Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-09-13
The Servant Girl Question.

ton, which has been agitating the
female mind at that place for some
time. General incompetency and
unreliability are the complaints
made. 1t is also proposed to effect
an organization to fix a schedule of
wages.
Now would it not be in order for
the servant girls to hold meeting
and formulate some charges against
their employers? We have no
knowledge of the condition Of af-
fairs in Asherville, but If the facts
were known we would not be sur
prised if the servant girls would be
justified in taking some action in
their own behalf, but, as they don't
strike and have but little influence,
they will probably submit to have
their wages reduced another fifty
cents on the week and agree to sub
NIT to all indignities that may be
offered them.
Servant girls don't vote and there
fore politicians cannot be expected
to say anythingin their behalf; their
sisters who do not have to work out
regard them as an inferior class, not
fit to associate with, and, of course,
they cannot be expected to say a
word in their behalf. The conse-
quence is the servant girl must take
just what is offered and never COM
plain.
Ofall classes Of employees the SER
want girl has the hardest lot. Not
only does she perform the most
mental labor for the merest pittance
but is often treated with indignities
by her employers, who apparently
do not seem to think that their SER
want is entitled to any consideration
or that she has feelings which should
be respected. We do not make these
charges as general, but we do say
that in many instances we have not
overdrawn the picture and we would
find but little trouble in getting wit
nesses to corroborate our statements.
When railroad engineers, who
make from 81 to IS per day, strike
for even higher wages or, against a
reduction, half the population ap-
plaud. Itmay be they are justified.
But when servant girls receive the
princely salary of 50 per week their
employers organize to fix schedule
of wages, which means reduc-
ton. The only way possible
for them to justify such a pro-
ceeding is to maintain that the SER
want is nothing but a chattel and
devoid Of all the instincts and feel
ings of humanity.
Suppose some of US lords of Gre
alton who earn our living by the
sweat of our brow were treated in
that manner. We would become an
archists in less than a week and
would have no difficulty in justify
ing our course. We have been
taught that labor is honorable and
that the laborer is worthy of his
hire, and this applies to all alike.
The worst feature we remark in
this connection is the manner in
which the hired servant is often
treated, not only by her employer
but by those of her own sex, who
are, accidentally, so fortunately stu
ated that they are not compelled to
work out for living. Often have
we seen the contemptous glance and
the brushing aside of skirts, as
though there might be contamina-
ton in the touch, and we have won
dered what might have been the
moral standing of the dainty, we'll
dressed, empty-headed lady if the
conditions had been reversed. To
the credit of our community allow
us to say that this class of distinc-
ton does not exist here.
All honor to the Independent girl
who works out" for living, very
often to tighten the burdens of an
invalid father, or widowed mother.
and who cheerfuny takes up the
burden of duty without repining and
regardless of what others NAV saw
or think.