St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-20
wOMAN's WORK EXCHANGE.
"A Correspondent Has Something
to Say Regarding 1t.

came, as indicated, from one of the
thirty managers, which you will perhaps
recall. Had even this appeared before
the holidays it would have served to tell
the public there is such place in the
city. The side of the depoSitor has not
been told. l will give few items for
their sake, to open the subject, and
hope more will be Forthcoming,
so that this really worthy
institution may become what it was
designed to be. 1t never occurred to
the depOsitors until they saw this racy,
but untrue, article of that reporter that
tne exchange was one of our city char
titles, unless it be so to the long line of
managers to furnish them something to
keep busy about to work off the ennui
they otherwise must suffer. 1t GER
talnly is not to the 200 depoSitOrs. whose
skilled and beautiful work deserves a
better treatment than it gets, and if it
got better, no manager would have to
pay SO or any other sum to keep up
running expenses.
The real charitable institutions of the
city nave, by half, fewer managers,
therefore are better managed. Some
here are the same as at those. and NAV
account for the Exchange being placed
on the same basis as the Orphans
asylum.
But what is the thing for?" some one
IS made to ask, in which is my text for
this, and answer given, "that very few
people know that it is in existence, and
those entertain very misty ideas re-
gardlng it." True, every word of it.
But why do they? First, the rooms are
out OF the way of business, people pass
III and out without having their atten-
ton called to goods and it is never adj
vertised. In the just-gone holiday
time. with artistic and fine things of all
kinds on hand, just the things for all
kinds and prices of presents,
NOT ONE WHISPER
of it all in the papers, until two or
three days before Christmas two or
three lines appeared in sharp-pointed
reminder: that English plum pudding
could be had there. Result, seventeen
were sold before Christmas!
Most depOsitors have spent much
time, paid much money and have
worked hard to gain the knowledge
which enables them to do the best of the
Work found there on sale, but are
urged to do small and cheap, quick
selling things, instead of doing that
which is its first and highest object, to
hold out inducements for best work and
best prices i'll every line. Then it should
be our own city alone, not the state
even, as Minneapolis and other places
have similar. But, from the statements
made in the Pioneer Press article, and
from my own observations, this is all
changed. Each depOsitor is first dis
conraged by being told that nothing
sells well, and what they had
better make, which is some 80
or 60-cent affair that can be
sold, possibly. Then the whole world
is competitor for that which should be
to this community alone. Goods from
New York and California. which were
left over from the season before, are
sent here and sold because they are
cheap, or supposed to be finer, or more
attention is called to them, to the throw
ing out of our own home work. And
here another
INJUSTICE BECOMES PALPABLE.
and the original design of the institu-
ton is lowered and home talent discour-
aged.
We agree, cit is difficult to find out
who are benefited by the work." as A.
Z. P.'s informant has said. One young
lady, who had spent much time and
money learning water-color painting,
took several PIECES of work there the
first week of December last, paid her
dollar entrance fee for year, bought
several things, and obeyed all the rules
to the letter. After holiday time had
passed she found that not one
thing had been sold. She had
been given an order for some cal
enGar cards. to be used in an
old calendar, took the order strictly as
1T fell from lips of ''lady attendant"
One thing, the eyeletS were not to be
made. On going again, had asked if
lady took them, and was told, Eyes, but
was very much disappointed because
they were not punched" Was told she
had said none were wanted, but she
persisted in her own way and should
owner of cards see this, it Will be the
first chance the young lady has had to
say why holes
WERE NOT PUNCHED.
AT New Years the young lady wished
to withdraw three pieces of painting, as
none had been sold. The three last days
OF the year SHOWS had made it imposSi-
BILE to get to the exchange, living a long
distance from it. but getting part of the
distance going to church that day and
knowing the place would be closed
Monday had thought as ''lady attend
anti lived in the same block of the eX-
change that she might, after knowing
all the difficulties, kindly let her
take her own. Found 'lady attend
ant on the street, make known the
wish, and young lady was allowed to
take her own, but in very discourteouS
manner. After some weeks, young lady
went to see how the other things had
sold. LADY attendant unlocked the
door, but did not open. and turned her
back on her, and did not speak. Moth
ing had been sold, of course, and young
lady knew there never would be, so de-
cided to withdraw all. No protest
was made and no encourage
ment offered that they would ever
sell, and there had been no account
kept, LADY attendant said, of those
withdrawn. One card was missing. and
was to be sent to the young lady when
found. 1t did not come. and waiting
for weeks, note was sent asking about
it, and was answered in the same brittle
manner, that it
HAD NOT BEEN FOUND,
and, as by request, sent stamps to pay
for it. l will here say that all classes of
things are, as they should be, kept in
glass cases, but fluffy knit work should
never be mixed with paintings,
or entirely different classes ever
put together, as they are there.
All the fiimsy sham about dying before
they would beg. and the idea that the
depositors are all starving poor and suf-
fer agonies for fear OF being found out,
is shallow nonsense. They are proud
of their work, and ought to be. Had
the place ana things been properly put
before the people, others than the few
favOrites would have been righteously
served, instead of being, as in the case
cited, out of pocket 81 or s. by the ven
ture, to patrOniZe the Woman's Work
Exchange. M. A. C..
Robbed ON the Bridge.
While Fred Stamm, a cornetist in
he First Regiment band, was crossing
he Wabasha street bridge to go to his
home on the West side abuut O'clock