New-York tribune., 1876-03-25
NISTRESSES AND MAIDS.


The last month has revived that irrepressi-
bic discussion about house servants, which
once a year inevitably makes its appearance III
the newspapers, in the dearth of more import
ant matter. The English journals have taken
1t up, and Charles Readc comes to the front,
bringing his sedge-hammer blows to bear on
the unlucky cooks and chambermaids Every
body who has anything to say in the matter
is as dogmatic as Mr.. Reade. AT one
time it is the mlstresses who are
trampled down by ignorant servants ];
now it is they who are ignorant, exact
ing, cruel. On one side are complaints that
the household servants are grossly overpa.d !;
on the other, complaints (from themselves,
worded in very fair Engish) that on $12 and
SO pei month it is impossible to dress de-
Gently and lay by anything for marriage or
Old age. The truth is that every individual
statement is necessarily partial and One-slded
II is just a. impossible to lay down general
rules for the wages and management of any
particular cook ~ for any particular stomach
and we all know what wholesale systems OF
hygiene and diet are worth.
Taking the household servants of the cities
~ Il class. there can be no doubt that they
are paid better than much higher grades OF
aborers The majority of them are unskilled
in their business, or have 'pcked up some
slight knowledge Of il, having been paid full
wages while they were learning that little :
they receive from So to So per week, are
boarded uxurously, comfortably lodged, and
"a a usual thing are partially clothed in the
caSt-ofI garments of the ladies Of the house
hold A saleswoman on the contrary, even in
Philadelphia, where they are best paid, receives
"a a rule no salary until she has learned the
business. and after that from $s3 80 to SS per
week ont of which she boards and clothes her
self. She is expected too To possess n certain
capital of education and well-bred manner
which cook and chambermaid hold to be totally
unnecessary. Women of only average ability
employed rs seamstrcsscs, typesettcrs, wood
cnsEyerS, visiting gOverneSscs, and public
school teachers are paid smaller wages than the
poorest kitchen drudge, when the cost of
boarding and lodging is taken into account.
These latter classes, too, are without the pro-
lection and security of homo which the
household servant values SO lightly. but which
to the unprotected woman means so much.
This is one side of the questionable Charles
Rcadc's vicw-and it is wholly correct. 1t is
also true that while all kinds of labor, pro-
visions and goods have lowered in price since
the war, wages for household service have not
batcd ot.
There must be some truth on the ether side,
and il is this Servants are not all ignorant
llrudgcs There are many who bring to the
work of the household and kitchen experience,
intelligence, honesty, and swift-handed skill.
Such women, as every jaded housekccper will
acknowledge, are worth their high wages.
There is as much judgment and knowledge re-
quirod TO prepare a dainty, cxquisitely served
dinner as to sell muslin by the yard, and the
household servant who takes intelligent charge
of the menage of a large establishment, linen
chambers, parlor brlc-a-brac, and dining
service has rs much need of education of head
and hands as though she set type or
taught babies their A Cs. The work
too, is peculiar 1t enters as no other
does into tho comfort and happiness of
home and family life. The matron who in an
unexpected flood of visitors can calmly devote
herself to them, knowing that tho meals will
be as savOry, the house in as delicate order as
though her own hand were at the helm or
who in case Of sickness has some hOmely
kindly face to turn to for aid and sympathy,
is not inclined to measure the reward in money
by the market rules which regulate capital
and labor. But, we shall be asked, how many
of these treasures are to be found in nursery
or kitcheni More than is supposed by popu-
lar prejudice, though the percentage we admit
is small. The remedy therefore is in the hands
of the mistresses. Let domestic service be paid
as is every other, according to its grade
Steadily refuse to fling your $l5 or $50 per
month into the laps of idle, dirty, ignorant
women; but when you have found skill, faith
fulness, and brain in kitchen, pay for them
literally.
We have by the way, very little faith in tho
solution Of the problem proposed by Mrs.
Stowe and other theorists, for educated ladies