The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-25
A Talk to Houston women.

Isn't 1t about time that the women OF
Houston were waking up to the necessity
for their taking an active part in the
cleaning up of their city? The experience
OF other cities is that when women take a
hand In their house cleaning" II is done
and done we'll, and the women OF other
cities of Texas have realized this fact and
are banded together for the Improvement
of their city's condition
The Houston Post has conscientIously
carried on a campaign OF cleanliness for
the past three years. but the press needs
the woman's club in this matter. and GER
tainly the club should be neither blind nor
deaf when 1t comes to SO vital question
as cleanliness
In San Antonio the woman's club has
taken a vigorous hold on the subject and Is
carrying out vigorous measures for the
Improvement of the unsanitary condition
OF San Antonio. They feel the urgent ne.
cessity of putting stop TO the miserable
habit of splitting everywhere, especially as
their city Is the resort of consumptives,
Such a measure is desirable everywhere.
and the board of health that does not do
all in their power to stop It fails most slg-
nally in their duty to the people they are
serving.
But there are perhaps more vital points
at issue with US. Our streets, although
more care Is being taken than ever before
to keep them clean, are very dirty. Men
and women alike are careless OF what Is
thrown into them / was passing down
Franklin avenue not long ago, and saw
some men eating a watermelon and throw
ing the rinds out into the street as soon
as they were eaten out There they lay,
with the rays Of the sun pouring down
upon them and stewing out OF them potent
poisons for the passers- by to inhale.
Nowhere In the South can the people
afford to be careless, Houston Is no excep-
ton to the rule. The weeds that MI the
empty lots here and there in the city are
menace TO health and should be cut
down. In many places weeds are seen fill-
ing tho cutters on either side OF street.
When will our people realize that decay
ing vegetable matter Is poisonous and that
a dirty city means death to its citizens?
In 1878, when The yellow fever was
raging in New Orleans, and day after day
saw the pitiful little white collins being
carried out by hundreds, men and women
wrung their hands in impuiont agony,
knowing their carelessness had muTered
the little children, and vowing that their
city should ever thereafter be kept clean.
But, alas, with better times came forget
fulness, and the people lapsed back into
their old careless ways, from which they
are only just now awaking.
We can not AFFORD to be carcless-it
means life or death to US. And 10 whom
do the people now look for help in such
matters? To the press and TO the wo-
men. The press has been faithful-let the
women see to 1t that they do not fall in
their duty
What women can do when they start
out with determination to win has been
very clearly shown lately in the election
In New Orleans, whore the women taxpay-
ers were allowed TO vote On the question
OF an added tax for sewerage, drainage
and better water supply. ThSPicayune
OF that city gives 20 then the credit OF
having carried the day. and notably 70
two of trem Misses Kate and JEANNE
Gordon. The Pic gees on to say; When
ever there Is a crisis the men who are on
the right side appeal TO her (woman)
and the appeal is never in vain She jumps
into the breach and invariably victory
peIckes on her banner" oh, my sisters,
let us try for the victory over dirt ana
disease In this dear city Of ours, and II we
care for reward for good work we VIII
surely get 1t in the better health ana more
secure life OF those We love.
Margaret II. Foster
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