The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-04-07
Our Washington Letter.
wAsnINeroN, d. c., March, 1881.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., March, 1881.
We are convinced that the poets
f"gentle spring"has reached Washing
ton, but we know it less by the ac-
cepted signs of "verdure-crowned
meadows" %budding nature" etc.,
than by the prevalence of the vic
tim of influenza, by the fat bundles
and lean purses which the ladies
carry out of the gay, newly-stocked
stores, and by the unmIstakable
edors of hyacynths and Young
onions in the market place. This is
the genial season beloved bv the
young gentleman Of leisure (wheth-
er it be leisure by choice or by COM
pulsiOn), and he may be seen every
afternoon on our principal thor
oughfare at O'Clock. AT this hour
he selects convenient lamp-post,
props his weak spine against it,
lights a cigarette, fixes his eye-glass
If he has been fortunate enough TO
achieve that culminative Joint of
fashion-and prepares to feast his
soul on the flood of beauty that
surges homeward from the depart
ments.
BLESSED WOMAN.
By ten minutes past fourit is at its
height, this flowing stream of de-
partment clerks, of whom fit yper
cent. seem to be women. Young
women, middle-age women, old wo-
men-all represented in the hur-
rying crowd, and they seem to have
u consolidated monopoly of yellow
bangs, pink cheeks, natty blue or
| gray flannel Cuisines suits" long
ulsters, jaunty derbys and cunning
little shopping baskets
but lunch baskets de facto. Amidst
this tide OF women-kind, one sees
here and there, a white-haired wo-
man, care-worn and lonely-looking.
or an anXious-browed mother hasten
ing home to her fatherless children,
or perhaps to sick husband from
whose side bitter circumstance have
kept her and her gentle ministra-
lions all day, fastening home to the
household duties awaiting her
weary performance; and women are
not wanting in the motley throng
whose dainty carriage, and delicate
breeding bespeak former affiuence
Yes, worry and wrinkles enough are
there, unmistakable evidences of
need and toll. But, nevertheless,
the preponderance of youth and
beauty is noticeable. Perhaps it
was this fact which led the unvera-
cious Gath" during the past winter
to insinuate charges against the
system of employing women in the
government service which brought
down on his scandal-monging head
scathing rebuke from a lady who
protested to be one of the class in
jured by "Gath's" imprudent letter.
Gath" went too far, perhaps, on the
data furnished him by an informant
whose authority was declared ques-
tionable by his offended inquisitor.
Yet many of his remarks were i'll
disputable. 1t is undoubtedly true
that many young women with as
pirations after raiment more gor-
geous than their impecunious male
providers can supply, avail them
selves of the opportunity which the
government service affords to gain
the wherewlthal to array themselves
in those coveted superfluities offash-
ion which cause the uninitiated to
mistake one of those young women
in fur cloak, plush bonnet and pro-
fuse jewelry for princess of most
extended income. Now, of course,
no one can presume to rebuke that
spirit which is impelling so many
women to become self-supporting
when opportunity offers, however
much she may lay herself open to
criticism for expanding her money
in aping the elegance of a station
higher than her own, instead of
putting it to wiser and more last
ing use. But when a widowed
mother of five fatherless young
children is told that there is ''no va
cancy" when she applies for posi- |
ton, one cannot help thinking that
the satin-robed young woman who
spends her fifty-dollars per month |
in caramels, bangles and general
uselessness could very easily be dis
pensed with to make room for her
more needy sister. The practical
business man laughs at this as mere
Quixotism, but, bear in mind that |
Uncle Sam processes, with some os-
tentation, to combine business with |
benevolence. Needy widows with |
no other dependence, are supposed
to be his special protegees, homeless |
orphans are said to be the delight |
of his paternal heart, the wives of |
broken-down soldier husbands-sad |
remnants of the civil strife that
opened the bloody chasm are
believed to have an undenia- |
BILE claim to paying positions |
He is supposed to have an unlimited |
fund of sympathy and mercy to |
which congressman can appeal on
the behalf of needy constituents |
when seeking occupation for them |
in the departments. Ii civil SER
vice reform is going to prevail by |
putting the right man in the right |
place and keeping him there, 1t is to |
be feared the benevolent business
will come to q stand-still.
But the question is, how far the |
merciful leaven really permeates the
present method of appointments.
No doubt many needy women are |
enabled 10 support themselves and |
those depending OH them by serv-
ing the government; but, on the /
other hand. everybody in Washing-I
ton knows that some of the prac |
tees resorted to by the dispensers
of appointments are most repre-
hensible. A gentleman of influence
Indignantly affirms that, a short |
time ago, he called ON the head of
one of the most extensive of the de- |
partments to obtain a clerkship for
a young friend who had the misfor-
tune not to be born in Ohio Il
the head of the department
requested him to cali again,
when he would have more leisure.
On his way out the gentleman met
Two handsome and SLOWLY dressed
women whom he recognized as va
riety actresses here, being ushered
into the presence of the great man
who had so little leisure, "and," af-
firms the indignant informer "they
got positions then and therer The |
gentlemen in the Texas legislature
who are favoring the admission of
female employees into the State De-
partments are working in accord