The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-24

49, strict a business principle
her husband does his office or business
house. There are some women who
place the management of their home
upon a business basis. while others
will hold UP their hands in horror at the
they could never understand anything per-
tanning to the methods of business. The
average woman, however, likes to manage
her affairs as her husband does his office,
just to show him that she is much shrewd-
er than he gives her credit for being.
The servant-girl problem now adds so
many difficulties to the domestic situa-
ton that many women whose household af-
fairs have hitherto run smoothly are at a
loss how to proceed. AS rule, they get
very little advice from the men of their
families, the substance of the opinions vol
unteered being usually to the effect that If
they would conduct their affairs in more
business-like way they would escape trou-
BILE. AS to the details of such management.
however, they are commonly very vague.
Recently a Journal representative, think
ing it worth while to get the mans point
of view in regard to domestic matters, in
terviewed number of well-known citizens
Mr.. Paul III. Krauss was one of the first
seen and asked what he thought about a
woman managing her home on a business
basis.
NO" he said: that is impossible. A
woman, according to my opinion, cannot
manage her house in accordance with a
strict business rule. The reason for this
is that she is not situated in such manner
that she can do it, even If it were to her
liking. The help she has about her home
is very different from that which man has
in his office or business house With him
his help Is directly under his supervision
each man employed has his part to do, and
the employer can watch him and see that
he does it, but with woman controlling her
house IL is quite otherwise; her help, for
the most part, is in the kitchen, and I'M
less she stays there all the time herself
she does not have a direct control over II
does the man; then, duties come up IN
homework that are strictly emergencies,
and these, of course, would upset all cal
culations so far a rigid system is con-
cerned."
Mr. Barton Z. Parrot said he thought
everything depended upon circumstances,
and in his argument to sustain his views,
| said:
THE whole question as to whether a per-
sons home should be conducted according
! TO strict business methods depends on the
conditions and circumstances that he is in.
| There are families who get to certain
financial point where they do not have TO
look after every little detail. l believe
| that every one should live within his means,
and IL is his duty to watch and see that
he does not overstep this A woman should
| at least have this much business ability
about her. Young married people, as gen.
| eral thing, start their housekeeping on bust
| ness principles; this system, however soon
grows monotonous to them, and they shift
| to letting everything take care of itself
| and TO paying Tor IL when the bill comes
i in. OF course, to conduct things accord
ing to business is the best way, if circum-
| stances demand -"
| II am sort of crank on that subject,
/ said Mr.. w. s. Wickard. Il don't think
/ a woman should attempt to control her
! house a man does his affairs, because
/ she has not the opportunity TO learn bust
ness methods he does. As general rule,
| social and domestic, that it is impossible
| for her to learn them thoroughly enough
TO manage her house according to the laws
/ of business, and her duties cover such a
wide field that she has not the time, so to
/ speak, to get on to the different ways diff
/ ferent people have of transacting affairs OF
i this kind. For the most part, the woman
| of the house is thrown in contact with a
/ class of petty tradesmen who will not stop
/ at duping or cheating her on the least
/ provocation. 1t is my opinion that Ii is the
/ husbands place to see TO all such things
/ because IN his general run of business he
| understands the methods employed by vari-
| Gus people; then, / think that looking after
/ the daily business transactions of his house
| hold comes under the head of his general
routine work.
| Mr.. Harry w. Griffith, when asked If he