The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-19

with some ancient ideas about her in
feriority. She forgets that servants read
novels, and do fancy work, and write lots
of letters: and that service can no lon ger
be considered the humble labor of a lower
for superior being Mistresses must
now dismiss from their minds the idea
Of the old family servant they have learned
to meet In novels; they must cease to look
upon service as in any way family tie;
they must realize and practically acknowl-
edge the fact that the relation between
mistress and servant is now on purely
commercial basis--the modern servant
being person who takes certain sum OF
money for the performance Of certain
duties. Indeed the condition has under
gone just the same change as that which
has taken place in the relation between
the manufacturer and his artisans or be-
tween the contractor and his carpenters
and masons.
1t is true enough that servants take the
money and do not perform the duties, or
else perform them very badly. The manu-
facturer, the contractor, the merchant, all
make the same complaint; for lndepen-
dence and social freedom always step be-
fore fitness for these conditions, because
the condition is necessary for the results,
and the results are not the product OF one
generation. Surely Americans may bear
their domestic grievances without much
outcry, since they are altogether the con-
sequences of education and progress, and
are the circumstances which make possi-
bic much higher and better circumstances.
For Just rs soon as domestic service Is
authoritatively and publicly made COM
mercial bargain, and ali other ideas elml-
mated from it, service will attract much
l. Il
fairly well-read American girl will not sell
her labor to women who insist on her Civ
ing any part of her personality but the
work of her hands. She feels interference
in her private affairs to be an impertinence
on any employers part. She does not
wish any mistress to take an interest in
her, to advise, to teach or reprove her.
She objects to her employer being even
what is called friendly" All she asks is
to know her duties and her hours and to
have clear understanding as to her work
and its payment. And wnen service is
put upon this basis openly it will draw to
it many who now prefer the harder work,
poorer pay, but large independence, of
factories.
Servants are part of our social system,
but our social system is being constantly
changed and uplifted, and servants rise
with 1T. l remember a time in England
when servants who did not fulfill their
years contract were subject to legal pun
ishment; when certain quality of dress
was worn by them, and those who over
dressed did SO at the expense of their good
name; when they seldom moved to any
situation beyond walking distance from
their birthplace; when, in fact, they were
more slaves than servants. Would any
good woman wish to restore service to
this condition?
On the servants part the root of all diff
ru Ic har rnr,t .,f for hnv
and this solely because her work has not
yet been openly and universally put upon
a commercial basis. When domestic SER
vice Is put on the same plane as mechani-
cal service, when it is looked upon as a
mere business bargain, then the servant
will not feel it necessary to be insolent and
to do her work badly simply to let her en-
pioyer know how much she is above it.
Much has been done to degrade service by
actors, newspapers and writer's of all kinds
giving to the domestic servant names of
contempt, as 'hunkies," "menials," etc.
If such terms were habitually used regard
ing mechanics we might learn to regard
masons and carpenters with distain. Yet
domestic service is as honorable as me-
chanical service, and the woman who can
cook good dinner is quite as important
to society as the man who makes the
table on which it is served.
Yet, whether mistresses will recognize
the change or not, service has in a great
measure emancipated itself from feudal
bonds. Servants have now a social world
of their own, of which their mistresses
know nothing at all. In it they meet their
equals, make their friends and talk as
they desire. Without unions, with
out speeches and without striking-be-
cause they can get what they want with
out striking-they have raised their wages,
shortened their hours and obtained many
nri nd ha 10
independence, which, for the lack of
proper expression, asserts itself by the i'm
pertinence and self-conceit of ignorance
that has won more in tangible rights than
III intangible respect.
Mistresses who have memories or tradi-
tons are shocked because servants do not
acknowledge their superiority, or in any
way reverence their "betters." But rever-
ence for an earthly thing is the most I'M
American of attitudes. Reverence is out
of date and Extensively opposed to free in
qulry. Parents do not exact it, and
preachers do not expect 1.-THE very title
OF REV" is now verbal antiquity. Do
we not even put our rulers through
course of Misunderstanding in order to divest
them of any respect the office might bring?
Why then expect virtue from servants
which we do not practice In our own sta
tons?
1T is said, truly enough, that servants
think of nothing but dress. Alas, mis-
tresses are in the same transgression. This
is the fault of machinery. When servants
wore mob caps and ginghams, mistresses
wore muslins and mernos, and were pass
ing fine with one good silk dress. Machin-
cry has made it possible for mistresses to
get lots of dresses, and if servants are now
tine and tawdry it is because there is gen.
eral leaning that way. Servants were
neat when every one else was neat.