Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-11-05

IA lady hOuse.ktcper sends ii ths IotlOwisgs |
And at her request We give Il a place IN the IA !
AsTTR. II ladies WoId oftener exercise this priv
ilege, which every newspaper editor desires they
should, our journals would be more valuable, aLd
S1e selections they contain reflect more fully tie
wishes Of their readersl
Labor and Domestic Service.
One Of the saddest results Of the late panic II
New York and elsewhere 10 the discharge OF 90
many industrious labOring men frcm VaFious in
dustria establishments. IL is o spectacle which
none like to see, that Of men who are willing and
able to work denied the means Of providing by
their honest labor for Themselves and those who
may be dependent upon them. 1t is even sadder
spectacle to see poor and industrious women de-
prived Of their places In factories ana other Ostab
lshments, and exposed to the danger Of privatiOn,
or the certainty at least Of unhappy apprehension
in regard to their future welfare. Whilst sympa-
thizlng profoundly with women deprived appar.
emily of the means Of subsistence, and threatened
at least in their own imagination with Want, and
perhaps staggered In the faith which ali ought to
have that those who are willing TO help themselves
will not be finally left to perish, We cannot help
seeing that there msfortunes and suffeEings in
the world which arise from false pride and q con-
sequent pcrveFaion and mlsapplication of indus
try. This has been especially noticeable In this
country in the aversion 10 houseWoFk manifested
80 generally among American born women, and
ployment, to domestic labor. The idea OF service
seems TO have connected itself with hoRseWoTk,
as II that peculiar form Of service degrading,
while at tho same time 1t seems to be forgotten,
that all employment by others Is service, and that
no service is unworthy OF man or woman which
Is not immoral
All below the Supreme Ruler in a certain sense
render service, including Presidents and cabinets
and all other officials, who are properly called sera
wants OF the people Persons In public depart
ments, clerks In stores, factory hands, all employ
sr5, are servants, and even professional men are
really 50, for they place their services at the coE-
mand OF the public, and must either comply with
the requirements of that master or 90 to the wall
The employer himself, in all enterprises and de-
partments OF business dependent upon the public,
Is but the servant Of that public and has to faith
fully please it IL he would succeed. No man,
however seemingly independent, is actually and
altogether independent OF other men. Why
should employment a. cooks and houSemaids be
more degrading than any other kind Of service
No occupation can be degrading to the dignity Oi
any man or woman in need OF employment which
they have the capacity to perform and which does
not involve the surrender Of integrity and princi
pie. The voice of Inspiration has commanded
that " II any would not work neither should hG
eat" and the kind Of work Is not that which suit
silly, humorous and false notions OF dignity, bul
that which Providence has opened to thOse who
need employment. Lst us take for example do
nestle service There is no co untFy in the WOElC
where there is such demand for it as here, al
though IN European countries there Is great com
plant about the diiiculty OF obtaining it. ThC
wages Of dOmesties have risen In all parts OF thi
United States, while the employing class, on th
other hand, have found many OF their expenses a
heavy as In former years. A high scale Of wage
has become the rate everywhere, and some wealth,
families in New York have given twelve, fifteen
and even twenty dollars q month for domestic Ia
boT, aud that not OF the best kind.
While this Is the CO 9 the necessary expenses Q
domestics have been low, and IL they were at 81
economical they have been able to save more thai
many others who, In different callings, have I
provide that daily shelter for themselves Whic
domeslics are relieved from. The exemption frOU
care and anxiety which house-keepers derive froI
good assistance render them always willing to pa
good wages and to consult the happiness and CON
fort Of we'll disposed domestics, and yet, with .
these advantages, the poorest American RiIls shu
this kind OF employment as they would pest
lenee. Thus 1t happens that in . season Of hnar
ciaI distress We hnd multitudes Of young girls d
ehalged from their accustomed Vocations, and "
will not turn TO this one, in which there is q lara
demand for good and tidy workers. II Is possib
that the existing panic will result in fall Of WI
ges even tor dOmestlcs, as there are those mol
sensible ones who, discharged from other emplo
ments which they fancy, and determined not 70 |
idle, will now be applicants for house service
Whether this be 50 OF not, hOwevaF, emplOye
would lind it to their interest to dignity dOmest
work by their personal example and that Of the
family, showing in their own attention TO hous
keeping, and IN the training Of their daughter
that they attach IS much respect aad value to Il
useful as the OFnameptal.