The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-10

ara easily he victims Of Indigestion. dys
peps!a, martyrs to backache, nearsightet
and n~ervously tired.
The Southern mill hands are consunptive
wan and coloriess-women old and gray be
fore their time.
prevents the existence CT the gay and deb
OMAR young ladies Of Perry and OF othel
manufacturing towns.
I have already said that there are
'swells' IN labor.
The c%heapness with which one Fan buy
! poor qualities Of goods in America places
in the possibility Of possession Of these
young women who choose to spend all tiieiI
surplus on their clothes goods which imI.
J tate the extravagant dresses OF tire rich
/, certainly within the possibility of those who
make "a. SIS and even 80 a week.
Statistics will show how small is the FER
centase Of these h!gh-wased earners.
Is there any reason why because a GER
tain number Of factory girls can wear
ostrich plumes in their hats the thousands
who gain from s. to IS q week should be
ignored in their struggle?
OF enormous Importance Is the influence
upon the wprkroom OF the forswoman.
This woman perhaps has never realized
how far-reaching her power may be.
It Is important and delightful if the wom-
an of the people can have her ideas ele-
dNe ~ - IN1aii- HiFA
general education introduces to her
thoughts.
It is also important that the man who
owns the mills in which she works should
inspire her with respect for his principles.
with appreciation for his methods: that he
should become a fgurehead TO her of gener-
osity and broad thought. and that the wom-
an in charge over her should be superior in
other ways than in authority alone
When I I'm asked questions regarding the
morality Of the people with whom l have
been associated in their labor. l am inclined
to say that they are no different from the
class called better.
Indeed. for sound principle. the mill girl
compares very favorably with her sister OF
the smart set.
The question Is SO r~eIative-indeed. SO DEL
icate, that one Is forced to put 1t rather in
this form: Is the mill hand. compared 10
her sister on Fifth avenue and thereabouts,
tmmoral7
There are celebrated scandals. whose set
tings have back Of them Newport and Tux
edo and our own city. whose details would
cause the Southern cotton spinner to ex-
claim with surprise were they %recounted 10
her as she bends her tired and untidy figure
over the pork and suet on the hare pine
board which forms her dining table
She would lift her naive eyes. whose sur
faces rave never reflected other things than
whlrring spindles and the scenes of her
primitive existence; she might even blush;
at all events. she would say:
"Ef my sport would marry me-. he suit
tinly would never be sorry for it. and I
guess I'd be pretty sure to stick by him II
he'd give me a weddin' ring"
Let me say in closing. TO those who ask
me. What can We take to the factory
girl?"
II you are SO fortunate as to direct GER
tain hours Of her leisure. fill these with
amusement, teach her simple hygiene. the
cleanly care of her body.
Do not. moreover. absorb all her evenings
with interests outside her home. Teach her
to and interest there. to take pleasure to
her own hearth.
Deepen her natural Affection: her love for
her father and mother-awaken and develop
her ideals of marriage and motherhood.
These religions-for they are faith and
creed-are more salutary for the American
working woman as a factor in the economic
struggle than a season of art classes.
So long as the extravagances of the mil
lionaire are aped by the girl who gives ner
yerv body's life to purchase her f~ineries; SO
long as independence. woman's rights, self
culture at the expense of fenininity are
preached, ard the woman who bears nine
children is described by her friends as IAN
animal" and the bachelor maid is envied-
tust so long will right conceptions OF life be
clouded alike to factory girl. mill hand and
leisure class.
welcome, rather. the high ideal of the IN
catfish character. the gentle. loving woman