The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-06-13
OF YOUR DAUGHTER
Country Girls and the Parcels
Post-lts Effect on Amer.
lean Womanhood.
WHY WOMEN MUST GO TO CITY
Places Lost In Villages, They Are
Forced Into Hives Of Brick
and SteeI-Temptations
Must Be Met.

How would the passage Of the par
cells post bill affect the young woman
Of the country, the girl who is bios
soming into MATURITY"
1t would take thousands of her kind
from the stores and offices of the
country towns and send them to the
city there to be the prey of the vul-
lures of commercial and immoral life
as it is played today in the hives of
iron and stone
1t would give to the world In the
end many broken women instead of
women able to bear robust sons and
daughters for their country's veal.
Others would play the game nobly-
and make the best of a bad system,
but making the best of it would be so
much worse than a country life, that
eve the strongest of the girls would
fail when weighed in the balances Of
real success.
Instead of thousands Of girls who
r hanging on in the cities today,
there would be many thousands more
many thousands who would live
from hand to mouth as clean, pure
American girls. But the number who
live otherwise would be increased, for
not all have the stamina and the forti-
tude to stand out against the tempta-
tons and deceits of a great city.
There would be many more young
women following the ignis fatuus of
music or art in the cities while the
folks at home skiTped and shaved to
give the girls an opportunity. The
girl heart must be full. the girl hands
occupied or she will be restless and
miserable. At present many girls are
satisfied to be employed at home, from
which employment they usually step
into homes of their own. Lucky girls!
Under the competition brought
about by parcels post, the country
stores would gradually decline, throw
ing young women out of employment
as clerks. AS the town declined, the
professional men would lessen in num-
Der, relieving the girls of situations in
offices. And among these so relieved
many would come to the city, some
to work, some to fit themselves for a
higher calling such as art and music
and medicine.
l wonder if the folks back home
realize how much good, ~hard-earned
money is being dissipated by daugh-
tiers who are studying art and music
in Chicago? And l wonder If they
realize how many of the hundreds who
are studying have no more fitness for
success in the line they pursuing than
a town COW for algebra. It's all right,
of course, il the folks back home can
afford 1t, for it gives the girl a look in
on the busy life and, in a way, it pol
ishes her, but it is pitiful sometimes
what %selfdenial is being practiced to
give the girl advantages for which she
is fitted merely to dream Of, never to
carry into execution.
Thousands and thousands of dollars
are being spent for music in Chicago
today by girls who have no talent
and by young men, too, as for that.
And under the system that would tear
down the country toWn-the parcels
post system-thousands of women
with the blush Of country health in
their cheeks would come to the city
with their dreams of becoming great
singers or musicians or artists! And
the harvest to the things of the city
that hurt would be great!
You may argue until the cows come
home and you cannot deny this. 1t is
happening every day all about us in
the cities. And when / tell you the
truth l am not slamming art or music
or inspiration to succeed. l have re-
spect and admiration for all those vir-
tues and especially for the young wom-
an who goes through the fire of the
cities, coming out unscathed and
worth while in the profession she has
chosen.
But what want to ask you, mother,
is: "Do you want your girl to take
the CHANGER"
If you don't. fight the parcels post
bill. Do you believe what / have told
you? Read this excerpt by A. w.
Douglas in the National Magazine and
see if he doesn't speak the truth as
Ike what / have said as two peas:
"One of the problems Of the day"
he says, sis the congestion Of the large
cities and the drift from the farms
and the small towns to the great Gen.
ter of population, and the evils which
have arisen because Of this congestion
are very serious and very difficult to
SOLVED
THE retailer in the small town and
village as a rule is an independent,
economical and level-headed American
citizen. 1t is certainly a good deal
better for the country at large that he
should continue as such than that he
should be forced to seek employment
In the large cities and become a mere
clerk in the huge department. stores
and in the catalog or mail order
houses"
You will see from the above that
Mr.. Douglas believes that not only the
women clerks but the proprietor him.
self will be forced into the cities, and
/ haven't a doubt but that In time.
should we be unfortunate enough to
be cursed with parcels post, our coun-
try towns will be like the rural towns
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