Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-02-19
THE FEMALE CLERKS.
FroPoettion % Increase Their Com.
of Represemtatfyea

II
PensattOn-Ihe Debate I'm the 8oose
81 Representatives.
Ihe House OF Representatives YESTERDAY he
ing In Committee Of the Whole ON the ,egisl.. !.
| i've appropriation bill, Mr.. Holman moved "a
amend the paragraph in relation to the Internal
Revenue Bureau by adding proviso that where
female clerks are employed in the duti - of ths
nrst and higher classes Of clerks they shall re
ceiye the compensation of the clerk of thost
classes, which motion led to a long de nate.
Mr.. Holman called attention 60 the fact that
| at the last session OF the last Congress a pro-
vision similar to this was ingrafted by A vote OF
| the House upon an appropriation bill, hut wa
| lost in a committee of conference on some dis
agreeing votes OF the two Houses and said tha,
| he understood the fact to be that i'm many i'm
| stances. If it is not almost a general rule, fe-
| male clerks are employed 10 discharge duties OF
clerks Of the first class, Of the second class and
| even OF higher classes. t was not becoming 20
| the manhood Of members OF this House 90 allow
| the Government to receive the labor OF these
| females and not give them the same conpensa-
ton which would be given TO men performing
| the same duties. III females can be properly
| employed in an inferior capacity at 500 a wear
| very well. But where they are employed TO
perform the duties of male clerks. il Is not
worthy of this Government to receive their
| services without giving them the same compen-
similar services.
Mr.. Farnsworth concurred in Mr. Holman, 5
remark that IL was unworthy the manhood of
this House and the spirit of the age to refuse 10
give to women the same rate of compensation
that is given to men for performing similar
services Many of the women employed in the
Departments are the widows of men who per-
shed in the military service of their country
Some OF these women support by their labor
large families. They do in many cases the duties
ot fourteen or sixteen or eighteen hundred dol
Tar clerks; Yet they receive only $500, while
some stripping, who hall his time is smoking his
cigar with his heels on his table, receives 81 soO
Si,ioe; or Fl ,6Se; 1t is shame and a disgrace
Mr.. Negley believed that two-thrds of the fe-
male clerks were rebels, and said that appeal
asr APPEAL has been made to this DepaTtme ent
TO employ the widows of soldiers, but such per
IONS cannot obtain employments
Mr. Farnsworth thought the gentleman was
IN error, and again urged that women shouldr re-
eeiye the same pay as men for similar labor.
Mr. Dickey feared that ii the salaries of female
clerks were raised, their places would be taken
by men who have the right TO vote.
Mr.. FarnswOrth thought there was no force I'm
this argument, and said that I'm the Post Office
Department it had been found that the female
clerks did more work than the men used TO do.
Mr.. Dawes said that the proposition now made
would hardly result to the good Of these female
employees which the gentlemen seem to antici-
rate. These female employees have a field for
their services in the Departments: they have an
employment there at the liberal compensation
OF :: 90 year. which is far better than they can
GET IN any other employment in any other place.
AId why Because they can be found TO do the
WORK at that rate? 1t is because there is profit
10 the Government in employing females TO do
this work, and that Is the reason they have got
thefe POSITIONS and that, sir, is the tenure by
which they hold these positions. The moment
You put IT upon any other ground and pay them
pieeisely what you pay male clerks, then there
VIII be no further inducement to substitute fe-
males 1or males in any of the Departments.
Here may be all sorts of inducements which
would tend to crowd these females out of the
ID partme nts just so soon as they were put upon
an equality IN regard to pay with the male
clerks. The ground on which a female clerk
ho.ds her place in the Departments-and it is
Sne rS,L Only sI1asanis s because she can do the
Nctk as Well LOT which We pay male a much
eher price. The Government cannot resist
that; the Government is compelled TO give way
90 that argument; and it rs just in that way
tht sc female clerks have secured the positions
Which they now hold. Ii YOU say that when YOU
employ female you shallgive her precisely the
same pay as male, then there is no longer any
sueh nducement to the Government, and these
positions will be open to all the political infu-
enees brought to bear upon members i'm refer
ence TO their conventions at home, and i'm other
respects, 70 as to secure these places for their
male friends, and the result will be that these
females Will be entirely crowded out.
MT. Farnswortb.-I should like to ask the
less salary than is paid to the males who are now
emp,oyed in the Departments.
Mr. Dawes.-If YOU fill all these clerkships ac-
cording to the principle which the gentleman
advocates, then you must paw them ali, whether
male or female, at the same rate. Now, il there
is any one who should not want the female put
upon the same status with the males, but that
the former should receive less salary than he
latter for the reason have stated, it is these
very female clerks. 1 admit the soundness of
me abstract principle of justice I'm reference TO
these female clerks, bat that is not strong
enough to keep them in If they should be placed
upon the same footing; for, as l. have already
employment Of these female clerks is in fact that
the same services can be procured cheaper for
tne Government by the employment OF female
clerks than by the employment OF male clerks
Isubmit there is no answer to the DOS tion which
L take, that when the male and the female
clerks are put upon the same footing, the whole
make way for those who have done the tiirty
work in political conventions through the infiu-
6nee OF those whom they served to bring here
Intelligent females, both i'm and out of the De
as do. '~H'
Mr.. Rogers gave notice of his intention. If he
lived 10 be a month older, to Introduce n hill
abolishing the whole business of female clerks
IN the departments, and said il was, in his iudc-
ment, Degrading to the people of this country
ter year, around this hall and in our Hobbies. a
parcel Of women, hired, IL is pretended, for The
purposes of the Government, but in many in
gether.
Mr.. Farnsworth.-As the gentleman is not
sure Of living for thirty days he had better in
troduee his bill tomorrow.
Mr.. Rogers said this system grew M during
tEe war, when men were wanted in the field.
twas all wrong, and, now that peace had come,
should be abolished. He had too high a regard
for the female character to be pleased at the
sight OF seeing these ladies lobbying with MEM
bers 10 get their pay increased every session.
lie said: Thei1 influence is felt everywhere, and
IL This sort OF thing goes on am afraid the up
shot OF it will be that gentlemen. i'm their kind
ness to these ladies, will finally place the whole
administration under female management i
desire, sir, that women shall take the place
which the God Of heaven gave them, that thew
shall be the helpmeets for man, that they shall
discharge the duties which nature assigns to
them, and that they shall not come here acting
in the way have indicated. am astonished
that year after year. session after session. Con-
gress should allow this pressure to be exercised
Mr.. Beck thought they ought not to unset the
law organizing the Department, and spoke OF |
the great increase Of the expenses raising the |
pay OF the female clerks would entail on the |
Government.
Mr. Farnsworth.-This amendment does not /
propose to appropriate any more money than /
the bill does. II female takes the place Of Il
highcr-class clerk she takes the pay OF the clerk
Mt. Keney.-I believe Justice requires that Il
the Government shall pay to whoever docs
work for il all IL 10 worth and no more, and Il
therefore IL could with safety 30 them vote TO Il
incrense the pay Of female clerks to an equality Il
With that paid to men, would do II; but for the
COMMITTEES on. Appropriakions, I an satisaed
that il you make the pay equal The ballot and /
political msneuvering WIN exclude women from i
an Government employment; voters vim eet II, 1
and women Vim be 1eN to strive for themselves |
in other fields. And this brings me 10 the re- /
marks Of the gentleman nom Arkanaas (lGr. |