The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-04-05
, FROM OUR EXCHANGES.
(From American Wool and Cot

Palmer's fayorite stories was tina
of young girl.who was laborious
ly ploughing her way through
normal school, because she hat
an uncle on the police force VIII,
promised her a school as soon a
she should be graduated, Whel
asked why she was going to teach
she said: "Why it's the only thins
l can do and be a lady" Dues
toned still further as to what she
would rather be than anything
else in the world, the reply came
in a tone of rapturOus longing
ooh, if | could only be a MILL
nerw Told in Mrs. Palmer's in
imitable manner, the moral need
ed no pointing. Yet the case is
one that we see duplicated about
us every day. The Maggies and
NAMES who would make good
milliners or seams stresses or tex
tile workers turn themselves into
mediocre teachers in order to con-
form to certain false standards
of society. Let any establishment
put in it's windows an exhibit of
spring goods. 1t creates no ex-
element, and even very little
comment. These same goods are
necessities, yet few, if any, stop
to think of the skilful hands that
tended the looms, or of the train
ing and work necessary to make
such a product possible. No one
outside of the trade itself speaks
of the designer as an artist or
thinks of the workmen as individ-
uals, and not as a class. The so
called upper class has established
a standard that the workers them
selves most foolishly accept. But
when this same upper class
chooses to do manual labor, sets
up a workshop or a loom of it's
own, and dignifies the product I'M
der the names of arts and crafts
or sloyd, exhibitions are held and
the world PUSHES in to look in an
ecstasy of admiration. 1t is diff
cult to see just where the line is
drawn. Certainly it is not be-
tween work of the head and that
of the hand, for no successful tex
tile worker can leave his brain at
home. Is it then simply an in
tellectual suobbishness that re-
fuses to recognize achievement in
any line outside its own narrow
limits? 1t almost seems that this
may be so, yet how unreasonable
to look down upon the producers
of what we must have. 1t is un-
just both to- consumer and pro-
Queer. @fA ~
Cannot some way be devised to
do away with these false ideas and
teach the dignity of labor itself?
1t is false pride that seeks to
belittle any labor that is at all |
worth the doing. We get out of
a thing only what is put into it,
with sometimes a little interest.
Let us then put into all branches
OF labor the best that we can OF
education, enthusiasm and re
spect. The result will more than
make up for the loss of the feeling
of mental superiority that has
gained so great fOOthold.
burlington Free Press
1t is occasionally helpful for a
community to see itself as others
see it. The developments of the
recent few weeks have afforded
Burlington an excellent Oppor-
tunity to discover what other
folks think of it, and folks have
not hesitated to say what they
think. This also is helpful-at
times. 1t may be profitable, even
though not a pleasant duty, to
hold up the mirror thus afforded
before this community and allow
this city to take as long a look at
itself as it can stand.
A public spirited man who is
as familiar with the West as he
is with the East, took occasion
the other day to express the lack
of public spirit exhibited by some
of our wealthy men. He thought
men who had grown wealthy in
community were inclined to over
look the fact that they had fed on
the people and therefore owed a
debt to the community in which
they had accumulated their riches.
1t must be admitted that this is
a point of view which is not al
ways taken, even in Burlington.
He thought what Burlington lack
ed was the ability of its business
men to pull together, or what in
sports or politics is called team
work. Petty jealousies and sell (
fishness are given too much room
where any project that will bene-
fit the community as a whole is
s
Another keen observer who has
through the West said j
that Burlington people were too
conservative as a whole, and some
of them would not put out a cent ]
unless they actually saw several j
coming back. He said some bit
terly sarcastic things, in this con- E
nection, but to quote those could S
not be helpful. He thought the
trouble with Burlington is that t