St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-16

human being, and should be treated as
such. The fact that she is poor and occu-
pies mental position does not deprive ner
of the right to fair hearing of her side of
the case. She is Just as fallible as any other
human being, and it would be great won
der if there were not some servant girls
who are absolutely no account There are
worthless lawyers and doctors and me-
chanicS. and in fact, incompetent people in
every profession or vocation OF life There
fore it is conceded in the beginning that
there are some dOmeStics who do not earn
the salt that goes in their bread. But be-
cause an incompetent OF unreliable domestic
is found now and then does not argue that
they are all worthless. On the contrary it
can be demonstrated that there is no class
of our laborng population more capable or
more faithful than the servant girls.
As to the other proposition that there are
not enough of them and their services are
difficult to obtain, that is a different matter.
1t may be that there are not enough
servant girls in the country. And it
may be that there are too many
One proposition is just about as easy of
demonstration as the other. A correspon-
dent in yesterdays GLOBE suggested as one
solution of the problem, that the house
keepers lay aside some of the feeling of
false pride which dictates that it is humiIi-
ating to labor, and that by turning hand
to their own Homework they would not
find need for so many servants. There is
sound philosophy in this suggestion. In
many instances there is too much DISPOSE
ton to indulge the love of ease and to nnr
ture that species of false pride which
teaches that it is dlscreditable to lady to
do Homework. 1t has been suggested that
the establishment of training schools for do
mestics would relieve the situation. The
advantage of having trained servants is con-
coded. But what we want in addition to
that IS the establishment of training
schools for our daughters, to qualify
them for the duties of housekeeping,
and there is no better place for the
location of such school than right in
ones own household, with the mother of the
family as superintendent. When every Amer
lean woman becomes capable and willing
to do domestic work we will hear no more
complaints about the scarcity of hired help.
Another thing to be said in defense of
poor girls who evince an unwillingneSS to
hire out as domestics is that being human,
and possessed of all the sensitiveness of hui
man nature they cannot endure the humil-
iating conditions which are too often i'm
| posed upon them. 1t is sometimes the case
| that the mistress takes pains to impress
upon her domesticS that their condition is
| nothing more than one of vassalage. There
| is great difference in being servant and
| in being a slave. When girl hires with a
family to do domestic work, she expects to
serve. She understands that her position
is that of a servant, but she understands
| fully as we'll that that position does not inn
| ply the CALLING conditions of slavery. While
she makes hire of her time and her skill
| and her physical strength in return for the
wages she receives, she does not expect
to surrender her Self-respect or to con-
vert her free womanhood into a mere chat
tel 1t is not urged in behalf of the serv-
ant girl that she should be placed on equal
ity with the members of the family, or that
she should be elevated above her real
sphere, but it is claimed for her that she
should always be treated with the respect
and sympathy that is the due of true
womanhood in whatever garb it may be
found The high mind and proud heart of
a woman can never be crushed by poverty
or depressed circumstances. When. as it
sometimes occurs, the girl who cooks in the
kitchen OF waits in the dining-room is of
more respectable antecedents than the
mistress who presides in the lordly man
sion, it is asking too much of human
nature to expect that she will voluntarily
submit to the daily disdain and contempt of
one whom accident alone has elevated above
her. She prefers to seek less remunerative
employment in some other direction, rather
than to submit to conditions which are
humiliating to her instinct of pride.
Another trouble that some persons have in
procuring or retaining domesticS is that
they do not make comfortable provision for
them. 1t is not expected that the servant
girl should occupy the best bed-chamber in
the house, but she is entitled to a coy
room. and it ought to be comfortably fur
nished. After hard days work she ought
to have place where she can rest in COM
fort at night. If she is stored away i'll some
out of-the-w way place, or made to sleep on a
pallet, it is natural that she should
be dissatisfied and want to change
her quarters. Neither does she ex-
pect to sit down at the table
with the family, but she does expect plenty
of wholesome food and served to her in q
clearly manner.
There are many arguments that could be
advanced on both sides of this question OF
domestic help which is now so sorely veXins
the American household. But after looking
at it in every conceivable light and giving
the subject a most thorough analysis, WE
find that it's solution is found in the appli-
cation of the common sense principles
which govern the affairs of everyday life
A good mistress can always get gooC
servant and good servant can always fine
ii good mistress. That is the summing VI
| OF the whole matter.
a BENEFACTkESo INDEED.
, THERE is in Minneapolis lady who il
! indeed a benefactress to all mankind, an(
| ~,