Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-12-02
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
FRIDAY ENEG, DEC. ;, 1881.
The Question will be- Determined.

The Question will be Determined.
Tho Puget Sound H'J, in com
mcntins on the article in the STANp-
ARD Of the 18th instant showing the
ire!isibilitv OF Miss Newell for tie
Office of Librarian, says:
There are prece,icnts for such appoint
mcnt~. \ lady for some years PAST ti'iN
been member of uur Board OF lminILia
ton. and one was appointed III" uthrr DAY
20 serve on the Board of T. il:'Itinu: and
it NAV be further n;Ici that tht!r
has probably not len "A Legislature since
the organiZation-Oi the Territory but has
appointed ladies 10 clerk>hiID- II! their
service; and Of all this our editorial friend
of the STANDARD has been fully cooniZint
and vet this i the first objection to such
appointments from any quarter, which l.
rather ungallant on the part OF the STAND
AID hitherto recognized as the advocat"
of the political rights OF the ftir sex: ana
particularly so a> that otherwise exec llrnt
journal announced in the same issue that
it had just reached its majority by round
ing the twenty-iirst year of its cNlstt nee.
The closing part of the above SEN
tence is not quoted because it Is
what is vulgarly called "tafy" for
the STANDARD, but to justify q de-
Tense of consistency. 1t is quite true
that ga lady has for some years past
been a member of the Board of In
mlgratlon," but probably the -Nad
is not aware that the place was
created especially for her as a re-
cognition of voluntary services freely
performed, to advertise the Terri
tory abroad, long before the Board
of immigration was thought of; and
the Assembly which created the
Board was considerate, or inconsid-
crate enough, to exact further SER
vice without one cent of reward by
way of salary. A few hundred dol
lars were appropriated 10 print circu
lars and provide postage, and this
by act was made payable to Mis-.
Stuart, and was of course legal
appropriation for specific object.
The ladies who have been appointed
on the Board of Education hold
their Office by legal tenure, under
the act of Nov. 10, 1877, which
makes woman the equal of man in
all matters affecting school interests,
but no further. The clerkships to
which the Mail alludes, have not
been bestowed by Lcgislaturos upon
ladies from the organization of the
Territory. The first of such ap-
pointments dates back less than half
a dozen years, but this point. aside
from showing general inaccuracy,
cuts no figure in the matter under
consideration. The duties of clerk
do not constitute an "office" in the
legal acceptation of the team. An
Office, according to Burrill's Law
Dictionary, is: can employment
on behalf of the Government, in
any station or public trust, not
merely transient, occasional, or
incidental" The same authority
further says: Webster defines il to
be a duty, charge or trust But
these seem to be rather the results
or incidents { though principal and
necessary ones) of Office. than to
constitute Office itself. The idea Of
IN Office clearly embraces the ideas
of tenure, duration, fees or emolu-
ments, rights and powers, as well as
that of duty" It will be readily
seen that clerkship is wanting in
several essential particulars to fully
meet this definition. 1t may pro-
perly he designated a position held
as an employee, which is d" transient,
occasional and incidental" without
specific tenure, duration or rights
AID powers. If woman, who the
law says shall not hold Office, accepts
such a position, under an implied
contract that the law-makino power
will after the performance Of duty
allow q reasonable compensation,
and provide by law for her payment,
there is no reason why she should
not avail herself of the benefit; but
without specific appropriation for
the purpose, can it be claimed that
she could collect any part of a rea-
sonable compensation for such ser.
vices?
The Office of Librarian is created
by law. 1t has tenure, duration,
emoluments, rights and powers, and
is not transient, occasional or Incl.
dental. The law provides that white
males over 81 years of age, "and
none others" shall hold Office in the
Territory. The Governor has said
his daughter shall hold this partic-
ular Office. The issue is we'll defined,
and if the disbursing officer draws
a warrant for single quarters pay,
he will be liable on his bond in four
fold the amount. This is no child's
play, so far as tho STANDARD is con-
cerned, and if the matter is pressed,
restraining order at the proper
time, to prevent the Auditor from
issuing warrant for salary, will de-
termine whether its position is ten
able or otherwise.
IT now appears that controlling
interest in the stock of the Pacific
Coast Steamship Co. has been
bought by the Willard combination.