The daily sentinel., 1902-08-15
Defending the Shop Girls.

sssS SAsOH ANsSs
A lady we'll known in this city who
has served an apprenticeship as clerk
In several Of the large department stores
of Denver. has requested The Sentinel
to publish the following item in defense
OF the morality Of the "shop girl"
At a recent meeting OF one OF the many
clubs in this city the question OF the
morals OF the girls employed in the Den
yer stores was discussed in manner
greatly rejecting on the girls employed
at "Joslins," "Ths Denver Dry Goods
""A. T. Lewis" and others. by sew
eral OF the ladies.
The Sentinels correspondent believes
the ladies' did not understand what they
wore talking about and in proof thereof,
asks The Sentinel togive publicity to the
following:
New York Evening Sun: The lnde.
pendent OF July II contains this extraor-
dinary assertion from the pen OF Rebecca
HaI Idipg Davis:
"The lower clasees of employees in the
great department stores and factories are
recruits from farms and country villages
and the worst houses in New York and
Philadelphia are recruited from the de-
partment stores and factories"
This charge comes up in ono form or
another from the ignorant, the careless
and the misinformed at more or less fre-
quent intervals. Usually it emanates
from some sentimental young woman
brimful OF misplaced and unwelcome
sympathy for tho victims OF her imagin-
alton.
The United States department OF
labor made an Investigation Of this sub
ject through its own women agents IN
1888 and published the results in vol
ume entitled, "Female Labor In Large
Cities Out Of 1896 prostitutes who
were examined, l26. or something over 3
per cent. alleged that they had once
been shop girls or cashiers. In COM
menting upon this report, the commits
sioner Of labor said:
"The experience of the writer in maxi
ing an examination in many citiee, both
in the United States and in Europe, sus-
tains the statement, but more strongly
than the h<nres here gwen, that work
| iug women do not recruit the houses OF
prostitut on, as is often alleged. All
the facts are against tho idea that they
are not virtuous women"
The com mittee sent to New York by
the bly, in 1896, and known as tho
Remhardt investigating committee, ar
rived at the same conclusion after a
thorough investigation, during which
many employees were examined in execu
tive session, where all hesitation about
telling the facts was removed by the
promise OF the committee that the testi-
mony would be treated as confidential.
In the Arena of August. 1899. Mrs. F.
B. Ames, factory inspector OF Massach-
usetts, with Eve years sx perienoe in the
department stores OF Boston, said:
"rhe story has been told about many
romantic narrative Of the beautiful In
nocent and homeless girl applying at
the department store for employment
and being met with the offer Of o.. 80 or
SO per week, suggestive shru9, con-
cluding with: You have a gentleman
friend, Of course?' In my opinion. it is
libel. certainly do believs-and l
think have had something Of an oppor-
tunity to study the inner workings OF
the department. stores Of Boston, that,
considering the large number OF girls
employed, an excellent grade Of morality
is maintained"
Here is the testimony Of experts and
all tending in the same direction. What
a pity it is that with such abundant and
accessible testimony as to the facts. a
large number Of honorable, though help
less women and girls should be cruelty
maligned by one Of their own sex, who is
at least old enough to know better!
The family Of Geo. L. HaYdenburg is
o.. 0a,v M;ak,,,o