Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-05

mats. But for the most part the more i'm
portant officials of Mr.. Cleveland's regime
have been approachable and genial, and
open to access as far as could be reasonably
expected. The constant application for audi
ences, the many who must be heard on trial
subjects, because they must not be offended,
the vast quantity of official work that de-
mands imperative attention, and which is
enough to appal the most industrious and
capable, are calculated to make the official
irritable, and the only wonder is that these
officials maintain so even temper and meet
all who penetrate to them so genially.
The popular interest, however, is proba-
bly, directed more to the rank ard file than
to the more conspicuous officials. Those
busy beehives, the departments, with their
teeming life, have for me constant and
abounding fascination. They are the base
of organized industry, directed by the
State.
CIVIL SERVICE.
Practically the employees of the civil
service are an army, disciplined, governed
by strict rules, engaged in the transaction
of the civil business of the Government as
soldiers do the military. The various de-
partments and bureaus remind me in
striking manner of the plan for the scientific
direction of all the industries of the country
depicted in Edward Bellamy's very inter-
esting work, Looking Backward. -
| ALI employees of the Government above
the grade of mechanics are required to
work but six and one-half hours. Tney
must report for duty at o'clock. At some
time in the neighborhood of noon they have
30 minutes for luncheon. At 4 o'clock they
are free, and from the great department and
bureau buildings thousands upon thousands
of men and women pour forth, prompt upon
the minute. All work is shaped for these
hours. AS o'clock approaches, desks are
cleared, orders, correspondence, warrants.
and so forth, are signed by the chief official
of department, bureau, or division, books
are closed out for the day, business is cut
off sharp and square, to be taken up the
following morning as though it had been
laid down only for moment. Compared
with the long hours of employees in private
business, the day of the workman in the
civil service is an ideal one. 1t leaves some
leisure for pleasure, for self improvement,
for devotion to things which most please
the fancy of the Individual.
BENEFITS OF LEISURE.
1t is common objection to short hours of
work that it leaves time for induIgences-
and that few of the persons who secure this
boon OF leisure would use it with benefit to
themselves. l do not find this to be the
fact. My acquaintance of several years
with the members of the civil service is that
they are as mass far superior in informa-
ton, cultivation and habits to the mass of
employees who perform similar service for
private individuals. As a class they are
sober, serious, and devote their leisure time
to domestic or social enjoyment of the purest
type, to study, to invention, to literary
work for pleasure or reputation, to scientific
research, or to those great social questions
which are agitating the minds of the best
people the world over. There are no
brighter, more capable, more brilliant. if
you will, persons in Washington than num-
bers of department employees whom could
mention.
The indolent, dissipated, inefficient and
disreputable are rare. Is a department em-
plove a drunkard or brawler, he may be
set down at once as the favorite striker of
some influential politician, who is kept in
place solely that the Government NAV paw
him living salary, while is really doing
the private work of his master. 1 dare say
that of an evening not more than 100 en-
ployes of the civil service, all told, would
be found in the saloons or places Of i'll re-
pute throughout the city. A vast number
of the employees belong to social, literary or
scientific clubs, and 1t is with view to
gaining leisure for this enjoyment and cul-
ture that a great number of the employees
labor for and secure admission to the public
service.
A question much discussed, and upon
which there is great difference Of opinion,
is the employment of women in the civil
service. Scandals constantly arise from the
fact that officials or politicians of influence
impose their favorites upon the departments.
AN ARMY OF SCRUB WOMEN.
Thele is a picturesque feature of de-
partment life which is not often men
toned, and which is not visible
to the general visitor. In, each one of
the public buildings, shortly before
the hour of o'clock, arrive squads of
women, poorly dressed, their poverty appar-
ent in every ineament. They take their
places on benches in the halls The mo-
ment the offices are emptied of their occu-
pant this army Of women takes pos
session. Scrubbing clothes are donned
in twinkling, brooms, mops, buck
cts, scrubbing brushes and soap appear
as by magic, and within an hour or two
floors are cleansed, furniture is busted, the
thousands of towels used during the day are
gathered together, and before nightfall the
great buildings are polished from garret to
cellar, and fresh and sweet for the occu
pancy of the army OF employees the next day.
This work Of scrubbing the public buildings
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