Life — February 21, 1907 — page 31: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

About Babies (Anniversary address at the Babies’ Hospital, by E. ‘S. Martin.) l HAVE always considered it one of the princi- ples that ought to govern a man’s conduct that when he has a chance to do anything for a baby, he ought to do it. Whatever the call is he may not balk at it. Whether it is to hunt for a mis- placed pin, goout for milk, go for the doctor, mend a toy, stop a runaway horse or make a discourse ata hospital; whether the service is simple or in- tricate, easy or appalling, he is bound to have a try at it even though he sees his finish, and knows that the ambulance is coming to carry him away. He must, because as a man he has a larger share of responsibility about babies than at his best he is likely ever to meet. He must, because he has great privileges with babies; may admire them all he likes without giving offense; may be cheered in spirit at the sight of them, and may sometimes even speak to them without an introduction. Whatever a man does for a baby is bound to be in the nature of an experiment, for no ordinary man knows very much about babies. Wise doc- tors are able to give counsel in emergencies about babies, but I do not know that any man ever actu- ally raised a baby himself. Indeed, I think that the principle on which a man is asked to stand up and talk about babies is very much like the princi- ple on which the newspaper editors, when they want a piece written about the sights of New York, select a new reporter from the country who hasn't seen much of the town and to whom all the sights are new. Sights are sights to the new reporter, His mind, so far as the city is concerned, is not a tough surface of scars that have healed over. It is wax to the new scenes, and every striking appear- ance makes a dent in it. The tall buildings are tall to him; the crowds are amazing; the perils of the street crossings are real life and death hazards. He sees things as they are, and sces them hard, and his impressions are vivid in proportion to his inexperience. So it may be that a man, as a person who does not know much about babies and is full of surprise at them, is for that very reason prop- erly selected to speak of them. Certainly a man ought to do whatever he can for babies, whenever he is asked. And as for women—what other occupation have they dis- covered that is universally admitted to be so far beyond all criticism as that of raising babies or promoting their welfare? Consider the women who can choose to a considerable extent what they do with their time! What do they do with it? They mightily adorm creation, and carpers say they take too much thought for hats and gowns; they ride interminably to and fro in cabs and car- riages and motor-cars and even in street-cars; they shop inexhaustibly; they go to teas and re- ceptions, to the theatre, to the opera, and make myriads of calls, and carpers say: “What for?” They play bridge, and again the carpers say: “What for?” They give to street beggars, and carpers cry: “Pauperization!”” They work at or- ganized charity and the carpers maintain that charity suffereth and survives all things except organization. Truly women’s use of time is sub- ject to a vast deal of impertinent comment. But I do not notice that any one ventures to disparage the occupation of any woman who is busy with a baby. Being so occupied, if there are a thousand other things that she might do and doesn’t, it is California Will Do For You. ‘This information is supplied by the Development Society of California, a body of public-spirited men having no private enterprises to promote, but contributing their time without remuneration to furthering the great success of Eilifornia. ‘Lhe statistics are accurate and in no way exaggerate the true conditions. Further details regarding aay industry o€ section of California will be furnished without cost by addressing the Society. If you will consider a moment the countless opportunities in California, where brains, capital and labor are reaping harvests of success such as were never known in the world, if you will study the facts and learn WHY California is now the richest section of the country, you will surely shape your affairs with one fixed determination in mind—TO LIVE IN CALIFORNIA. ‘The vei ame, California, has become a synonym of wealth, health and success. While California ranks only twenty-first in point of population, in point of assessed valuation it ranks fifth. California citizens own their own homes—a greater percentage than in New York, Massachusetts, Ilinois, lowa, Pennsylvania, or any of the older States which are popularly supposed to be very prosperous, ‘The avetage deposits in California Savings-Banks are greater than in any other State in the Union, while the total deposits in California Savings-Banks equal those of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin combined. Your particular interest is aroused because California holds out a welcoming hand and generously invites you to partake of her bounty. In fact, California needs you. There are thousands upon thousands “of acres not yet developed, thousands of manufacturing needs not yet supplied, thousands of hotels, stores, resorts and other enterprises yet to be established, thousands of business blocks to be built and tens of thousands of homes to be erected for the newcomers who are pour- ing in. Tt is difficult to realize how millions of people are content to strug- gle in the overcrowded East, working with deadly intensity to hold their own against relentless competition, fighting cold and disease through bitter winters and suffering from the enervating Jong summers when there’s a region within easy reach—acknowledged to be the garden-spot of the world—where better wages are paid, In Californi d 1 ornia where bigger profits accrue from business enterprises, where the cli: mate is one continuous spring day, where there are no ravages of sickness, no cyclones, no floods, no tidal waves, no blizzards, no devastating storms, no heat prostrations, no deaths by freezing. ‘These marked and exceptional advantages are by no means offset by the recent earthquake in San Francisco—an event of a century—whose destructiveness was unimportant in itself had it not been fol- lowed by the devastating conflagration. The earthquake touched only an infinitesimal portion of the great State’s whole territorial area, You can accept this announcement as a warm invitation to come and be a Californian and live within this sphere, where success and health are breathed in the air. If you will take ke your own home, your environment, your income, your expense: present degree of happiness, and compare them with what California offers you, surcly you will resolve to begin this very day and work with one ambition in mind—California, California, an empire of uncounted wealth! California, where NOTHING is small, neither the spirit of its citizens nor the great State and its ssessions. Those who consider locating in California, especially those wishing to establish manuiacturing, agricultural or other enterprises, should write to There Are Development Society of California 621 Huntington Building, Los Angeles, Cal. 9 EUXS Original London Sy TOUT No beverage equals it for a cold luncheon or a hot supper. De- licious with oysters. LUYTIES BROTHERS, Agents, N. Y.