The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-05-10

influence Of consumption upon produo.
tion, and Of tho moral duties involved
upon society and the individual.
Theso questions, as to individual re-
sponsibillty osn bo mont clearly answer.
ed by tho economists themselves. Prof,
Patten tho most learned authority on
consumption in America says: l"Tho
principle upon which tho Oonsum ers
League ie based, lie sound. / have great
faith in educating tho consumer, and in
the social changes which a higher ty pc
will bring. S
The producor is merely an agent OF
the consumer, and If the latter is per-
sistont in demanding better things and
conditions, aooiety will be at length re.
modelod and TRANSFORMED.
President Hadley of Yalo says: 'As
years 60 on, / am moro and moro i'm
prossod with the idea that economic ro
form is likely to como through the sgen-
cy of the consumer. rather than from
any other source"
/. From Gorman school wo read: "The
producing man is csBon TALLY tho ser
want Of the consuming man, and the Fl,
nal direction of industry lies with
tho consumers" And again, "Tho in.
dustrial world is our servant, and like
any good servant is only forestalling our
wishes"
Suoh conclusions, from such authori-
ties prove that the consumer is tho oroa-
tor. The artistic boot maker, who ad-
miros tho normal foot, hates to make
tho pointed high heeled boot, but his
customers demand this sty 10 and his du
ty is to servo them. If tho public did
not road tho yellow journals, their pu.
blloation would soon oeaso. Tho Audi
bon Society is teaching women tho oruol
folly Of wearing birds on thoir hats, and
80 tho preservation Of birds is accom-
plishod.
The stores arc yely sentative to the
demands Of the buyer. Thoy keep in
stock what you ask for, Ii then, the
merchant is 80 keonly alivo to tho whims
of every GLASS Of buyers, would ho not
be moro so to the insistent Intelligent
demands Of an educated public? And
SO tho league purposes to educate this
public, these every day consumers, by
meetings, by lectures. by leaflets, and
by systomatio investigation. 1t must
bo mado plain that tho consumers hope
to move on very slowly at first, from
swoat-shop conditions to such factory
industries as exist under tho humane
laws Of somo Northern States. It must
also bo made plain to all classes that fac
tory made products are not moro expen-
siye than sweat shop goods. Tho league
is not q movement against ohoapnoss as
oheapnees. The modern factory with
labor saving appliances can produce
cheaper articles, oven with higher wages
and shorter hours, than como from teno
mont industries. A great variety of
goods can be traced directly to tho best
paid workers. Would not suoh pricoa
as hemstitohed hankorohiefs for fvo
cents, finish, knoe- pants for twenty. five
oonts, and trimmed corset covers fol
eight cents, satisfy even tho most per
a;stn,nt hra Bs.; OF tow
S 4 ho next quoati ionFia, Il oweSassd he
league in South Carolina2 i Are wo read J
for such an organization or can this work
bo carried on with our Club work as it ia
in othor places? In this State, wo do
not find such oxtremes Of wealth and
poverty 0s wo SEQ in other States.
There are no sweat shops. Our NOR
chants, as a general rule, all live up to
the standard Of a Fair houso. Itseoms
to ME that primarily in this State the
movement which / have attempted to
describe must take tho form Of co
operative educational movement.
Two years ago, when Markam's won
derful poem ''Tho Man with tho Hoe
was first published, I heard it most
effectively recltod in sermon ia
teachers by Mr.. Kcrshaw Of Charleston.
His sympathetic rendition brought out
all tho points of the poem, aud the
patience, the pathos, tho hopolossness
of it all made me very uncomfortable
My summon vacation was not all rest,
and SOL wont to very wiso friend,
who can always help mo, and said, II
wish Mr.. Kershaw had loft that poom
alone. | can't forgot it, and yet, what
is there that | can do2' He answer
cd Pay your cook moro money.
That's about the only point OF which
the problem touches you" And this
is the esseDoe of tho spirit Of tho league.
It is tho 'GoIdon RuIo as applied to
social economies
In this education, we must toaoh
ouraelves to want" right thirgs, right.
ly made. Wo muat learn where and
how to buy 80 that the "Song of tho
Shirt" will become moro memory of a
sad picture Of by-go days. We must
learn, q very hard lesson for US women
Of frugal minds to avoid tho bargain
table, which is as wo all know, nero
Advertising scheme, and is filled geno.
rally with sweat shops goods made
epeoially for this clearance sale.
Whilo wo aro learning these thinga
Ourselves, wo must teach our merchants
the object Of tho League. Teach tbom
what a Fair House ia. Teach them the
use of tho label, and call persistently
for labeled goods. Patronizs those
houses, which pay tho highest wages
and which think that work woll done
by q woman is worth just as much as if
d0ne by a man. Support them in the
oarly6losing movement, and urge the
observance Of all holidays You will
find in thoso shops, tho best sorvioe,
and tho best "oheapness."
And next como to GLASS Of which
know not how to speak. It is by far
tho largest GLASS Of toilors in this State
that noeds our help. rofor to the
children of tho cotton mills. I know
it is not a popular subject. We scarce
" dare allude to it in our club there
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