Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-26
Women as CLERKS in Washington
SERIOUS CHARGRs nv vou~

The Independent says: 1--WE publish the fol-
lowing letter, bearing the signature Of a WON Ia
"a clerk CT the Treasury Department -thoug b
we nave no personal cQuain tance with her
IL ner statements are true they should arr6 81
exposed ~
TKEAsUeY DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON.
Niarcn ~ 10y In the last number Of the In
d'Iendent noticed a paragraph stating that
the compensation of the women in the depart
ments at Washington was about 10 be made the
same as that paid TO men; and, as a woman and
an employee OF the government, i trust there
can be no objection against my expressing m v
views regarding the subject.
The masses of women at the present time
employed in the departments are not possessed
of very brilliant clerical abilities. On the con
uary. very many OF them have scarcely edu
catlon enough TO tell the day Of the week by q
countlpg-house calender; and they owe their
appointments and continuance in Off &c TO theiI
personal advantages. When man receives an
appointment to A clerksh. p he is obliged to a %.
pear oelore board OF departmental ofice
ana undergo an examination; and. althougl
the examination is not so strict as tha
imposed on the graduating class Of a New
England college, il is so difficult tn at not on,
woman In hundr, d could pass 1t satisfac.
torIIy.
i, for enc, claim that women-educated
t y. OF course-sre as competent 10 per
form brain labor as men; but 1 do most EN-
phatlcaily obJect to having girls In their teens
with no other recommendation than q pretty
lace or pretty foot place themselves on an ID. .
tion.
am sorry to make the confession. but the
Truth iorcfs ii, that the departm ants are filled
with females-crowded, may saw, with those
who serve the Cover nment in no otner wav ex
cept to barrass the pu olic Off cials In the dis
chdrge OF their duties. 1 could furnish tn.
names OF scores and scores Of women, whom
the heaos OF departments have tried to get rid
OF for months and years, as being utterly worth
less. Yet nave been unable TO do so owing L.
outslde lnf uences. could furnish the n smes of
N M
work per diem for the government; not in eyery
instance because thev are unwilling, but be.
cause tney do not have the work-there being
too many engaged In the same labor In m.
once OF the Comptroller OF the Currency, for
instance, one third Ofthe force EN- ployed would
be quite sufficient 10 perform the labor Tnls
Is TO speculation on my part. / know whereof
In the Post Once Department the law pro
Vides for fifty female clerks, and desks are ar
ranged for that number; yet ex.Postmaster
Generai Randall appointed one hundred and
nve During the two weeks immediately PRIOR
10 ms exit he appointed thirty female clerks;
and for what reason Heaven only knows sine.
nearly oEe-hf of those already employed nad
cannot conceive of no earthly object Randall
mad In appointing these women. unless it was To
embarrass bis successor
In conclusion, hold that women who are
competent to perform the same labor As mon
should receive the same compensation, and be
SUBJECT TO the same conditions, for violating
which they should be dismissed.
Every woman employ ed SHOULD be subjected
70 the same examination as men, and persona
beauty or laxIty of Eerals ought not To be a
recommendation, as is too often the case. The
examining board ST ouid be women. In order
to prevent corruption in all bureaus where
women are employed, there should be female
auditors. 1 have an instance IN nv mind
where one malicious woman-clerk caused the
removal OF some i've or six faithful men sim
ply because they refused TO lend money TO her
husbs nd (D, worthless blackguard, who
never paid his debts. am happy TO state tina.
the auditor who made these removals has lust
resigned and gone to the w est.
Congress or the President ought to afford us
scme protection, If they allow MS to occupy
omcss. we ought not to be insulted by having
the paramours and mistresses of members OF
Cong ess forced upon rs, and be obliged to toll.
crate their sOciety day BY day. Let Mr. Bout.
well clean out the rim. ran and poll utiou of his
department. Let him appoint moral and com.
petent women; and then let Ms be paid accord.
tnG to our merits. Such Is the earnest prayer
Of every honest woman.clerk.
! HANNAH Tyler.