The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

a Southern woman better than the as
sumed omnipotence of many of my
own feminine compatriots to work with
day after day. And then, in the same
grade of work, one is apt to find more
gently bred Southerners. The woman
from Dixieland who comes to New
York with the purpose of earning her
living, as stenographer even, is apt to
be person of more individuality and
force of character than the Manhattan
or Brooklyn girl, who goes around the
corner to learn the same profession in
a night school, / certainly should not
continue to pay a salary to a person
who did not fill the bill, no matter how
needy she might appear. Such cases
are candidates for the philanthropic,
not the business world. You know,
my belief is that plain truth is the
only foundation for help or charity, IL
you will. But don't you think that it
is only because, after the lamentable
fashion of our kind, we are so prone
to enlarge on the helplessness of the
helpless ones, that the impression goes
abroad of the wholesale failure of the
Southern woman as a business factor?
There are hundreds and hundreds in
this city earning an honest living, sup
porting families, working hard day
after day. making no complaint and
giving complete satisfaction to their
employers. But nobody hears about
these. They themselves are the last
to speak of their circumstances, and
the world goes by unheeding, and harps
on the percentage of failures"
But they're so impracticable," in
sisted a member of the speakers audi
ence of five, land they usually spend
their last cent for dress or some lux
ury, and then appeal to your sympa-
thies when real need overtakes Them"
Again the man laughed. IF you
are a New Englander," he said, you
know that there are just as many def
nitions for the word need as there are
human minds to define it. Actual hum
ger may be more disturbing to people
of our calibre than the incongruity of
some parti-colored apparel. But, as
you say, there are beings otherwise
built, and their needs are just as real
to them as are ours to us. Perhaps
they seem impractical only because our
standards are so matter of fact and
material. / know young Southern
woman who, out of the munificent sal
airy of 81 a week. pays 81 for room,
dressing and living on the remaining
SO. She does this only by the most
barren economy, the plainest home pre-
pared foods and the simplest home-
made apparel. But she says she actu-
ally could not exist with the neighbors
and in the localities where. for in
stance, 50 rooms are obtainable. She
doesn't complain, and she somehow
manages to keep sweet tempered and
hopeful, despite untoward circum-
stances.
Now, don't mistake me-" concluded
the speaker, as one of his listeners APP
peared ready to exposulate again. II
know there are indolent, dependent, sell
fish women by the dozen, among the
many from the Southern states, that
come here fortune hunting; women
lacking I'm the first principles of self
respect and honorable feeling. I have
encountered them myself, and to my
sorrow, but the point l make is that
these are more than overshadowed in
numbers and practical advantage to
the business world of women by the
many who do stand squarely and brave
~ on their own feet, and do not whine
or ask for Partially. And 1t Is the part
of the unprejudiced onlooker to give
these the credit due them, for the place
they have for the most part, unaided,
made for themselves in a world in
which they were strangers, both as to
experience and tradition"