Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-03
CIVIL SERVICE FOR WOMEN.
What the Reform Law Has Done 70,
the Fafrer Sex.

What the Reform Law Has Done for
the Fafrer Sex.
John r. Proctor In Leslie's Weekly.
1t is only In recent years that women
have been employed in considerable num-
bers in the public service. 1t Is now gen.
orally recognized that they can successful
ly perform the duties of many of the SUBJ
ordinate places, and they have often shown
eminent fitness and high quality in their
work. In 1870 an act of Congress provided
that women might, In the discretion of
the head of any department, be appointed
to any of the clerkships in the depart
ment upon the same requisites and condi-
tions and with the same compensations,
as prescribed for men. This Magma Charta
for women in the civil service is recognized
in the civil service laws and rules, which
make no discrimination on account of sex.
From July is, 1888, to June 80 1900, there
were appointed in the classified service in
the departments at Washington, through
competitive examination, 2,044 females.
This number included ], 200 printers assist
ants in the bureau of engraving and print
ing, at a compensation of S125 per diem,
which is the lowest salary paid to women
in the classified service. About one-third
of all employees in the departments of
Washington are females; they are employ
ed mostly in ordinary clerical capacity, al
though many technical positions are filled
81 800 per annum; about fifty receive 81, 600
per annum; 100 receive 81 400 per annum;
$50 receive $1,000; 800 receive $1,000 and
the remainder receive from $500 to $500 per
annum.
A fair comparison of the progress made
by women in the government employ since
the enactment of the civil service law in
1883, as to compensation received and num-
Der employed is in the State Department,
office of the Secretary, which has proba-
bly, employed the fewest women Of any
office in the departments. In 1883 there
were ten women employed and the high
est salary received was 81 400, there being
but who was paid that amount. In
1889, in the same office, there were seven
teen women; the highest salary was $1,000;
there were several at 81 400 and others at
81 200 per annum, while the lowest salary
was $500. OF the total number of women
taking the competitive examinations dur
ing the past ten years over Il per cent
have successfully passed, while only 62
per cent of the males have passed these
examinations.
The percentage of women in departments
differs. In the post Office service the po-
sition of post office clerk is the only one
open to both sexes. Throughout this entire
branch of the service $50 per cent of the
appointments for the past ten years have
been women. Besides the foregoing. of the
sc. 900 postmasters in the United States I'M
der the civil service, 62S5 are women. OF
the newer departments placed under the
civil service rule is the internal revenue,
in which 200 of the appointments during
the four years ending June So 1900, have
been women and the custom house serv-
ice, of which 2 per cent of the appoint
ments during the past five years have been
women. The highest percentage of APP
pointments of women in any one year was
in 1898, when ID per cent of the total num-
Der of appointments made were women.
The next highest was in 1893, when women
numbered about II per cent of the appoint