The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-04-19
"ECONOMICS."
6Am Jones Writes q Chapter on the Anne
loan Working Cirl

loan Working Girl
Amid the rush and roar Of our busl.
ness life Thousands meet thousands.
Lusty millions pile up on one side and
paupers multiply on the other.
Amid the business depressions and
the wrangling of politicians some men
are thinking over the problem OF wage
earners Of this country.
This article Is only written to touch
one phase of that subject, and that
phase embraces the interest Of all
working girls In America, and, L sup
pose, their number runs into the mil
lions. In the absence of the statistics
on that subject. cannot say their pre-
else number. but there are millions of
them In the factories and stores and
Offices, and, In fact, in nearly all call
ings, we find the working girls
believe that the stability of our gov
eminent and perpetuity of our insti-
tutionswill be tested ut this point more
fercely than any other. for thousands
OF these girls hardly obtain enough to
subsist by the honest toll Of their
hands.
Hcartless merchants, heartless wom-
en-, heartless corporations frequently
grind these girls to the dust. The
manufacturers of clothing, the society
women, frequently, and those fol
whom the girls toll, have already put
them between the upper and neither
most millstones.
A boy or man, with the brawny mus
Gle and brawny frame, can stand the
kicks and rebuffs and hardships OF life,
but frequently the frnil, pale girl goes
down under the strain
! honor the working giri7 of our
land, and God forbid that one word In
this article should reflect upon their
noble characters. hut the old aduee,
Hunger knows no law" either human
or divine. may cover the question we
are discussing in some instances.
working girl must have clothes
to wear. food to cat, and comfort BY
night, and a pillow upon which to rest
her head. Aboyeallthings her character
must be protected. There is point
with some where resistance seems 10
be impossible, and they are engulfed by
them out into the sea, where they drift
on in perdition aud ruin.
These girls are aboring daily in the
cities, i'll many instances their wages
will not pay their board, where their
characters are protected. In many in
stances the lnboring girl, who has not
the fostering care of II father or moth
er over her ut night should he provided
home in every city, presided over by
a governess, and the girl boarded at
minimum sum. 1t should be the duty
of this matron TO be a mother to the
girl or girls, throw around them the
very best of Influences, shield their
characters and protect their lives.
Some cities already have the working
girls home, neatly and elegantly pro-
yded for their wants, and shielding
their characters.
Philanthropy and bcnevolence can
find no place where dollars can DO so
wisely used, and benevolence so amply
rewarded, as in this direction.
We are hurrying along, every man
for himself, with the understanding
that everybody else must look out for
himself. This might do as between
man and man, but our noble, sweet
girls, whose characters form the pill
lars, on which rest the perpctuity OF
our civilization itself, cannot be consid-
cred as having a place in fallacy like
this. There is enough for all to have
q competency. There Is character
enough in the manhood of America to
protect and provide for womanhood,
if il only could be made to muster and
matcralizc.
There nre movements on foot in
many cities, hearts and hands are
ready now. Let those who are able to
furnish the means consider what this
work would be for humanity, and join
hands and hearts which are now ready,
and thereby furnish the means to pro-
vide for the honest, laborious girls,
whose lives are blessing to the world,
and whose characters are as priceless
as jewels.
The hard worked and hard working
girls only ask that we give them in re-
turn for their faithful labor adequate
reward in the way of salaries and fees.
demand without hurrying on state of
things which we will deplore. Our
resolutions and purposes along the
lines of betterment for humanity can
count nothing unless they materialize
along practical lines, which give the
helping hand and the fostering care.
We may run our normal schools and
business colleges and teach both boys
and girls how to work. but until wages
are better and sympathies are broader
between rich and poor we cannot turn
aside from the contemplation of n sub
ject like this, without mourning the
displcasure of God and an aching con-
science by and by.
Ihavepreached to thousands OF these
working girls over this country, and
Al l.ns laanr