New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-23
WOMEN IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.
A WOMAN'S VIEW.


~ TuE GOVERNMENT sERyICE-wHAT WOMEN
LOOK FORWARD TO IL THE REFORM MOVEMENT
tppov rqR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRlBUNE'i
WASHINGTON April 2l.-The vie VS. OF prac'icai
woman. who has been many years IN the Govern
ment service on the interesting question OF the
e,u.lity OF women with men before the Civii oer'
ice Commission and the vexed question OF woman
efficiency are as much entitled tn he heard at 'e"'
on the ground OF fairness. as those OF men, 90 va"
Gus points were put the other day 10 'auy ""'
known as one of the most capable CLERKS ~ "'' -
ylyion aud who has had the beneht OF ions w
| srvs,,on in tbs service She said promptly that
tho nracticai women wanted no favors, and were as
anxious as men could be TO keep incompetent women
ont Said she : al hope the Commission won "'-
teuvt TO discriminate against women IN me eAan
nations The law places no imlt' anu ~ "
hardly do for the Commissioners to open the door
a.crack where the law throws it wide OPEN women
sbould be allowed to compete with men as Tie law
rornit. and they should stand fail by the result
II ia ne probationary period after the exanna ION
that "a the true test after all. fer Doth men ana
women"
These were among the things said by this lady,
and are worth setting down I" What we women
look forward TO IN the Civil Service Reform move
ment is not only the opportunity II gives capaOe
women for appointment and advancement In the
service Int also the effect it will have IL they ad-
minister the Ia properly in preventing the appoint
ment of incompetent women. The odIum vi their
ineffciency falls on all of us-for men Judge them
SCI, es rs individuals and women as class. man
who is useless a clerk. Incorporate ana good lor
nothing generally, is often kept III once DIV pot
ical influence as woman who is inefficient. The
incon yenience to the Office equally great but you
never hear the remark. 1t is a great mistake to
.pla n
self respect demands that shall earn every dollar
we receive. ana who take pride IN having good
grade of urk and in doing 1t well. always resent
the appointment Of a woman who does not perform
her duties faithfully and well.
ain proportion to the number appointed. 1t is my
observation and have been in the service eighteen
wears andhave given the matter some attention. that
there are as many incompetent clerks among men as
among women Indeed. am not sure but that the
proportion OF worthless clerks Is greater among the
men. The employment Of women Is an experiment
and because 1t is an experiment they are more
c,osely observed than men, aud their shortcomings
of whatever kind, whether physical OF mental arc
more surely noted. When you consider the manner
in which appointments have been MACS. you caun0t
wonder at the number of inefficient clerks employed
IN the various departments. A large number of
woman have been appointed for sentimental reasons
Their needs and not their qualifications have been
considered, On the other hand, large number OF
| men have been appointed for what may DO called
| similar reasons 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
il WAS none the less a sentiment. The gratitude Of
the country ought to be expressed in increased
sions rather than IN appointments that demoralize
| the service.
IN Mt
nartment is the dismissal OF incompetent clerks OF
| both sexes and II Is n duty the performance oil
which shoUld not be delayed. Taking women IN
the service AS they now even, they wond 10 Tar
better clerks If their immediate supercrs-who are
| men in almost every case-knew how to make them
| So Women are disseminated against, II they dil
but know it, in the character Of the work assigned
In them | consider that every woman 10 discflul-
| mated against when she is gwen the easiest work
and is thus made feel that not much IL expected
OF her. She is also Disseminated against when she
is accorded greater privileges than men IN the way
| of aborter hours etc Heads of bureaus allow
irresponsible women TO do as they Please. ana then
| 90 abont weakly complaining that women IN gen
eral are not as good clerks men. THIS policy o!
official coddng alternating with Official dsparage-
ment does not tend 10 increase the efficiency vi any
| class of clerks.
aThe very general assertion that women are not
so available as men for Oics work. is hard to meet
unless some illustration is given. and that s seldom
| the case know Que case. however. IN which the
objection was clearly stated. stonographer 10 a
bureau in one of the departments who was about "
resign his position said to a woman. aiso stenog-
rapher ana IN the line Of promotion. am sorry
| Won can't have this place. You are perfectly com
petent to 60 al the work connected with H. but yon
know you condn't say to "A Senator for Instance, II
one snon Id come ia the absence of your ehiet Good
| mornino Slr Senator WHAT can | do for yon, VI e.
| SenatorP This woman was. of course. too desply
IMMERSED with the importance and difficulty OF this
duty ever to apply for the position or TO he at all
| surprised to find, when the appointment was gwen
to man. that such riles accuracy 10 spelling ana
| in grammar had been overlooked in making the
| selection.
al know of but one man in the Treasury Depart
| men: who knows how 10 bring ont all there ls III
| "A clerk. man or woman. aud while the clerks in his
division differ as to ability they are all eif IN
their several degrees and not the least efficient are
the women There are better clerks i'll the Treas
| nry DEPARTMENT to-day than the women who were
| appojnted and promoted under the civil Service
| rules IN oLeratiUn in General Grants time. When
women have fair field and no favor II will be IN
order TO determine OF what value thar services are.
and what shoull be their status in the civil estab
| Iishment Under these conditions have no lear
what the verdict will be. If the civil service law Is
carried ont as it shOud be-as all thinking clerks
hone it will be-then faithful and capable men and
women will work side by side sharing an equal 10
accessibility. ana receiving equal pay for al equal
amount of work performed" ID. d. L.
| -------