New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-15
WOMEN IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.
WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS WILL DO.

|
| sIDERATIONs AFFECTING THE ADMISSION OF
WOMEN TO THE HIGHER GRADES OF THE SER
| VICR-THE NUMBER EMPLOYED AT PRESENT
| IRON TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNHl
! WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE one great subject OF
popular interest in connection with the rules OF the
Civil Service Commission. which cannot he promul-
| gated until the President returns and approves
them appears TO be the question OF the equaiity OF
non-equaity of women with men IN the compeu-
ton for places in the Government service ms
interest in naturally great here, but judging by the
discussion in various newspapers over the country,
it is almost as keen elsewhere. as any question oil
| furnishing women honorable and well-paid employ
ment alwaysls IS.
| In fact the Government service seems eSpeciahy
| attractive 10 women The hours shorter than
! in positions which they could commonly OBTAIN III
ordinary business; the work is likely to be clean
| and pleasant ; and while women are usually denled
| an equality with men in the amount oil pay on
| entering tho servIce--the women receiving n9Oo,
the men 81, 2OO-the pay they do receive IS larger
| than they would be likely TO get In the OUTSIDE
world for the same work, under the RUE Whlch
| seems TO obtain there-that of paying woman
| always less than man, whether she does mans
work or not. Ii is not strange under these crcum-
stances that women have been quick to III the new
civil service law What they believe to be WIDER
chance for an honorable livelihood for many OF
their SEX II is not new thing that the civil
service law should make distinction between men
and women and should, in fact recognize
women in terms. by requiring every appli-
cant to state "his or her" residence
under oath. Senator Trumbulls amendment
TO an appropriation act passed in 1870 directed that
women should be paid the same men where they
were doing the same work, and authorized their
appointment 10 the higher mems grades But the
law has been nearly dead letter. Besides. per-
sona or political influence, and usually large
amount of psrsisency also, have always been neces
sary to secure an appointment Now, however the
DAYS of Influence" are Over-at least IL Is hoped
So An applicant who does not know soul IN
Washington is to have the same chance to pass an
examination as the nephew or niece OF the highest
Government official This situation has apparently
inspired women with the idea of entering the Gov
eminent ,rvice who would not have had the cour-
age to attempt it before.
But the subject is attended with embarassmens.
SO experienced officials say. An examination Is not
so conclusive q test, they say, with q woman as
with a man, for several reasons, one of which
is the prevalence of ill health-the bane
of American women may
pass better examination than a man, and yet lack
the strength which he would have to perform the
steady round of work without interruption. The
women now have monopoly of the 5000 grade of
clerk ships, with the chance of promotion to the
higher grades. which many of them have attained.
They are sometimes appointed nOminally as labor
crs or messengers, but do clerical work. Men are
usually appointed at $1,000. with the chance of
promotion to 81 400. 1000 and $1,000 There
are some appointments at ST. 900, but that Is COM
paratively a small grade, TO which women are often
promoted from the 5000 gade The women having
.aI nlv nf la
grade. il is argued by officials who are entirely
friendly to women, that it would give them an I'M
fair advantage over the men to throw open the
upper grades also 10 them If the upper |
grades are to be open 10 the women. |
would seem that the 5000 grade ought to be open
10 the men, But il is quite likely that tho women |
themselves would like TO retain this foothold. and
would prefer not to run the risk OF being crowded
of OF it by men.
There has been great deal of speculation as 10
what the Commission will do. Some officials, who say
that the present proportion of women in the service
ought not TO be increased because their average Of
efficiency is not high that OF men, have hoped
that the Commissioners would embOdy III their
rules one that women should be examined only for |
the $500 grade. But it may be safely stated that |
the Commissioners will take no such step. unless
the President should modify their present conclu-
sions The law gives them no authority to dis
eliminate either III favor OF women, as some have
appealed to them to do, or against them rs
Others have thought they ought TO do.
They are simply charged by tho law
with the duty Of discovering which
of the persons who seek places III the service are
qualified, and there their duty will end. Theaw does
not authorize them to take the of applicants
into consideration at all, and the Commission is
bound 10 steer as close to the law any other
branch OF the Government. The ordinary procedure,
when a vacancy occurs in one of the depart mentS
will be as follows: The head of the Department
will notify vacancy in, say 81 200 clerkship, to
the Commission. The Commission Will in return
send to him the names Of the highest three appli-
cants as shown by the records Of the examinations,
from whom he is at liberty to choose. If there are
women among them and he prefers to appoint
man, he will have the right to reject the women.
If they should all be women, he would be Obliged to
appoint ono of them-as he would probably
TO- or take the responsibility of informing the
Commission that he did not propose TO
add TO the number of women in his
Department. 1t follows then, that the right OF
women to be examined will DO unlimited but the
question of their appointment after examination
will depend a good deal upon the different heads
Of departments 1t may be that the privilege of ex
will be seized upon by good many
women who want TO use the certificates elsewhere,
IS was done in England where iAany were examined
no had no intention of going into the Government
ervIce but used the certificates to get places as
chool-teachers. The practice went so far that
,edge Is exacted that the applicant intends to
inter- the service Perhaps it may lead also to the
anne complication that gravey reported by ,,
er Maiesty's Civil Service Commissioners less
han twenty years ago, who speaking of the first 4,
rial of competitive examinations for school 1
eachers, said that the females have been so !
ar advanced in mental power and influence
s to have been lost to the service by O
engagements obtained with exceeding
apidity. To avoid these losses palmer candidates
sere selected for training; but they. too have at