The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-01

Christmas boxes to domestic servants.
The scotsman who supplies seeds sehds
a Christmas box 10 the gardener, the
chandler who supplies forage sends
Christmas box to the groom, the butcher,
the baker, the grocer and others send
Christmas boxes to the cook. Each alleges,
and perhaps believes, that if he failed 70
pay this customary blackmah the seeuS
would be found never to terminate, the
horses would never do justice to their
keep, and the meat the bread ana inc
groceries would be pronounced by the
cook to be inferior; and each, no doubt
expects that if his wares are really ndif-
ferent the master or mistress will never
hear from the same dsinterested authori-
ties that the tradesman is to blame.
In other words, the whole theory of this
particular kind of Chris tmas boxes is that
the tradesman and the domestic servant
are to combine in a conspiracy 10 delraua
their common employer. There are also
larger forms of bribery under the same
guise of which Sir Edward Fry gives an
amusing and instructive instance. A re-
cent bankrupt was found to have given the
manager of a bank with which he had
dealings a Christmas present in the form
of "a case of various Spirits VINE ana
champagne"-the champagne not being
wine il would seem, which is perhaps
likely enough-"and also box of cigars"
This festive bankrupt further expressed a
genial hope that the obliging manager
would be able to go with him to London,
when l shall be glad to buy you the
drawing room suite to your taste, which
you will kindly accept as a present" The
corrupt motive in this case is undiSgutsed;
and, as we are not Informed 10 the con-
trary we will charitably hope that the
bank manager in question returned the
cigars, the champagne, the wine and the
spirits, and declined the drawing room
suite, taking care at the same time that
his too generous correspondent did not
over-draw his account
But that such brides should be offered is
a presumptive proof that they are some
times taken. The bankrupt probably knew
what ne was about even though he may
have mistaken his man. Il have reason to
believe" says Sir Edward Fry, chat
Christmas presents of the kind indicated
are given and accepted to very general
extent SO far as this is the case the
practice points TO a very bad form of
secret commissions in trade The moral
complexion of such commissions may vary
very greatly according to circumstances,
though wherever secrecy is of the essence
of the transaction it stands ipso facto con
demned But Christmas present offered
as Sir Edward Fry's bankrupt offered il is
an odious and disgraceful form of bride,
which is only rendered more odious by be-
ing associated with Christmas.
Precisely the same motive is at work on
smaller scale in the unacknowledged
Christmas boxes clandestinely given by
tradesmen to domestic servants. These
so-called presents are given for no other
motive than to induce the servant, either
by omission or by commission, to be I'M
faithful to his masters interests. Some
tradesmen. as we learn from Sir Edward
Fry's letter, have latterly found the prac-
tice of giving them ito be not only a tax
on tradesmen, but unsatisfactory in its re-
suits" and we are very glad to hear it.
though our satisfaction would have been
greater if the tradesmen in question had
denounced the practice as immoral as we'll
as Improbable. However, il is something
that tradesmen should be led, by whatever
road, TO the conviction that honesty is the
best policy after all for we have not much
faith in preventive or detective measures
for the abatement of the evil in the do
nestle sphere. A servant who will take
brides will not hesitate to tell lies about
them, especially if the taking and giving
of brides has become customary and been
yelled in the specious disguise of Christ
boxes. There is a certain conventional
and class standard of morality in matters
of this kind, and 1t is idle to expect the
class affected to rise suddenly above its
own standard 1t is therefore all the
more satisfactory to find from Sir Edward
Frys letter that the standard is appar-
emily changing among the classes affect
ed. Householders and housekeepers can if
they choose accelerate and assist this
change by Strengthening the growing con-
viction Of tradesmen that brides in the
form of Christmas boxes do not pay.
They can give their tradesmen and SER
wants to understand that tradesmen who
are found to be giving brides will no lon
ger be employed. Sooner or later the prac-
tee if 1t exists, will be discovered, and
the fear of detection and its consequences
will make for honesty in the long run.