The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-24
WHY NOT SOME cnrERa


1t Is doing for the country what the thrifty
housewife does for her household when at each
season she overhauls and inspects, notes where
repairs are needed, what garments must be
thrown aside as worn out and past mending,
what requires to be aired and renovated. We
are going through house cleaning as the
makers Of the country and the constitution in
tended that we should do, at intervals. We ere
taking stock, as the prudent merchant does when
he wants to know exactly how he stands, what
he has We are checking up our moral and
political stock assets and liabilities, and con
sidering what is needed for the future All this
is right and useful.
Yet one class and element of the country's
life seems to be overlooked. Have We, In this
land such creature as the eontented employe,
or wage Garner, of either sex? The savings
banks deposits at the industrial centers say
.yes." In every city of Importance we have
street after street of homes occupied and owned
by working people, paid for, steadily increasing
in value assets for the future. We have work
ing people who are getting ahead in the world.
who every day are striking out for themselves
in one way another, who are investing
on speculative chances looking shrewdly to
get good returns for the money they have put by,
AS information for the country not
hear from some Of these? Have we not among
us some fairly happy and contented people, even
among the working classes Here in Richmond
Ii looks as IL we had On Broad street and Main
street when the stores and tfe Offices close we
see no young women or young staggering
or craving weakly toward home, clad in rags.
When the factory whistles blow and the wo-
men and men flock from the doors we do not
observe any of them looking starved or Ill
clothed To the contrary. the clerks and work
men the girls and women OF the stores and the
factories look strong and we'll kept dressed
smartiy in the latest things, have no aspect
or suggestion of hardship or misery These
Same people throng the theaters and the moving
picture shows Also they fill about three-fourths
OF the churches on Sundays. contribute literally
TO pay pastors salaries and running expenses,
and to foreign and domestic missions and at
tend and I'LL the sunday-schools
OF these people we hear and read nothing IN
the newspapers and magazines. They do not
get before congressional investigating commit
and daughters who fill the public schools, ac
quire fairly good educations. have plenty to eat
at home, enjoy life. and, In course Of time and
MIXTURE, establish families and homes OF their
own. The girls OF these families do not be
come white slaves, They have their own little
clean. scrappy. feminine exacting and masculine
laundering and messing love affairs and trou
bles, Just such as have been since women and
men began. Then they marry and settle and
see their children get up IN the world and their
grandchildren go a little higher in social assoc
citation and financial position The working
man collects hts wages for his work, gets the
woman he wants, takes his ease at his holiday
times and earns the fulhllment of his modest
ambitions. Some drunkards. Some outcasts. 4
Some loafers and failures These come In most
families, and sill classes Good people by various
means are working hard, through the churches, |
by political and sociological methods are redue-
sng The proportions OF degradation deficiency and
crime.
Our people should not be put and kept In a !
pessi mistc and cynical attitude OF mind. Some
body should try to keep before the truth that
this republic of ours is Il success and that we
have In II good many millions Of free COM
Portable, well fed and clothed aud reasonably
happy citizens, in the country and the cities |
II IL the wrong side Of life that gets into the
newspapers. The right decent domestic and
~osperous side Of II makes no noise and hardly
~, ~. is heard from.
'pssssss.lread In the newspapers OF crooked and
sxag officials We nothing said of the
I0o1sands Of officials who are straight and faith
full We read Of the working girls who go wrong
We do not hear Of the millions OF them who
keep right We see long accounts of the work
ing men aho make trouble. OF the many mil
lions of them who peg right along. doing their
work, keeping sober, holding their jobs. main
tanning their churches. bringing up their fam.
I lilies decentiy and putting away little in the
banks. nobody says anything. There Ia wrong: I
there Is vice there Is oppression and rascalitS !.
Agalnst all these true men and women
aula make war YET Vi Should consider our