Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-06-01
CLERKS FOR UNCLE SAM.
TWENTY THREE THOUSAND OF
THEM IN WASHINGTON.

the Department OF State are considered
the most desirable. To begin with, the
incumbents are never discharged with
out being provided with consulship or
some other place. Their employment
carries certain amount OF social posi-
ton with it. The most conspicuous of
the young swells in Washington are en-
ployes of the "Foreign Office" as they
like to call it, Beaux being greatly in
demand here, they have more invitations
than they can accept. With small sala-
res and no prospects, they would be re-
gardeI as 'sdetrimentsh in other cities,
but here they are at the top of the
swim. Good manners AMI the fact of
wearing pantaloons constitute satisfac
tory claims to recognition in local
SOC iety. They get their dinners at other
peoples houses, see all the plays that are
going without paying cent, and enjoy
excellent opportunities for marrying the
rich girls who fairly swarm at the Capt.
tai. They are not even expected to
send bouquet in acknowledgment OF
of the entertainment they receive.
The work of clerk iu the Dcpatt-
ment of State implies no little responsi-
bility. A wrong word in his transcript
of diplomatic paper might place this
Government in false position. The
business he transacts is mostly of secret
nature. He may know long in advance
whom the President has chosen for u
Cabinet office, or what war ships are
about to be sent to threaten the cities of
a foreign Nation. If he tells anybody,
and his information gets out, his indis-
cretion may upset policy and disar-
ranged complete series of moves which
Uncle Sam is trying to carry out. Hap
PLY, betrayals of secrets by Government
clerks have been very rare.
Though one-half of the applicants for
places in the Department are women,
only one person of the gentler sex is ap-
pointed for every seven men. Tnere is
prejudice against female clerks on sew
eral accounts. Nevertheless some Off
cials have discovered that they can often
get woman for 5000 year who is more
capable than $1,000 mau. Before the
war the employment Of women as clerks
| by the Government was almost unknown,
though they sometimes got copying to
| do at home. The first woman regularly
| employed was put on the rolls of the
Navy Department thirtY.tve years ago.
She was young widow. 1t was grave
| question what should be done with her,
and it was thought best to isolate her, as
ii she were contagious. An attic room
was given her, and she received and re-
turned her copying by messenger. To-
! day there are 1909 women in the Treas
ury alone. They aud others in other
| Departments are efficient as accountants,
correspondents, linguists, draughtsmeu,
tyesetters, etc.
In 1851 the coined money belonging
to the Government gave out aud Con-
gress authorized the issue of legal tender
notes payable in gold. These were the
original "greenbacks." They came in
sheets from the banknote companies,
with blank spaces for the signatures of
the Treasurer and Register. 1t was nee.
essary to cut them apart with scissors aud
trim the edges, no machine having as
yet been invented for that purpose. Gen.
eral Spinner suggested that women
should be employed temporarily to cut
and count the notes. A number of them
were hired, aud alter they had cut $780,
600, 900 worth of paper Congress author
lied another issue, at the same time max.
ing the employment of the women per-
manent. Some of these women are still
at work in the Treasury, where their
sex is intrusted up to the present time
with the counting of the money. From
this starting point women gradually
made their way into the other Depart
ments.
Agreat many young men secure places
in the Department merely for the pur~
pose of supporting themselves while shey
are studying In the great schools of law
and medicine here. Matters are so ar
ranged at these institutions that clerk
who stops work at p. m. can get din
ner and be on hand for the evening lee
lures, which begin at &. After being
graduated, the young physician may
practice and yet stay in Office, becoming
what is known as "sundown DOCTOR"
The medical schools of the Georgeto wn
College and Columbia University are of
the highest rank. In the Army Medical
Museum the finest medical library in the
world is accessible. Justices of the
United States Supreme Court and great
medical off GERS of the Government are
members of the faculties of these and
other learned establishments in Washing
| ton.
! If clerk is absent on account of i'll.
ness over sixty days ln any year, he or
she must pay substitute. The Civil
Service Commission provides all the
substitutes that are wanted. 1t is pro-
vided that the clerks shall give to the
substitute a certain proportion of the
pay, usually amounting to about fifty six
per cent. BY thus hiring substitute
clerk might retain his place in the ser.
vice of the Government for ten years,
though himself blind, paralyzed aud con.
lined to his bed. In all cases of sickness
physicians certificate is required.
The clerks are perpetually haunted by
dread lest they are watched by detcc-
.ectves of the Secret Service. That sort
>f tbinp ia eOmotimna 6nna hut o,lr