National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-07-28
PART IL.

praced the throne OF home or reigned su-
preme in knightly hearts. A large proper
ton OF them are rellcts, or daughters, or
kinsmen Of noted, learned, refined, and
aristocratic people; acknowledged ladies
everywhere, untouched by stigma and SUI
perior to slight. But for the political auc-
tioneers among voters, but for tho en-
venomed reprobates in disguise, Office life
in Washington would BIO without o stain
upon woman's name, and the women en-
ployed would be allowed to earn their daily
bread without fear Of insult, and without
dread Of false and slanderous reproach.
Moreover, their offices are known to be
insecure because q voter shadows every
desk.
A New York Graphic writer said "Wo-
men get office on wholly unscientitic
grounds" Yes, they do to-day. AS wo-
men we say our prayers and bow submis-
sively, but the woman suffrage problem,
when solved In the not distant future, will
settle that unfortunate de6ciency--and wo-
men will enter on the usual scientific "ln
and outn plan, as voters. The same writer
says "Their influence in Washington has
been either Obstructive or vicious. A wo-
man is a born beggar." 1t remains TO be
said that IL ls the born beggarism OF the
inner man which finds women as Office
holders so "obstructlve.n
Certainly men want woman's place In of
fee 1--WE know it), and therefore they dub her
''obstructive'' and for thatreason vicious"
The writer adds "Feminlne unadaptability
in the federal service is an important fact
from the political point of view. 1t is be-
cause women are not as good clerks as men
that they ought not to be employed by an
unsentimental government"
This assertion may, herewith, be hatly
contradicted, without the shadow OF an
onoln0v and tha pnuntpr aeepr tiOn made
that for the office ever extended to woman,
for the desks given her to preside over In
the past, and for those Of higher grade Of
work which have been opened TO the manip-
ulations OF few women, they have proved
that they will Guido men In the labor, rise
superior to them in faithfulness, and sur
pass them in efficiency and accuracy, and
In the majority Of cases out-run them In
rapdity Of manipulation. l assert this as
the outgrowth Of observation and based
upon the general records OF Office and the
sum totals Of daily and monthly official re-
ports, where personal knowledge led to
these conclusions, unbiased by prejudice or
Partially.
Common consent and statistics have not
yet In Washington circles disapproved this
belief or assertion.
speak not Of woman in reference to
desks and labors, to which she has no entree
or invitation clerically.
refer to the place she fills and to the
Office she holds, with credit to Its duties
and to herself.
In large majority Of cases the appoint
ment paper includes that broad and unde-
Enable term, "copyist.n
Many women are given that work to do
and simply that; others are assigned SUI
perlor class Of work, with no increase OF
pay, but, on the contrary, are paid at the
rate supposed to be just remuneration for
'mechancal copying" which has few de-
mnnna nf qualification / neanrt that this
is a satire on the justice Of man to woman
In official life.
A recent first class examination was
passed by bright young lady of New York
city. Her percentage was among the nine
ties-almost perfect. She was promised
the time, In New York city, receiving 81 500
per year, and only desired to live In Wash
jngton with her relatives in preference.
She is now re-engaged at said salary in
been proffered 5000 salary after the exam
nation passed In this case. which was pro-
nounced exceptionally good / assume, on
reason, that this and any other indifference
to the claims Of women cannot take place
when universal suffrage is granted women.
Men are not so dealt with on the appoint
ment paper and In the offices at Washing
ton. Not even the District non-yoter is 80
little respected and is so treated. presume
because the non-voter still has political
larnyx with which to Brighten away Offend
ers. Women have not even this. There may
be some "pink ribbon" campaigns in
America, ard women may become power.
The American woman need not go to the
smother country'' to evince her talent to
sway the masses justly and potently.
In the clerical life OF Washington, the
woman-clerk is known to be faithful, am
bilious, painstaking, and punctual In her
duties. No last cigar whiffs keep her
at the door, on the corner, at the nearest
saloon, or lounging in the corridor for
some minutes after the clock points to the
hour for the beginning and resuming Of
work. Nospree nights or gambling losses
make her frequently absent or late, de-
pressed or soggy in her work.
l speak by Implication Of many cases
which were known, and exist to-day In
fact. My words apply to class Of this
kind, not to clerks as a class, either as l
refer to men or women.
The question might pertinently be asked:
Are women known as embezzlerBf No !
Men have frequently been so known. No
female embezzler has ever developed In the
Washington departments; though In the
treasury and engraving and printing de-
partments women are employed who have
abundant opportunities; Are not the ser,
/, Vices Of honest people to be valued
, b when honesty is the chief and required
QualityP Letthe politician answer. When
women are placed and retained In these
Offices, is 1t not because Of the double reason
that they are proven equal to the business
transactions and superior to the monetary
temptations? The matter Of unequal pay
| to man and woman is too thoroughly con-
ceded In, fact to be discussed. Yet the New
M York Graphic correspondent had the pre-
a. srsXptioA,to say the following, which is not
in accordance with, fact. Let statistics
prove the justI6uFSf my denial:
at is because every woman knows In her
heart that she cannot give as good service
for the same ~ money as a man that she
expects q reform administration to get rid
OF her." l answer, Woman Is certainly I'M
able to assert IGNORES the pity'D that 'she
money as man." since the history OF the
past indelibly records the unjust fact that
she has too seldom had the same pay as
man for the same service TO speak from
broad experience II she had been treated
TO such justice In the proportion OF one
to ten thousand, man might find q single
plank upon which to res his feet while he
crowed this egreglous falshood to the
world. But while he crows this untruth,
remember ills dawn OF day when the cock
croweth, and In this case tits dawn Of a
better day. The "reform administration
feels the quickening power Of woman's
personal and organized force. 1t is enclr.
cling every city and state. Executive Worl
is becoming the field Of her mission.
The world, the home, and womanlind IL
the arena in which she manipulates nov
through organized power.
Such power was felt last election. Fran.
ces Willard and her valiant followers had
more to do with the result than that mos
unhappy clergyman 1t was positive
victory, not a negative misfortune, which
welded the most telling and historical
strokes. And 1t may be said that woman
and the organized force through which she
acted gave the reform administration Il
the great American republic. This admin
istration should profit by the painful in