Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2Sth, 1884.

i The Republican National Cam
paign COMMITTEE has finished its
work here, and is awaiting with calm
courage the result. They are in pos
session OF such advices from all parts
| of the country as convince them that
the election of Blaine is as certain as
any future event can be. The citizens
of Washington, however, who do not
have the positive information of the
Committee, are more anxious. The
prosperity of the city is interviewer
with the life and growth of the
Republican party, and the very
thought of an alien regime causes
depression in real estate and in trade.
But no matter who is elected, Wash
ington will have its annual rehabita-
ton. In one month Congress will
assemble. Congressman have al.
ready assembled in considerable
numbers, and the city has been put
in trim for the Government. The
hotels, boarding houses, restaurants,
and saloons never looked more gay
and greedy than they look to-day.
The bite of hard times has not in
dented Washington, and is impotent
to hurt city that is supported, not
by commerce or industry, but by the
taxation Of the United States, and
the prodigality of fashion. To the
Government young lady clerk who
draws her hundred dollars per month
from the United States Treasury,
the vicissitudes of trade, tariff and
agriculture are tritles of no impor-
lance.
1t is admitted by those who have
experience in Washington official
and clerical life that the lady clerk
business has been overdone in the
| Government offices here. Under
the old patronage system the depart
ments were filled with sisters, cous.
| ms, aunts, and friends of senators
and cabinet officers with no regard
for their qualifications for the work
that had to be done. With rhe male
clerks it was different. A man of
influence would hesitate to recon.
mend a man without he believed he
was in some degree competent to
fill the position sought. That was
not necessary, however, in the case
of woman. She could appeal to
the sympathies of the senator, the
cabinet officer, or other influential
man, and get the appointment, not
r because she was fitted for the work,
, but because she needed the pay.
Women have been more successful
in securing positions for themselves
than men. They do not hesitate to
argue their distressed condition with
tears. When men 90 to work OH the
necessity plan they receive no sym
pathy, but are told that the Govern
ment offices should not be made
asylums for the helpless. So it has
, come to pass that the departments
, in Washington have been crowded
with women. The Chief of Bureaus
who have the uperintendence ofthe
clerical work would prefer to get
along without them, but they have
had no option in the matter. They
cannot manage the women. Almost
any man who has wife or mother
in-law will know how it is himself
1t often happens that the lady clerk
has more strong backing, and the
, position OF the Chief himself is less
secure than is hers. He dare not
cross her. She takes advantage OF
the situation, and vaunteth in her
strength, and does as she pleaseth,
to the utter decentralization of the
division, which is composed of from
ten to twenty other ladies similarly
panoplied with influence. Even
where woman has no strong influ-
ence the Chief fails in enforcing dis
cipline. His theory is to deal with
the woman as with the men under
him, but when the trial comes he
cannot get rid Of the idea that
she must be favored because of her
sex. Now that the civil service rules
are in force | have no doubt that the
woman branch of the service will be
improved. But where it is discre-
tionary with the Chief whether he
will choose man or woman who has
passed the civil service examination
he will in most cases choose the
former. On the other hand, where
it is a choice of tried woman clerk
for promotion or an unknown candi-
date for a first class clerkship he
will doubtless promote lady who
has shown herself capable and faith
Iful, and there are many such.
| Women Will make valuable clerks
when they have routine duties to
perform, but the experience of those
who have tried them here is that