The National tribune., 1908-04-09

undoubtedly grew out of the ''appren-
tice" idea which years ago was an ad-
vantage to both employee and en-
ployer. 1t has been customary from
time immemorial almost in England fol
boy, When he wanted to learn g
trade or business of any kind, to give
his services without compensation while
he was doing this, his employer board
Ing and lodging him. He became a
member of the family, eating at the
same table with them, sharing tneir
joys and sorrows, generally falling in
love with one of the daughters. In
those early days before life became the
complex, rushing, nerve-racking thing il
is now, a mans business was small,
and no one ever had more than two or
three of these apprentices at time,
who were generally most comfortably
cared for. The big department stores
of London continued this system, which
gave the English employers an excuse
for paying meagre salaries on the
ground that they lodged and fed their
employees. The salaries paid these
poor girls and men were SO small that
they We're compelled to leave their
homes and accept the equivalent offered
them, if they entered the employ of
these merchants, and as practically all
the big stores followed this policy, the
wretchedly poor men and women with
out a trade We're absolutely helpless.
The result of this system was most
pernicious. The employees, many of
them growing girls and boys, were fed
mostly on weak tea and bread, the
housekeeper of one department store
admitting that she allowed 81 a week
for food for each person; they were
compelled to sleep in a cold, crowded
dormitory, whose only convenienceS
were toilet table at each end, and a
peg for each individual to hang his or
her things upon. A bath was entirely
out of the question. The sole place
provided for them to sit in the even
ing was a small, barren, cold room,
and as they were allowed to do as they
pleased after the work of the day was
over provided they returned by IL
O'Clock, the great majority of these
half-starved over-worked girls and
boys spent their evenings on the streets
or wherever warmth, diversion, and
something to eat was available. A
cruel, most unjust system of fining was
established, which reduced the meagre
salary to pitiable proportions, and made
1t impossible for them to give their
suffering families any appreciable help.
OF course the condition of things in
some shops was better than in others,
but in ali it was bad enough. When
one thinks of the attractive sitting
rooms, rest rooms, dining rooms, social
clubs, etc, which most of our big de-
partment stores provide for their army
Of employees, one can hardly under
stand why public opinion has tolerated
for SO long this living in" system of
our English cousins. 1t has not been
generally given up yet, but Messrs. Swan
and Edgar, managers of one of the
largest department stores in London,
have decided TO abolish it, and to in
crease the salaries of their employees so
that they may live at home, and it is
most probable that others will speedily
follow their example.
1t is beginning to be a rather ticklish
piece of business to be known as the
posesor of great wealth, with the grow
ing spirit of anarchism in the country,
and those Americans of modest means
have more to be thankful for than they
imagine. Up to the present time it has
been men only who have received
"Black Hand" or other threatening,
letters. but now poor Mrs.
Harold Mccormick, John ID. Rocke-
feiler's daughter, has been the victim
As the result of communications of this
character Mrs. Mccormick is said to
be IN a serious nervous condition, fear
ing an attempt on her life or that of
her children. The mansion has been
most carefully guarded and no one is
to enter the grounds without
careful inspection. AS soon as possi-
BILE Mrs. Mccormick and her children
will leave her Chicago home for that
of her father in Cleveland.
90 Everyone will heartily rejoice with
Andrew Carnegie in the good news that
his little daughter, Margaret, will soon
run about like other girls. the cruel
steel brace which has held her leg rigid
for so long being about to be removed.
For months Mr.. Carnegie has had the
black cloud of the possibility of his
daughter being a cripple for life hang
Ing over him. Just how this condition
was brought about is not generally |
known, but of the fact that this dearly |
loved child has been incapacitated for
some time everyone has been aware. |
She is said to sweet, sunny girl, who
has taken her enforced confinement and |
all its deprivations with wonderful cour- |
age and cbeerfulness. To be compelled |
10 lie day after day with ones leg in |
q horrid steel brace, to see the bright |
sun shining outside, and to hear the |
gay shouts of young playmates as they |
pass on their roller skates or while en- |
gagged in some other fascinating diver |
sion is pretty hard for any little girl, |
no matter how rich her father may be- |
Or how many lovely things her devoted |
friends and relatives bring and send |
her. 1t is the pity of the pities when |
childhood is not a period of continued |
and happiness. Life brings
trouble enough. No ore can escape |
There is no sadder sight than that of |
Fate holding the bitter cup to the mouth I
Of a little child. forcing it to drink.
The two questions at present shaking
New York society to its very center are [
The divorce of the Alfred Vanderbilts, |
and '.he marriage of Madam Gould to
the Prince of Sagan. Lamentable as
are both these occurrences il must be /
that il looks as if they were
facts. Hardly was Alfred Vanderbilt
an hour out on his way TO Europe be- /
fore suit for absolute divorce was filed /
witk the Supreme Court of New York |
by his wife's attorney. The fact of /
Mr.. Vanderbilt carrying out his plan /
cf going abroad at this time shows he |
does not intend to make very active /
defense. The Alfred VanderbiIts have
not been living together much ror sew t
eral years, and of course il has been I,
suspected by their friends and ac-
quaintances that they were not happy,
but nothing has appeared in the papers
to that effect. AS the State of New
York allows but one ground for aSso-
lutte divorce, one can read between the
lines, thankful to be spared published
details. There is one child a bright
beautiful, little boy of seven wears
Alfred Vanderbilt is said to be worth
sec, goo, 600. II he had SC, 900 instead,
the chances are that he would be hard
at work to-day earning a modest living
for his wife and child, and divorce a
thought farthest from the mind of Mrs.
Vanderbilt
1t is well-nigh impossible to believe