The sun., 1899-05-28
THE CAUSE OF WOMAN.
WAGES OF WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYMENT COMPARED WITH NEWS

EMPLOYMENT COMPARED WITH NEWS.
The blue Book" shows How the Rela-
tive Wages stand -EpiRrams at tho Suf-
frage Convention-Landscape Garden
ing for Women Rights of Philippine wo-
men-whnt Pilgrim Mothers Had to Stand
A letter in last Sundays Sun asks that there
shall be d correction Of the statement that In
a certain Government department in Wash
.neton no man receives less than 81 per day
and no woman more than 81 25 per day. The
writer says no such disparity exists in any de-
partment and thai the Bureau OF Engraving
and Printing doubtless Ia the one referred to.
How did he happen to guess so accurately?
The statement made was too sweeping, as
II was Intended to refer only to the printing
department. which includes the great major
ity OF the employees 1t was made on the au-
thority Of one connected with the bureau. but
the facts given below are the result Of personal
Investigation.
stated my errand as politely as knew
how to the head of the department Mr.. Claude
NJ Johnson. showed him the demand for a
correction. told him tried always to be accu-
rate in my statements and asked him II he
would give me the information ] needed. His
answer was Il don't wish to enter into dis
cussion Of woman's rghts" ! said had not
come there for that purpose. but only wanted
to kn ow whether there was the disparity in
wages that had been quoted He replied that
81 course the women who assisted The printers
did not receive much as the printers them
selves. / asked II any woman would be al
lowed 10 do the printing. He said. NO wo-
man could handle the heavy press any more
than one could be a carpenter or blacksmith
or butcher" ] smiled and said had known
Of women being all Of these. oh" he eJacu-
lated. you want to talk woman's rights"
ignored the remark and asked respectfully:
is 1t true that there are women in this de-
partment doing exactly the same work as men
for much less pay?" Il decline to answer
that question" he said abrupty and then
added: There are two women clerks here get
ting 800 year for doing exactly the same
work that men are receiving $1,000 for"
That is unjust to the men," l ans wered ;
why is 1t dope?" We'll. II may be because
they have been here n great many years." he
replied. and gave me to understand that the
interview was terminated.
Mr. Johnson's salary Is $1,000 per annum
The printers referred to use small Dress that
prints one side Of a banknote. 1t does not
look as heavy as a big hod of coal or tub DIVA
cred able to handle. As these meu are paid by
ity.. There are several hundred OF them and
each has one helper-a woman Her work is
she WITH Re sh
ming like speed. hut she is ot paid by the piece
hes Fsss sss sEs Is. daT 6aD t + %a Sa@ H SSnS
make more. but no matter how last I't the "%r, wo
men work. sl.25 is the limit II their pay
ed the ree
snce to other salaries in this de partment OF en-
dSsons al" the receive SestS
the two women chiefs 8 900 apiece. There are
,Ree' he anG
messengers the men receive from $40 to
they are paid from s4Go to $i.552 The fore, ore"
men ''operativss' receive from, s62j to ss!sO
teyes as small an % amount as sS1. but This IL Is
paid to male ,apprsntlces" who are learning
4s mens men Se but he
who work quite as bard bard keeBing Bg The The building
than aeSs1 to H ess han 50 da The
laundry are paid s82d each; l.. ,...... -,
women nropoTti9nately with men: rpdoubt-
partmenrs. While there has been very
marked Improvement under civil service regu-
OF promotions. in Keeping women out of the
higher positions and In many other respects.
make living that they are are Hute Wiling to to- aco c.
sept them withoat complaint In the interview
quoted above; MIR. Johpson :aid: The VIC;
get anywh here else" This probably Is Is Just luis as
true, OF thee men. and cons 2icuousy so Of the
heads Of the departments but that is not the
question under discussion
The stenogr aphc report Of the recent ma
tional suffrage convention in Grand Rapids
bristles with bright and interesting epigrams.
sallies and Ave-minute speeches. all worth
quoting. Miss Frances Griffin OF Alabama
two widowed sisters and their mother. all edu-
Gated and property owning women. told how
when thev asked for the suffrage. they were
directed to go home and influence the men OF
their family to represent their wishes. Said
men" consisted OF one young negro gardener
who had left school when he was in the Sec.
pnd Reader. When the four women tried to
influence him he answered that he always
voted as Uncle Peter, the colored minister
Mrs. Abigail Scott .Dunwav. President OF
tie Oregon Association. devoted wife and
mother OF five grown sons. said: -
Men sometimes have an idea that movemen nj
tfat we want the b,liot for the sake OF ruling them
for Just the same reasons that lead him to % prize lett It.
Man %hS am.as"s IS R Sns a @"
Of dsioca,sd 81 shears ear Woman without man is like
Another speaker told OF an island off the
lation could not read or write. A woman went
over 10 tedcn tnein anu aUeT Wnlle was made
q member Of the School Board. Its Presi-
dent. q colored man. was SO disgusted that he
resigned at once. saving. Now you've swore
her in. you may swear me out isn't goin to
sit on no beard with no woman"
Mrs. Harriet Taylor UPTON then related the
experience Of herself and woman colleague
who are on the School Board in Warren. O.
Each OF them has the Chairmanship OF an i'm
portant committee and is also on other com
mittees: A new schoolhouse s to he built and
the Building Committee consists OF two men
and the two women members.
Mrs. Lille DevereuN Blake ALWAYS interest
ing. in showing the value attached TO mems
votes said:
When the time Of election approached the men In
Government positions hFcame much exercised over
the means of providing for tho voting OF the sol
diers. II is astonishing how much men think of the
right to vote for themselves. Extra sessions OF the
Legislature were called To provide means Of meeting
the emergency. In thus dilemma ventured to write
10 Governor, Mr.. Black. and suggest that he
.ArA lha la.