Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-02-20

t3gSaS S1SSSSM we'll worth serious
Father is out Of work and have to
stay out of school and earn what can
to help us live," said a girl Of twelve to
the truant officer who sought to enforce
the compulsory school law-the law
which compels every parent to give
his children under sixteen four months
schooling per .annum.
The father out Of work lOunglng
round home and killing time, or walk
ing the streets, weary and anxious,
looking for Il JOB. The child, undevei-
oped alike in body and mind, having
mental and physical growth dwarfed
because driven into factory, or store,
or shop that its scanty earnings may
make the living that the father is not
permotted to earn because his own and
other peoples children are taking the
work out of his hands and the bread
oout of his mouth! An apparent para
dox, but is it not true?
And what is the use Of passing laws
to oblige children to attend schoo.
when manufactures will employ them
at small wages, will not employ their
Fathers at living wage, and thus lit
orally compel the children to support
their parents? And too, when starya-
tion is the penalty if they do not work!
What can be done when those grasp
ing, sordid mOney-grabbers will shut
the door OF their shops and factories in
the face of men and open them wide to
women and children? Not that their
work is better, but simply because
they can get their labor at lower
price. This unnatural, utterly wrong
condition, which put wonens and
children in competition with husbands
and fathers is the wall on which man
ufacturers raise thier prosperity and
build their colossal fortunes. And
the pity of it all is that every year alike
sees more and more of it, in spite of
not only bearing the burdens of house
and home keeping and child bearing,
but compelled in part or in whole
to support their husbands, perhaps, his
sOns
And this is what these female re-
formers who have taught US every wo-
man ought TO be selfsupporting, ought
to be able to work ought toe1o man s
work as we'll as man, have brought
us to. Women are placed now where
they must work. In the ''good old
days. when women had no rights,
every man felt himself in honor bound
to support his womankind. 1t was
felt disgrace to him If be allowed
them to work-it was evidence that he
was unsuccessful, not good manager
Now, the tables are turned" and
very likely few short years will see
social conditions so changed that a
woman who cannot maintain her men
folk in comfort, or idleness will be
considered failure.0
This is what women have done for
where instead of working because it
is heDpleasure she is compelled to toll
compelled to make her babies toll,
that together they may exc out
maintenance. Talk about the work
Of wife or mother! Neither equal
what is expected in nine-t -tenths of the
Occuptions inswhich, women are employ
ed, and in the other tenth the anxiety
of physical demands. Thousands of
women are learning how bitter is the
boon for which they have struggled,
and that theburden they have invited
is heavier than they can carry. It is
high time to call halt and see awhere
we are at" High time that women
turned to 1.-The right about, and sur
veyed the situation, as it opens before
everyone net born to a competence.
"A Missouri man who was found |
<w4rSf IS 90