Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-11-08
4, rxhortatton That shouid BE Read by
Every Mother In the Land.

4, tsxbortatton That should BE Road ~
Every Mother In the Land.
The difficulty OF getting or keeping
GOOD servants while every other en-
ployment is crowded with applicants is
well-anown to be the result OF ideas
that domestic service is mark OF social
inferiority, and this is SO Incompatible
with American notions OF equality that
the Nation has virtually gone on
strike against doing household chores.
Our domestic servants are an imported
class.
1t is only among women that the ao-
surd notion prevails that any sort Oh
dishonor can attach to an honest occu-
patton, SO that the cause OF 1t must DC
sought In differences OF the training OF
the sexes. When our boys get through
with their schooling they are put into
the office OF professional man or IN
store or counting-room, where IKE
as not they have to sweep out In the
morning, dust off the desks. put things
In order run errands. and in general
do as they are bid without murmuring.
Inflated and self-important notions are
snubbed out OF them, and to rise to POI
sitions OF authority they must
first learn to obey we'll. American
customs are not. however, cal
culated to impress upon girls
the duty OF obedience and self-control.
At time when French or German
lady is in the heyday OF her social en-
joyment an American mother has abdi-
Gated In favor OF her daughters. While
it is the mistress OF the household abroad
who has the most expensive costumes
and takes the place Of prominence at
social gatherings the American mother
provides first for her daughter and con-
tentedly takes back seat. finding her
recompense in her daughters enjoy
ments and successes Thus girls are
encouraged in self-assertion; they get
the idea that the attitude OF obedience
I Is humiliating and resent restraint as
hardship. Indeed, so widely diffused
Is this notion that certain wise ladies
who have taken upon themselves the
reformation of the world insist that the
| obligation OF obedience should be omit
/ ted from the marriage rows; as II any
J cooperative work, whether the making
/ OF a pair OF shoes or the establishment
: OF household, or the management o
the affairs OF the Nation, could be car
ried on without the duty OF command
for some and the duty OF obedience fo
others, the one duty as useful and hon
orable as the other.
| What wonder then Is 1t that PROBES
sional domestic service should be dis
! credited when caste distinctions ar
drawn against itp The radical cure o
this great evil in American life is the
clearly to put household service on a
honorable footing. Treat our girls a
fairly as our boys. Make their allow
ances compensation for the perform
ances OF specified household tasks, an
strictly conditioned upon the exact dis
charge of duty. II the daughters OF tn
house are themselves enrolled anon
It's hired servants, distinctions base
merely on character of employmer
can not survive. Moreover, In so dc
ing, the great law OF nature will be COZ
formed to, that all gains should be tn
result OF individual effort Violation
OF this principle invariably cause d.
terioration of character Any plant {
animal that adopts parasitic habits il
evitably suffers a degradation of typ
Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette.