The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-03
Girls. Stay Out of Large Cities.


Fort Dodge Messenger: The lure oil
the big city fascinates both sexes, but
the girls who are caught in its merci-
less tolls suffer far more cruelty and
permanently than the boys and young
men who go to the city and meet with
L disappointment. The employers of
girls in large cities are for the most
part, quite needless and careless OF
everything in regard to these girls
except to get from them the greatest
amount of service for the least pos
sible wage. The girls are not as we'll
organized either, and so are at the
mercy of greedy employers who take
every advantage of their weakness
and distress to force harder conditions
and lower wages. To be sure there are
exceptions. but the girl from the
country stands not more than one
1 chance in hundred, if she does that,
of falling into one of these favored
shops.
It's amazing beyond comprehension
! Why so many girls go to the city
without any assurance of employment,
or upon the most uncertain and decep-
tive prospects. Perhaps they have a
few dollars saved up and are attracted
by the false stories they read of the
excitement and never ceasing interest
of life in the great city. The girl may
dream of there meeting the prince
who is to fit upon her the crystal
! slipper and change her whole life
from one of drudgery and poverty
to pleasure and luxury. Sometimes,
indeed, often, girls go TO the city TO
escape domestic service in comfort
able homes at good wages under easy
conditions, only to work long hours
for barely enough TO pay for inferior
board and room, with but few cents
a week left for other expenses. What
they are thinking of is hard for the
average person to understand. but no
doubt they hope for better things.
which do not usually come. They want
society. want to be free from the
slavery of the Kitchen however
lightly rests the hated yoke. But the
price they pay is awful. and If they
knew it before they ventured, per
haps some of them could have been
saved What wonder is it that a poor
girl under such frightful temptations
goes wrong? One need not have a
very strong imagination TO realize,
without actually seeing what these
temptations are, WITH traps set for
girls on every side IN the large city.
They are baited with the release from
unbesrabie suffering the girl is daily
enduring. and she often does not see
utter ruin Just behind the gilded cur
tain. She only longs for rest. easier
living. pretty things, amusement AMI
lore. The price the city asks of her
for these things is usually death, a
sIov, horrible death.
Sometimes ii is not the very youns
and silly girls vino are caught or who
suffer al least bitter and costly dis
appointment and pain as result Of
cbassng the metropolitan raineow. An
exceedingly vivid story Of the expert
enceg u such a one, an otherwise
zensibie. fsdyIike Young woman who
rent N Kew York from q small town
ss told 10 the Ladies' Home Journal
for MaFch Is. n IS tragedy that
stoDg JUST short Of contamination.
Tafz Fogpg woman went to New
Y1sz Min 80, thinking she could find
esaDlogsnent Che Rad good recon-
s3enGaalooz, and ti1e story Is about her
zdgeatssrez n her vain search for
enssoyyaent, going down lower in the
srsfs ezcS seek without success. The
eojdpesg and indifference of the So
eSgseG Christian organization. minis
fefg as6 minister's wives and pro
gez3isnsj charity and up lift workers,
aafs her fsle most Of anything. No
nH@Ks 1f1 sje find sympathy or
trina ezefDt ORce. One Is compelled
~ xee b0W lard and cruel are the