National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1878-02-08

II is stated that within the past six months
there have been over one thousand employees
dismissed from the various departments Of the
Government At least one-half of these un-
fOrtunates are women, many with children and
aged or INDECENT relatives dependent on them,
while others are alone and doubly helpless az
to friends and manner of support. The rcccp-
tiOn-rOOms adjacent TO the Senate and House
Of Representatives are daily crowded with
those who have thus lost their paocs-sad-
faced widows In weeds and innocent young
girls, endeaving TO secure Congressional infu-
cnce with the chiefs of Departments for their
rein Statmcnt Not one case out of a hundred
is successful, and as day after day goes by,
marked only by that hope deferred thab
maketh the heart sick, the scanty store in
purse and larder decreases and the wolf ut the
door grows more threatening and importunate.
The question is seriously asked. What is to
become of these women The only answer
to be given comes coupled with a suggesti0n---
that they must turn their attention elsewhere
and TO other pursuits, by which to gain an bOn-
est livelihood. The trades that require u
knowledge Ofthe needle. the scwinR.maehiue
the pen. and other essentially feminine ave-
nucs of labor, are always open, aud though per"
haps OvcrCrOwdcd here, Offer clbOwrOOm Glsos
where. An honorable position as sllcswOmau
In Il store is always much easier TO be obtained
than reinstatement in Government employ
Tho demand for intelligent housekcepers and
nurses was never so great rs now. To my mind
there is no degradation ia that sort Of labor,
and it is the lady that makes the position,
not the position that makes the lady.
TO he sure | would rather receive from
SO to 800 per month for six hours
day in Government employ, but If that were
unattainable the care Of children, or tho
charge of some comfortable kitchen, would 10
decidedly preferable to starvation or shame.
We cannot all feed from Uncle Samuels crib;
neither can we all be sChoOl-tcachers or scam
stresses, or writers. If one has a special gIit,
find out what II Is and practice ii, il Possible.
But there are few women born who have moi =
natural aptitude for housekeeping ana tho
care Of young children. Even in rearing
anOthCr's infants Oh, could not help loving the
| little creatures entrusted 10 ones care, and
there is an immense deal of satislaC lion 10 To-
derived from household dutics-in keeping al
the wheels aud COgs of the domestic machinery
in smoothly working orlcr-as every house.
keeper knows even If the pots and pans, tho
| porcelain aud the provisions, be not ones own.
| True the wages are not SO large, but tho
savings are about the same, taking into Nc-
count the difference in the demands oi dress,
| the shelter, food, fuel, &c.
| If cOngcnal occupations outside of GovCrn-
ment employ are not attainable here, in
| Heavens name seek them in other Cit~, and
| do not waste heart and hope in dancing fruit
less attendance At tho portals OF Congress.
| And right here let me earnestly warn all wo-
men who contemplate coming here in search
| OF Government positions to remain where they
arc for they cannot be worse oil among tho
friends aud acquaintance Of their old homes
| than here amid the shoals and quick>ands that
| surround unprotected females at the National
Capital. To return'to the five or six hundred
discharged and needy women who are clamOr-
| ing at the doors of Congress for employment
and means TO live, would it not be well for
| philanthropy to do something? Cannot a soci-
ETY. lie formed, a sort of
| MUTUAL NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICE,
whose duty II shall be to obtain employment
in other cities for the unemployed in thiS and
| to furnish means of transportation TO the des-
ttutc? Communicate with charitable asso.
Citations all over the country for this purpose,
advertise for them, aud, when situations arc
secured, see that some protecting care Is cxcr.
| Cscd over them for II time, until fairly started
in their new career. By such means many .
| good and virtuouS woman may be saved from
| the perditiOn into which starvation and ad-
verse circumstances force such numbers every
year. We have plenty of rcformatOry institute
| tons and asylums for such as have fallen l
would it not now be wise TO ina uguIate some.
thing like