Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-04-29
A WOMAN'S VIEW
or the Civil Service Reform Movement
What the Sex Locks Forward TO
as the Result OF Ii.
A Talk with Capable Woman who
Has Been in the Government
Service Many Years.

New YoRK-The Tlbuae's Washington
correspondent writes:
The views OF sp:sc,ical womsu, who has
been m any years IN the government service,
on the interesting question Of the equality
OF women with men before the Civil Service
Commission, and the vexed question OF
woman's efficiency are much entitled 10 be
heard, al iesst on the ground Of fairness, as
those OF men. So various points were put
the other day to a lady who is known SIS one
of the most capable clerks in her division,
and who has had tue benefit of q loDg obser-
vaiion in the service. She said promptly
that the practical women wanted no favors,
and were "a anxious IS men could be 10 keep
incompetent women out. Sue said: Il hope
the commission won't attempt to discrimin-
ate against women in the examinations. The
law places no limit, and it will hardly do
for the commissioners to open the door a
crack when the law throws 1t wide open.
Women should be allowed TO compete with
men as the Law permits and they should
stand or fail By the result Ia 80 tne pfooa-
tionsry 3oeTfUd alter line examination that is
the true test, alter ell, for both men and
women"
These we're among the things said by this
lady, and are worth Getting down: "What we
women look forward to in the Civil Service
reform movement is OF only the opportunity
it gives capable women for appointment and
advancement in the service, but also the
effec, il will have il they administer the law
properly, in preventing the appointment of
Incompetent women. The odium If their
ineficiencT falls on all OF us-for men Judge
themselves as iudiv ,duals aud women a
class. A mau who Ia Us sless as clerk, in
temperate aud good for nothing generally, is
az often kept In office by politics al Influence as
hrN "a int
eucs TO the Office is equally great, but you
never hear the remark; II is great mistake
20 appoint men TO thes- plsces' Those of
US whose self-rerpect dem snds that We shall
earn every dollar We receive, and who take
pride in having good grade of work, and
in doing it we'll, always resent the appoint
ment oil a woman who does not perform her
duties al hfuily and we'll.
"Ia proportion 10 the number appointed,
il is uy obserTsliou, and [ have been in the
service eighteen years, and have given the
matter some attention., tb at there are as many
| incompetent clerks among men as among
women. 1udeed, l am no; sure but that the
proportion Of worthless clerks is greater
among the men. The employment OF wo.
1 wen is an experiment, and because il ia an
| ex experiment. they are more closely observed
+, than the men, and their shortcomings, Of
whatever kind, whether physical or mental,
are mere surely noted. When you consider
the manner in which appointments have
been made, you cannot wonder at the num-
Der of ine fl ieut clerks employed in the
various departments. a large number Of
women have been appointed for sentimental
| ressous. Their needs and not their qualif-
| cations have been considered. On the other
hand, large number Of men have been APP
| pointed for what may be called similar rea-
| sons The question Of ability has not been
considered, but they have been appointed
simply because they were soldiers in the war.
| This sentiment may have been higher than
the other, but it WAS none the less seuti-
ment. The gratitude Of the country ought
TO be express. d in increased pensions rather
| than in appointments that demoral;ze the
| service.
THE most pressing duty upon each head
| OF department Is the dlsmissal OF iDcompe-
tent clerks OF both sexes, and it lie a duty the
performance OF which should not be de-
issed. Taking women 10 the service as they
now are even, they would be far better clerks
il their immediate superiors who are men
in almost every case, knew how to make
them 30. Women are Disseminated against,
if they did bat know it, in the character Of
the work assigned 10 them. i consider III At
every won an is ditcriminated agfinst when
abe ia givsn he essieet work, and is thus
made 10 feel thai not much is expected OF her.
She il also diserimina ed sgainst when shs is
accorded greater privileges than men in the
way OF Shorter hours, ele. Heads Of bureaus
allow Irresponsible women 10 do a. they
please, and then 60 abJut weakly complain
ing that women in general are not as good
clerks as men. This policy of official cod
ding, alternating with official dispsragement
does not Tend to increase the tfhciency Of any
class OF eletks.
"The very general assertion that women
are not so aysilable as men for Cfice work is
hard 10 meet; unless some illustration is
given, and that is selSort the ease. know
one case, however, in which the obi sclion
wAs clearly stated. A s,enograpber 10 a bu-
reaa in one Of the departments, who WAS
aboot TO resign his position, said 10 a woman,
also ssenographer, and in the line OF pro-
motion, = am sorry you can't have this
place. You are periectlS Competent ~ do
all the work connected with it, but you know
you couldn't say 10 senator, for instance,
II one should come in the absence of your
chief, Good morning, Mr.. Senator. What
can j do for you, Mr.. Sanator?"' This wo-
man was, Of course, too deeply impressed
with the Importance and difficulty of this
duty ever to apply for the position, or 10 be
al all surprised 10 find, when the appoint
ment was given 10 a man, that such tribes as
accuracy in spslling and in grammar had
been overlooked in mSkingthe seleotion.
Il know Of but one man in The Treasury
Department who knows how to bring out all
there is in clerk, man or woman, and while
the clerks in his division differ 20 TO ability,
they are all efficient in their several degrees,
and rot the least efficient sre the women.
There sre no better clsrks in she Treasury
Department to-day than the women who
were appointed and promoted under tue
Civil Service rules in operation in Gen.
Grants time. Whsn women have a fair
& Id and no favor it will be in order 10 de.
termine OF what value their services are,
snd what should be their status in the civil
establishment. Under these conditions !
have no fear what tbs verdict will be. II
the Civil Service law is carried out as it
should be-as all thinking clerks hope il
viii be-then faithful and capable men and
women will work side by side, sharing an
equal responsibility, and receiving equal pay
fer an equal amount OF work performed"