Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-28
Copyright. by Joseph d. Bow!es)

NoPyrlIht, oy Joseph D. boW'eSJ
When in the time of great Eliza
beth the young wife of Lord Compton
requested in her allowance the sum OF
$4,000 FOR string OF pearls. she
asked for less than the grand dame OF
to-day thinks of spending for the same
ornament. The little circlet of pearls
that the young girl wears about her
throat may have cost, say, only 5000.
but the somewhat larger ones. drop
ping just to the waist, which her moth
er wears. cost no less than $4,000.
To the political economist this
means profiigate waste OF money tnat
would support many families. But ths
wearer Of the pearls claims that their
price is supporting many families al
ready. There is the diver and his
family. she will tell you; the maker
OF his boat, his ropes and all his par
aphernaiia; the cleanser of the shells:
the polishers--ali TO be paid. and all
with avenues behind them through
which the money passes. Then there
is the work of the jewellers to be salts
fed, of ;the architects and builiers
sof the shops ID which they find them
selves, of the men and the clerks who
buy and sell; and afteSr that one must
reckon with the thousand and one in
dustries pertaining to the ships which
bring the finished article over seas.
ramifying into countless families: to
say nothing. finally. Of the customs du-
ties which the pearls yield and which
assist in carrying on the work OF
great government.
OF course one string OF pearls Is
but an infinitesimal matter in the
broader view; but it is the many
strings that come into the commercial
value OF the fashionable woman; for:
she is by herself but fragment of
society and is of moment only by rea-
son OF her numbers. Thus she claims
that these many strings and ropes of
pearls are the means Of sending right
eous employment into wide and far
paths of industry; and that while she
might lock their price into bond and
shut it in safe, conscious that 1t
represents money in active use. yet
that her string of pearls represents NO
less money in no less active use. And
II the affair stops short with the pearls
which are no longer earning, while the
bond will still be at work giving her
yearly revenue, to be again put into
active use. then she claims. in response
Ia$ ,Lar 80, ~
er wants than the purely material
ones. and the increment of beauty in
the pearls. the tints and lusters and
environment. are or as much use and
value in pleasuring the world as tho
equivalent in blankets and in beef
might be.
When you see the woman Of society
In all her sweet bravery. picture in
soft colors and lovely raiment, whcth-
err she herself be beautiful or not, her
Jewels, her lace. her flowers. her shin
ing silks. making her a vision Of that
beauty which is its own excuse for be-
ing. YOU hesitate to show her that
there is any fallacy in her argument
But II is cot alone in the matter Of
her jewels that the woman Of society
claims commercial value: they are
trif,e in the sum total. for there is not
an article Of her apparel or sur
rounGings that does not merely Gre
ate but stimulate trade. She knows
that as she sweeps by in her grace
and her splendor the onlookeT is APT
to think Of her as an idle moth fiut
tering in the sunbeam and of no use
in the world. BIT without her. she
asks. where wouli the multitude of
miIIiners and mo,listes with all their
dependency Of designers and couturierS
and sesmstresses. the weavers of deli
cate hosiery and underwear. the
makers Of fine boots. fine gloves. fine
everything. the wholesale people. the
middIemen, the retailers? The silk
worm spins for her. she thinks: for
her the gem Is deivcd from the mine:
for her the trapper sets his sEar . in
the snow: for her the iacemakeI
swings her Robbins and sets her wiz
ard needle: for her China sends her
crcpes and india her muslins' and
France her velvets: for her strips
cross the sea and caravans the dfS-
erts and railways the continents. the
whole world tributary to her desires:
and IL TcnnySon's dream If airsnips
were tn come true. pilots o: The Dur-
pIe twilight Dropping down with cost
" bales" The costly bates would be
for her.
In her home she further claims. the
decorator hnds his affairs. after build
ers and their peppic have had ;heir
percentages. tho painter hangs his pic.
lures on her walls. tho sculptor t>tnss
her his marbles and bis hronzcz. EI-
-. -. ,,,~~.r,c0 ard sff.c,