Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-02-24

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suits their whims. Thus, instead of
our expecting any Improvement in Ne
gro service it will gradually get more
and unsatisfactory, and believe the
time 10 not far distant when som rules
will have to be adopted to lessen the
friction or conditions will become un-
bearAble."
The fair writer concludes as follows:
Those whites OF moderate or poor
circu mstsnces, especially the mothers
OF large families of small children,
with no relations or competitions TO
help them, are truly to be pitied, and
they, il no sshers, should sgitate the
question of q remedy until it sssam 50
definite shape The rich, OF course.
being able to give much greater in
ducements iu higher wages, generally
get the first choice OF the Negro ser
wants who do continue TO honor our
cities with their presence.
Sometimes / think il would be well
il every white family could make up
their minds to do al. of the domestic
work long enough Co make the Negroes
feel keenly the pinch of actual want.
They would then possibly decide TO
pursue that course which would re-
dound TO the mutual interest of them
and their employers"
It is just as we thought,-the poorer
classes OF white citizsns ara the com
plsInsRts, and are ia q great msssure
responsible for the evils OF which they
complain. We pause to remark that
good places ara scarce and so are good
servants.
Some OF these white employers who
are Hiding fault are willing TO give q
servant their victusls aud clothes, with
five or ten cents thrown in sometimes
for good measure.
Or worse still girl seeking employ
ment is offered from 80 so per month
to SO per month and clothe herself. At
such meagre wages the very soul re-
volts aud poor service follows.
A female servant in this city who
receives ten dollars per month aud
room out" is said to be Living in
clover" aud to receive twelve dollars
per month is to be classed with the
VANDEBBILT's household.
When wages improve, then will the
servants improve. When we hear
white people speak of securing train I'D
servants for one dollar and fifty cents
per week, we smile and so do the SER
wants.
1t would be well to state that the
colored women who are toiling in the
kitchens and service-plsces in this
community are educating their sons
and daughters to be something more
than themselves, aud to occupy higher
positions than they, themselves occu-
Ply.
IL this were not true, the money ex-
pended on them for books and the like
would be virtually thrown away.
When the white people, rich and
poor decide to pay trained servants
prices, they will have little trouble to
secure trained servants.
This is made evident by the increase
in trained nurses. 1t has been the
salary as much so as the love of hui
manity, which has caused some of our
young women to prepare themselves
for this work of mercy.
As the matter now stands, colored
females are determined to wear them
selves out IN the wash-tub at home and
in the employment of their own peo-
pie, rather than take the slurs and in
suits of SOME Of these white people
who do not know how to secure q good
servant and still less how TO keep one
after she has been secured.
Good pay, good servants; poor pay /;
poor servants.