The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-10-18
Nep York Herald.

Though they had been employed else
where by thousands there was at least ;
! recognition of the fact that the State
department was not superior to tht
United States Supreme Court, for ;
woman had been recognized by tina
body as worthy to be "of COUNSEL anc
to appear before this high judicial body
attired even as the judges themselves
in black silk gown. The question i:
naturally asked, Do women make good
clerks? Are they as competent, as skill
full, as reliable as the male clerks? The
experience of those who have been long
in civil service is that women do not
average in their work as well as men.
This is not only true of the kind oflabor,
but of the actual amount performed.
There is in the Treasury department
one lady who gets $500 per annum-
that is, she rates as fourth class clerk.
There are in the department altogether
nearly one thousand women-all intelli-
gent, and many of them have been in
public service for years. But they sell
dom rise above the rank Of the first class,
or S12oo clerk. Many of them are
graded as copyist, receiving but 5000 a
year, and there is notthe slightest preju-
dice against their promotion. Heads
of bureaus and divisions will tell you
that whenever women is found compe-
tent to do important work, to take
charge of any special matter, she is glad
ly and promptly accepted for such a
trust. 1t would be invidious in such
an article to specify particular talent.
There are ladies in all departments of
the government who receive the same
pay as their male associates, none high
er than $500 year; few at $1,000,
more at SI4oo, and majority at SI2oo.
Speaking on this subject to gentleman
one one Of 'd the largest departments, he said
he had compiled statistics from the re-
cords of his office which showed that
beyond the legal vacation allowed, OF
thirty days in each year, the women
were absent twice as long as the men,
but that the percentage of charge was
against the male clerks. Reasons fo1
removal were as ten to one against the
men, and complaints of any kind were
seldom made against the women en-
ployes. He knew of one female whose
compensation was SI4oo year who
kept the books and checked accounts
exceeding 81, 900, 900 every year, and
whose reliability was as high as that
of any employe in the department.
The first employment given to women
by the government was during the war,
when paper money had to be substituted
for gold and silver. Redemption of the
mutilated notes issued by the govern
ment and National banks made the SER
vices of women indispensable. The
mass of filthy and torn currency return
ed to the treasury for redemption made
the employment of dexterous fingers a
necessity, and none were found SO apt
at handling it as the women employed
in the bureau ofengraving and printing,
and in the office of the United States
treasurer. The counting of the new and
old fractional currency gave employ
ment to hundreds of women; and as
they became accustomed to the accurate
form of the genuine notes, it was next
to impossible to deceive their practiced
eye and delicate touch, SO that counter
felt note had no earthly show ofredemp-
ton. Not only was this true of the
fractional currency, legal tenders and
| National bank notes, but of government
bonds and the thousands of coupons
that had first to pass the inspection oil
women before they could be credited to
government account. 1t is part of the
record of the treasury that women served
the government as patriotically during
the war as men in the field. The temp.
tation which the counterfeiters had to
food the country with bogus currency
was greatly diminished when it wa:
known that the system of redeeming
notes would bring their work under
keen and never-failing eyes that made
it impossible to impose the counterfeit:
upon the public. 1t is in the bureau o.
engraving and printing and the United
States treasurer's office that the greater
number of females are employed. Al
the government printing office there i:
large number working in the folding
and press rooms, and bindery. Theil
skill is more of a mechanical than &
clerical kind. This is also true of the
majority of the women employed in
the bureau of engraving and printing
yet there are women whose services are
graded as high as those of men.
In the War department, excepting
the quartermaster generals bureau, the
gentle voice of woman is never heard
So, too, in the Navy department there
is dearth of women. There are few
female clerks under Secretary Chandler
but their presence happens to be obnox
ious to the building as they are to thu
vessels of the navy.
"Did l not hear the rustling of
woman's Dress" exclaimed the lat
Secretary Hunt on visit to the Tai
lapoosa.
"You did," replied the commander
"The lady is my wife,
"Ah! ah! Your wife! Home is tn
place for wives. You have violated m,
orders sir; in allowing petticoats OF
board our ship. will see you, sir, a
my office. Yes, sir! this very after
noon."
| Whether there is prejudice agains
women being employed in the Wa