The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-10-21

be worked out of il for its beneficiaries,
is the modern idea of charity To en-
able recipients TO maintain their self
respect. and feel that they are return
ing something for the help received,
though involving more labor on the
part of the benevolent, is the object of
all such enterprises as the Woman's
Exchange.
Within the memory of most of us
there were in general only four ave-
nues of remunerative work open to
women, namely, work in factories, do
mestic service, shop work and teach
ing. Now they may undertake almost
any kind of work not too severe physi-
cally for women. But there must al
ways be large class of married wom-
en- deprived of the husbands support
through intemperance or sickness or
death, who are prevented by home
cares from entering any public work,
and yet whose needs may be very
great. 1t is particularly these whom
the Exchange is seeking to help.
Within the eighteen years since the
first Woman's Exchange was estab-
lished in New York City, these enter
prises have multiplied rapidly-not be-
cause there is money in them, but
because they have met and provided
for a real need. In 1892 about one
hundred were reported in the United
States, and 1t is safe to say that by
this time their number has very large
ly increased. Many of them cover q
somewhat broader field than our here
such as providing scientific and liter
ary work, writing and copying, re-
covering furniture, the care of bric-a-
brac taking orders for shopping, etc.
Sixty-six of these Exchanges reported
in 1892 had paid to their consignors the
previous year 100000, of which the
New York Exchange had paid $51 900
and the Boston $34, 200. Most of them
receive, as we do, ten per cent from
the consignors for carrying on the
business.
It will readily be seen that from a
purely business standpoint the Wom-
ans Exchange is not paying venture.
Nor does 1t propose to be. 1t is said
that of all the hundred in the United
States not more than two or three pay
their expenses. With small room and
the most economical handling we here
should need to do business yearly of
from $4,000 to $4,000 to simply pay
our expenses at ten per cent commits
sion. Such an income as that, is, of
course, out of the question. The object
being help to a particular class sim
ply, the success cannot fairly be con-
sidered from the financial returns, but
from the help afforded it's needy pa
trons-a sum which may not be esti-
mated in dollars and cents.
The Woman's Exchange is thus re-
moved from the class of purely busi-
ness enterprises, and properly takes its
place as a missionary or benevolent
scheme which must seek financial aid
from the public, either by donations or
some other means. Some of the meth
DDS employed for this purpose in the
Exchanges in the United States are
mentioned, as charity balls. calico
balls rose shows, flower festivals, base
ball benefits, picnics, excursions, con-
certs, bazars, lectures, readings, concert
sup1ers, sale of cook books, flower seed
ana numerous others.
We in this generous community are
mo , favored, and have thus far been
ena lied to carry on the enterprise
without resorting to any of these la
borkpus schemes to raise the needed
mof1y.
When the Woman's Christian Tenn
peralce Union entered into this enter
priss. a year and a half ago, Ii was
fTUf5the belief that there is a field here
for yoman's work at home, in such
lines as fancy work of all kinds, with
special reference TO tourist trade, but
no adequate means of disposing Of II.
To this was of course added such cater
ing to home needs as sewing, mending.
cooking cleaning gloves and hats, etc.
We started in a very small way feeling
since that we could depend upon the
help of the benevolent men and wo-
men of this community TO make the
venture a success, a hope in which we
have not been disappointed. With the
object of being ultimately seIf-support-
ing and to increase the demand for
the cooking which our women were
able to supply, about year ago we
opened the lunch room in our old quar-
ter on King street.
We very soon outgrew our limited
space there, and when this rough but
roomy building was for rent, we
thought we saw possibilities in II for
indefinite usefulness and with much
foreboding on account of the expense
involved. we undertook the venture.
Benevolent men of this community re-
sponded splendidly TO our call for help,
and contributed about one thousand
dollars to enable us to start this new
and enlarged work. OF this amount
S660.50 was spent in fitting up the
building to meet our needs, moving
from our old quarters, purchasing Ia
bIes and chairs table linen, crockery.
silver and glass ware, kitchen stove
and other furniture, making hot ana
cold water connection, furnishing a
sleeping room upstairs. etc, etc, In
addition to the many changes in the
building most kindly made up for us by