Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-21

and indulgrnt t" their servants. hut since
that time | have never dared Ia Try again.
There was an account ut Some Spring
field gentleman. in the papers. long time
since: who said he was willing 10 give $50
geo To- Springfield for a museum building. II
any capitalists wants To do really good. if
he wants Ia win the enthusiastic thanks and
the grateful prayers of several thousand
women in Springfield. let him establish a
factory to give them employment. | am
sure they would be 50 grateful to him that
they would build white marble column
higher than the stand pipe in his honor.
Fanny --- said:
If could get a Job 10 pay me - a
week would change our home from
wrctchedneSS to perpetual cheerfulneSS. Pa
used to be- we'll off. hnt he failed and We
moved Ia Springfield, where he found work
as a common laborer in the shops. have
"a sister who helps ma keep
house. and could easily find
time to till any ordinary position.
| | once threatened to 60 out a> servant, but
ma took on So. and pa said he'd sooner see
me in FrrncIif. than that a daughter of his
should go cut a. any body'S servant; 50 |
was forced t" give it up. He wouldn't OBJ
irct tn my working in a shop or factory a
bit. hut a Servent. never, had Ia quit
school too early to get education enough to
/ teach and we can't scrape enough money
ahead to even make a first payment on a
sewing machine and so make little money
in that way"
Miss NJ l. said
Every body who knows me SuppoSe> |
am rich and have everything | want Pa
makes big wages. and there is only four in
uur family. hate to say il about my own
father. but he is what think awful stingy.
He says when ask him for money, more
gaw-gaws. tell you gtrl. when was a
boy the girls didn't have no such gOingS
on and 81 | don't get the money.
would take a nice light job in shop quick
if could get il. have IN, pocket money
and just fairly suffer for all sorts of little
extras which 20 to make life hearahle."
Mrs. {. said
Il am widow left helpless with two
children. what am tO do How am | 10
support them" What with taking in wash
ing and doing what sewing | can get. and
living in two rooms. | manage to live !:
with some assistance from the associated
Charities. | would be overjoyed if some
shop would be started i'll the city where
could get steady work the year round {;
could take an interest i'll life again
The above little histories. fresh from the
narrator'S lips speak more eloquently than
anything else could of the pressing neces
Sity of employment for the women.
There are thousands of families in Spring
ply the necessities of life They never get
an extra the year round unless they can
buy it on credit. and never pay for ii. EV-
cry cent goes for shoes, and -four and meal
and nothing is left. Give the girls and
women in these households a CHARGE to
make - or - per week. and this sum will
be paid out for comforts and luXurieS. ere
ating a wonderful business boom among the
merchants who supply such articles. A
factory to give employment TO female labor
would not increase the population of the
city. but would make the present pOpula-
ton richer. Almost every family would
have So OF II per week additional to spend
besides the sum expended for mere nesSa-
of affairs would lift the deadly incubus of
poverty from hundreds of families. where il
is now pressing like huge nightmare, and
make our citizens infinitely better and
happier There would be less dead-beat-
ism; since many families would
have a small surplus to pay with, after the
necessities had been purchased. Is there
no capitalist Of this city who thinks enough
OF good old Springfield TO embark in an en-
terprise, which will give employment to the
women and give an opportunity to thou
sands OF Young girls. who are ready and
willing to work, but can find nothing 10
do. All that is necessary is to get two or
three good fOremen who thoroughly under
stand the manufacture of articles, in the
manufacture of which female labor is in
volved. and the thing is done. There can
be little doubt that such an enterprise would
prove profitable. The cost of labor is of
enterprise. and with the hundreds of intel
ligent, fairly educated girls and young wo-
men. drifting along in enforced idleness in
this city. there is little doubt that Spring
field offers as good a field for obtaining the
very best class of female labor as any city
in the country.
: Can no Peabody be found among our
wealthy men who will take up this subject
and push it through 10 a successful cOnclu-
sion? The foundation Ia such an enter
prise would he OF more beneht, and would
contribute more to the welfare of Spring
field than all the museums, academies.
opera houses and music halls that
could be packed into the county
fair grounds. The man who will
push this matter through and give employ
mrnt 10 the female labor of Springfield
would Immediately be- raised to the first
place in the affections of the people. He
could he elected to any office he might
choose. for with the women on his side who
can be defeated? One prominent man to
whom spoke on the subject remarked that
the subject of employment for female labor
in Springfield was a chestnut. Certainly.
my dear sir. it is. so was the subject of
the abolition of slavery a chestnut, and yet
continual agitation of the subject resulted
i'm the most terrible war of modern times,
and the triumphal establishment of the
principle. Employment tor several thou
sand women in Springfield would do more