The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-04-08
Treasury DEPARTMENT, WAsHINGToH, Z
March 10 1850

In the last number of tie 1NDEPEHDENT !
noticed a paragra PHI stating that tho c0mpen-
safion of the women employed in the depart
ments at Washington was about to be made the
same as that paid 10 men and, as a woman
and an employee of the government, trust
there be no objection against my express
ing nv views regarding the subject.
The masses of women at the present time
employ ed in the depaI tmentS are not possessed
of very brilliant clerical abilities. On the con
trary, very many of them have scarcely educa-
ton enough to tell the day of the week by
counting house calendar and they owe their
app0 intments and continuance in Office to their
personal advantages. When man receives
an appointment to n clerkship, he is obliged
appear before aboard of departmental officers,
and undergo examination and, although
the examination is not so strict as that Impos
ed on n graduating class of New England
college, it is so difficult that not one woman
in hundred could pass il satisfactorily.
], for one, claim that Women-educsted wo-
men, of courSe-are as competent to perform
brain labor as men but do most emphati-
cally object to having girls in their teens,
with no other recon mendation than a pretty
face a pretty foot, place themselves on an
intelIeC tual par with men and women of edu
cation.
am sorry to make the confession, but the
truth fore es it, that the departments are filed
with females-crowded. / may say, with those
who serve the government in no other way ex
cept to embarass til public officials in the dis
charge OF their duties. / could furnish the
names of scores and scores OF women, whon
the heads of departments have tried to get rid
of for months and years, as being utterly
worthless, vet have been unable to do so Ow-
ing TO outside influences. ] could furnish the
lanes of scores OF women who do not perform
an hours work per diem for the government {;
not in every instance because they are unwi'
ng, bat because they do not have the work
there m ped Ia m la
Dor. In the Office of the Comptroller of the
Currency, for instance, one-third of the force
employed would be quite sufficient to perform
the labor. This is speculation on my part.
! know whereof | affirm.
In the Post Office Department the law pro-
viGeS for fifty female clerks. and desks are ar
ranged for that number yet ex-Postmaster
General Randall appointed one hundred and
five. During the two weeks Immediately prior
to his exit he appointed thirty female clerks !;
and for what re lson Heaven only knows, since
nearly one fifth OF those already employed had
nothing 10 do-nay, not even seat in the Of
fee. / can conceive of no earthly object Kan
dali had in appointing these women, unless it
was to emnarrass his successor.
In concus on, hold that who are comoe
tent to perform the same labor as men should
receive the same compensation, and be subject
to the same conditions. for violating which
they should be dismissed.
cd to the same examination as men, and per
sonal beauty or laIity of morals ought not to
he ja5ioL, as Is too often the case
The examining board should be women. In
order to prevent corruption in all bureaus
where women employed, there should be
! female auditors. | have an instance in NV
mind where one malicious woman clerk caus-
ed the removal of some FIVE or six faithful.
men, simply because they refused to lend noH-
ey to her husband (2), worthless blackguard
who never paid his debts. l am happy to
state that the auditor who made these reno
walls has just resigned and gone to the West.
! Congress or the President ought to afford US
| some protection, if they allow Us to occupy of
/ fce5. We OUGHT NOT TO b INsULTED By
HAvIrG THR PARHSURS AND MisTREssEs OF
! MEMBERS OF G NGREs5 FORCED UPON Us, AND
BIZ OBLIGED To TOLERATE THEIR soCILTY DAY
! BY DAY Let Mr.. Boutwell, clean out the ruff
! raft and pollution OF his department. Let him
! appoint moral and competent women /; thc1
let us be paid according to our merits, Such
is the earnest prayer of every honest woman
| clerk. HANNAH TYLER.