopping "Why,"
said she, you can't do any shopping
now" "Why not ?" 1 asked. "Bc cause It
is l o'clock now and, you know, tn IS
Saturday, and the stores close at y
o'clock" l had not known it, because
had been loafng under the hemlocks,
seeing visions and dreaming dreams" in-
stead of reading papers and keeping up
with the times. Presuming it was feast
day, dedicated to some saint in the solit-
ical calendar which we poor heathen had
not yet canonizsd, pricked up my ears
and asked Tor information. l was told
that the subject of giving half holiday
on Saturdays daring the summer, to clerks
and workmen generally, had been much
discussed by the city papers and in
business circles, This much l wss aware of,
but had not learned the practical result.
l vas then told that ell mercantile houses
in New York. during the summer, Sege TO
be closed az 1 o'c ocz p.m. on other week
days, and on Saturdays IT II O'Clock N, I;
and all employees in mechanical ayoca-
tlons were to be a.llwed to Quit work at
the same time. And, with my usual pro-
clivity for givinZ good advice, 1 thought,
I'll write home and as our merchants to
do so, too.
We S0utherners are wont to plume our
selves upon our generosity, kind-heal ed
ness, thoughtfulness aud iiberality to en-
pioyes, ana several other nice attributes,
and are likewise a triae given to turniDg
mp our noses at the scquisitivsness and
uaiversal thrift Of our Northern brethren
And shall we lag behind them in kind
| ,esS and Just consideration for those who
'bear the burden and heat OF the day ?''
Business in New York is dull now, as COM
pared VITA the fail and wiptar trade; but
YET | have never entered prominent dry
goods house alter 8 o'clock in the morning
without finding it so crowded th2t to
thread my way through the throng and
get what | wanted required considerable
| time and skiilful piloting. Compared with
| these, our business houses in summer are
empty. By closing at these hours they
will lose 500 where our mel chants will
lose s.. Yet they bow to the force of pub
lie opinion, agree TO give their clerks the
| rest they need, and close.
Again, our summers are far more ener.
| waiting than theirs, There the heat is
sometimes intense for two or three DAYS,
then comes rain, or a breeze from the
sea, thick clothing is needed, and the
wearied body is braeed up again But
here we dag through weeks and months
| of suitry summer heat, each week becom-
ing more and more depleted. Why should
not our workers be allowed this greatly
needed rest? Our young men, employ ed
in mercantile houses, work from sunrise
until dark all through the week, while
| those more favored by fortune are spend
ing the heated term among the mountains,
= n OF ~,
| building up their energies for the winter.
| And when, after working from Monday
morning until Saturday night, a young
man goes out on Sunday TO take an ex .ur-
sion to Lakeview and be eaten alive by
mosquitoes, or stretches his cramped limb
| with g game of baseball instead OF going
to church, he is written down heather,
and his natural and healthful recreation
voted an unpsrdonaole sin. l don't like
excursions TO mosquito-beds, or else
| where), tsrget-shooting and baseball on
Sundays, but these reCreations ars very
wholesome FOR yolpg man. riease IL
him have Saturday afternoon, and I'll
| stand security for his going to church and
behaving as Christian should on Sunday
| And our young woman clerk has more
need Of this rest than the young man. She
| has the same work to do, is Obliged to
stand just as many hours as he, and has
r his strength tt eXpeDd. More over
they are, IN the msir, poorer, and Lad
harder lives than the young men. Theii
salaries are smaller, while they have eqnpl
ly as much need of them; many of them
have no homes, but are Obliged to support
themselves entirely upon their slender
| wages. / know young women, employed
as clerks here, who are 800 poor to hire
either their sewing or laundry work done
but are obliged to do both after night after
standing up from o'clock am. until {
o'clock pm, from Monday morning unit
Saturday night. Now / have no desire tc
assail or rebuks our merchants. l believe
they are, IN justice and generosity, fully
equal TO those of any city, and l believe
they only need to have their attention
called to this subject TO do full justice Il
their employees. VIII not some one OF ou
prominent merchants call meeting anC
discuss this matter among themselves?
am sure that, with them. to know tn,
right Will be- to do it. And niay als.
urge an early meeting and prompt action
for the summers hest is already upon us
Act quickly, good friends, al d give tn,
weary workers ft time and r, ace to join il
natures chorus
Rejoice rejoice the summer days are passing
Rejoice! rejoice for sweets that they impart."
LIDE RINETHER.
- -
An Important Test Trial,
ST. LOUIS, July 11.-Priyate dis
patches from Washington state that
| suit brought some time ago in one of tn