Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-02-21
CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF EN-.
CRAVING ACCUSED.
CHARGES OF DISCRIMINATION
ARE FREELY MADE
Unfavorable Comparison Made Be-
tween Mr. Johnson and Mr.. Mere
dith-Colored Women Gradually
Removed-Only Eight Remain-No
Allegation of Misconduct Made.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE civil SER
vice commission has just made public
the correspondence with the secretary
of the treasury respecting The alleged
discriminate n on grounds of color in
the removal of women as plate print
er'S assistants in the bureau OF en-
craving and printing. Following is
the statement concerning the matter
made by the committees:
"TheSe women were appointed
through competitive examination un-
der the civil service rules. Since Mr.
Johnson became chief of the bureau
July l. 1898, there have been eighty
eight women removed eighteen white
and seventy colorGd, leaving only ten
colOred women in the service. This
was out of the total force of 367 print
er'S assistants"
This is nearly a clean sweep of col
ored women; extended also to the ap-
pointments from Qualifications of the
civil service commission from the reg
lister eli%ibles. In the year ending
June 30, 1894 forty-tive women We're
passed over on certitir,tion without
selection, Of whom at least ten We're
colored Under Mr.. Johnson's pre-
decc$Sor, Mr.. Meredith appointments
were made in order of grade, practiC-
ally none being passed over Under
Mr.. Meredith there were only eighteen
dismiSsalS out of about 15S women
employed between 1883 and 1898 as
compared with eighty eight dismiSsals
to ;H34 employed in a year and a half
under Mr.. Johnson. At present there
are only eight colored women remain
ing. OF the women dismissed by Mr.
Johnson, twelve white were rcinStated
and one colored.
The fact that this large number Of
discharged colored women exists and
the fact of passing them over on GER
titication has greatly reduced the num-
Der of colored women applying for
examinations. During Mr. Mercdith'S
term, under President HarriSon's ad-
miniStra ton, there was only one col
ored woman removed No allega ion
has been made to the commission that
the colored women were removed for
any misconduct.
In stating these facts to the score
tary of the treasury, the commission
said: "From these facts it would ap-
pear that under this administration
there was a marked discriminate ON
the grounds of color merely, not only
in making appointments from the ell
igible register, but in the dismissal of
persons already in the service. If the
facts are correct, then the commission
would be pleased to receive from the
secretary of the treasury any sta te-
ments that he may be willing to make
in the matter"
The letter of the commission to the
secretary Of tie treasury was dated
December Il, 1894. A reply of the
secretary was made February :, and
refers to the copy of the report from
Chief Johnson, dated December %,
in which he states that the statistics
submitted by the commission may be
correct. but that the Inference sought
to be drawn thcrefrom. that there has
been marked discrimination on the
ground Of color alone, is erroneous.
He states that every selection for ap.
pointment and recommendation for
removal made oy him had been made
in the discretion vested in him by the
law, and solely in the interest of the
public service.