The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-16
EcrNatrIa' Marea.

Il must be admitted That all dealings
with female house servants are cntruSt-
ed 10 women. They, then are responsi-
bic tUr the prices paid for the work they
have 20 offer: aud it is equally clear
that they are paving for it 1T the ratio
with which nothing else IN the labor
mHrket is comparable. Are female serv-
ants scarce? Certainly not Look ut
the crowded benches in our so-callcd
''jnteliigencc Heaven save the mark.
oiiicos:" glance ut tie long line of ste T.
a~o passengers. as they detile at Castle
Garden from the crowded decks of our
cmigrant ships. hundreds of women
aud girls are fastening 10 our shores
from every part of Europe asking for
places in our kitchens. Is it that most
OF these are ignorant, and valueleSs to
the housckecper who must have skilled
labor? No. Ignorant most of them
certainly are, and many seem incapa-
bic of learning. vet the Irish girl who,
if cmpioyed in Dublin, would consider
herself we'll paid for her labor by Gl0,
OF at most tl2, per annum, no sooner
presses her foot upon American soil
than she demands $500.
More than any class of women in the
"
,lo American women need servants.
We have not the rubuSt frame nor the
sturdy strength of the British nlatron or
the German HaU&irnU. Our climate is
rzhaustinr. our lives are varied and ex-
citing, our frames are slight, and our
nerves weak We can do much with our
heads,-much planning and thinking,
much arranging and directing. ToSup-
plemcnt this we need the strong arms,
the tireiess backs, of the peasant women
of the old world. If we were wise and
sensible enough to pay them moderate
" but fairly. to make them dress suta-
bly, and live plainly, in every case where
we nov can have hut one pair of hands
to assist in the household work, while
we make shift TO 10 the rest, we might
have two. Yes, there is no question
that if the maid-Of-all-WOIk, who now
receives sixteen dollars par month, and
is fed like one of the famiiv." were to
receive the same wares that an EnClish
housekecper would pay, to eat what
English servants are given to cat instead
OF our broilS and roastS and dainty lux
uries in the way of desserts, the iaded
female head of our smaller American
households would find that she could
keep two girls" without adding dol
lar to her yearly expenses.
And WHY cannot this be done? Is it
not Il positive wrong that it should not
be done? The poor of Europe are
crowdinm our shores. demanding work.
and there is none for them; begging for
food and shelter. and suffering misery
and lapsing into SIN for want of decent
homes and honest labor. Are not our
women blind TO their duty in giving one
what is abundant for two. in keeping
up an unnatural and unreasonable scale
of prices for the benefit of a few? We
have not waited for our employees to
impress the boycott upon us; we have
hoycotted ourselves. Without reason,
without outside pressure, i'll defiance of
common sense. and to their detriment
and ours, we insist upon state of af-
fairs that IS Il sarcasm upon our iudg-
mnnt, and Il convincing proof that,
whatever we may. attain to in the fut-
ure. men are very right vet in saying
that we lack business knowledge and
capaciiv. and show ourselves singularly
uninteliiLcnt in regard TO the conduct
of affairs. NOrahbCr -IttGHtic.