, 1877-06-09
Treasury Clerks.

Washington correspondent gives a EiVln account
of scenes which h, occurred the treasury depart
-, an ~ r..ut o,a,,-;o.,s when ieInsle heads have
fallen under the political guiiiiJtine These scenes
have been quite frequent n the treasury uparth nj
dnriu. III. east year We do not know how many
have isen dismissed from Government service, but
tL.r I,nenIatcDs A. heard through the lady letter
writers of Washington, ill the band from Name To
California. Yet il Is not possible thst one govern
inent clerk male female, has been dismissei Tor
each ten that has been thrown out OF employment
by the depression in business. A nunber OF emo
toni critters of the Mary Ciemmer aud Grace
Gfenwood class have made these dsin' sed treas
ury clerks their especial theme lbey ihdeets e-f'-
sure the Administration tor diSetArgnS CLERKS lor
xbou there IS mo work Says Grace Greenwcod tp
the New York Times What shall we do with the
fathers and mothers suddenly deprived OF employ
ment aud the multitude Of poor children brought
face 10 face with cruel want =" Now, the womanly
and kiDd-heartel Grace Greenwood very naturally
sympatbzes with any person IN distress, more es-
p-ciaIIy whose distresses she wltn,sStSi but II Is
hardly the fair thing 10 rrprodeh The government i9r
hismlssny EMPLOYEES whose services they no ion5et
ne.si Doubtless there wOcid be fewer 10 turn out
now if bus principles had preyaile little more
closely under the last administration. Clerks were
employed In different departments almost without
llDIIt number very many OF whom had little or
moi hing to do AMI when the country summons the
lowers that be to closer recknoing the super HuCus
clerks must fall In business point OF view. ser
vice under the government Is not worth having. No
one not cabinet officer, knows what hour may
end his Oiieial existence. kyery clerk, male and
female hangs upon the intuen OF some politician.
wise grip ON the public CRIB may at any time he
laSed The Positions thus held by frgl tenure,
all the more irritating that nO;blng The Ter can do
i'll adj particle his strength. Very rarely, III
dee are efficiency and hielty IN pubhc service
glrded reason why position should be made
permanent. These positions gifts which used
10 stIerg hen the glyer They part of Sena-
tor on 81 eretafys perg usi.e. STILL with all these
uncertainties ami all tn humiliation women have 10
put up with 10 secure appointments, million ABx
IUns faces turned toward government places IN
different port ions Of tbs Union. Each one seems TO
thiuk that place III the treasury deL Lartment, tie
MINT the lost Office, Is security against want for
nfe lime aud money spent IN getting IN, and
perhaps before the wasted capital Is replaced the
eun,nt IL told TO move on" This Is very sad aud
very discouraying and women ask with in thel:
eyes what they are 10 do That question may not
easily be answered, but very small experience su-,-
gesIs what they shCuld not do Government service
Is about the least desirable the country.
false idea of It's superior respectibty Is TO
| ;Grity of Iaen its prncIIal clarm. mIn may
hunt the country for reasonably intelligent,
amitble and American girl TO assist his
wife with her household duties, while hundreds au-
sWrring all these requiem. waiting fIom day
to day IN the VAIN hope OF place IN branch OF
public seiyce. Public sympathy with these dis
charged clei Ks would be much greater than If Their
| folly IN seeking such Situations less patent.
When Daniel Webster demonstrated yyIth in re-
gard 10 his choice OF profession the ground that
lawyers we're tl.cs graSshOppers and not much
more useful, lac replied that there plenty of
at the top. This illustration Is quite true when
| appllss L. labor, If r,yersed.-Ex.