St. Paul daily globe., 1889-09-29
MINNEAPOLIS COMMENT.

The idea of opening a free reading
room for working women is a good one,
and is in the hands of those who have
had considerable experience in such
matters. Every clergyman in the city
will be approached and asked to lay the
matter before his congregation in such
way that all will be willing to coll
tribute either books or money. There is
no doubt but that such an appeal will
bring a generous response. The COM
mittee will also try to institute a coarse
of lectures in history and natural sci
enee for the benefit of those who care
to use their spare time in study. There
is not much doubt but that the reading
room will be established, but of course
the question arises, will the girls pat
rOriiZe it? There can be only one rea-
son why they would not. The need OF a
reading room of this sort has long been
felt, and an effort made to start one that
should be the joint property of the va
riOus labor organizations. For several
reasons it has been found impossible to
get funds enough to buy the books.
There is at present a cheerful, we'll
lighted and neatly furnished room in
the Labor Temple which was set apart
for that purpose, but never opened for
lack of books. The Stephens Library
association has for the last six months
been endeavoring to raise funds with
which TO start the library. Such
library would be the possession of the
people who patronized it, and they
would be justified in feeling pride in
having founded so necessary an institu-
ton. But it will be some time before
the Stephens library can open, and
meantime there are thousands of work.
ingmen who cannot spare even % cents
week to buy reading matter and are
compelled to go without literature or
read the trashy sort which Is to be found
in the average boarding house.
Still there are many who would hesi-
tate to patroniZe reading furnished for
their use by the wealthy class, because
they OBJECT to being patronized. While
it is true that if all received the wealth
that they produced, that there would be
no need of charity from the more fort
unate to the dependent classes. In fact
the present class distinctions would not
exist-at least not on the same lines
that they do now. When labor is placed
on scientific basis all will be able to
get an education and buy their
own reading matter. Nor can any one
blame the classes who are defrauded by
the operation of the present system for
not caring to accept a mOiety of their
just due in the shape of philanthropy.
After all, we have to live under the
present system and make the best of it;
there is no royal road by which to es-
cape its influence. Every day in the
year, every woman who works in the
factory OF shop has to submit to being
patroniZed and is obliged to obey iregl-
lations which gall just or independent
spirit. These things have to be borne
because the instinct of self-preservation
is too strong to let the individual defy
them and face tee alternative of starva-
ton,
Granted. that accepting the advantages
of the reading implies sort of unpleas-
ant dependence. Yet we must remem-
ber that the individuals who offer it do
so in good faith and from an earnest
wish to elevate humanity, theyss are no
more to blame for the effects of our in
duStrial system than the working wOm-
en- who feel them so keenly. Would it
not be wise to accept the aid in the
spirit in which it is proffered, and by
means of the knowledge gained from
those books so discipline the mind that
every frequenter of the reading room
may take an active part in the work of
replacing the present system by one
which will put industry oil its proper
basis, and thus secure to all those adj
uanfaC.ac now omen tO cn faU9