Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-06-25
THE SERVANT QUESTION.
Advantages and Disadvantages OF SUP
ordinate Positions in the Household.

Advantages anu IiSadSahtaEes VI -"
ordinate Positions in the Household.
# one choose q subordinate position
it becomes their duty to fulfill its re-
Aquiremcntt faithfully. If they arc fitted
Tor a higher position let them of ourso
refuse y lower, but so long rs circum-
stances keep them in q subordinate
position, let them prove trsse worth of
character by an honest discharge of its
duties. If every servant understood
that they entered Il family rs a SUBJ
ordinate. and would become willing to
accept that situation, they would be
happier themselves and make others
happier. There would be no conflict,
then, about rights. That social equal
ity is claimed does not entitlc them to
it. and if special privileges are conced-
Ned, ii is no evidence of an acknowledge
|ment of that claim; these concessions
IRE often made from necessity, and a
servant who exacts them will have no
sure footing in any family.
Another source Of trouble is q desire
on the part of a servant to force Il GER
tain manncrof work upon one employer
because it was required by others, previ-
orSly served. The tastes and mode of
living Of one mistress arc forced upon
another with unreasonable persistence,
and the servant becomes indignant Mt
tho suggestion of Il change. Perhaps
the folly of such y course would be plain
tb such a servant if in buying stuff for a
gown a merchant should insist on Sc
jlectlng it himself and then demand her
money for something which did not suit
her at all. A servant who would thus
insist upon her own pleasure in her
work would be apt to resist such en-
c~roachments upon her rights. Now the
mistress is entitled to Just rs much con-
slderation in her requirements as a
servant is. Justice toward each other
is necessary, and this demands faithful
labor on the servants part and faithful
payment for such service on the part of
the mistress. If payment should be
made in counterfeit paper or mutilated
coin. the servant could have re-
course to the law, but the law can not
we'll reach unfaithful labor, and so each
servant must become ga law unto her.
self" There is, then, a necessity for
educating the class in the principles of
honesty and truth, SO tnat they will de-
sire to yielh faithful service for its value
received IN wages from their employers.
The solution of the scrvant-girl qucs-
ton is probably further in the future
than that of the problem engaging the
attention of combined capital and labor.
The difficulty of getting and keeping
good gifls for the performance of house
hold duties is quite rs great now us it
has been at any time. 1t is not impos-
sible that the main trouble lies in the
failure to look upon house-work as sim
ply business, as shop-work and clcrking
are businesses, and to so consider it,
Invested of all notions of it as - social
arrangement. Mattresses Of the house.
holds chn not understand why poor girls
should not jump at the chance t o work
for them, and enjoy comfortable homes
and reasonable pay in preference to do
ing s'aop-drudgery at starvation prices.
The poor girls can give sufficient an
swer. They hate the term servant us APP
piled to them, they fret under the in
difference shown them, and the DISPOSE
ton of all members Of the family to
treat them as mere conveniences rather
than as persons Of pride, dignity and
woman'y character. They are willing
to work hard, but will moi submit to
unreasonable tasks; and while their do
mands are modest, they still have wishes
and tastes like other mortals. They
would like to have a little time now and
then for self-improvement and social
pleasures, and q better room in the
great house than the kitchen in which to
entertain their friends. Here in brief is
the situation from the girls standpoint.
II mistresses would study the question
in that view, and act with good judy
mcnt and in a generous manner, they
would be able to keep their help with
fewer interruptions. Likewise should
girls be aware that in the shop, count
ing-room or household they are not
paid to play the tyrant, but to do what
is demanded OF them, and that on their
W conduct largely depends the char
acter OF the treatment they receive
| Tile Present.