Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-27
An Expert Accountant Figures the
Problem Out.
WHEN WOMEN WILL DISPLACE MEN
In the Executive Departments in
Washington.
BASED ON OFFICIAL FIGURES

| All expert accountant IN government en-
pioy and representative in Congress were
discussing In one OF the uptown hotels this
morning the proportion of female employees
| In the executive departments in Washing
| ton.
| The accountant stated that at the rate OF
| the present increase Of female employees the
date when they would entirely displace the
| men could easily be figured, and, further
more. that the result would not be merely
| one obtainable on paper, but would prove
| an actually II the ratio of increase was to
! be maintained. While 1t is true that such
a reversal of things would seem odd the
| real conclusion like the result of sum In
mathematics, would be inevitable IL the in
crease grows proportionately as the years
| advance. Fortunately for the men, he
| said, the date was somewhat remote but
| as nsures are supposed not to err, 1t was
| sure If conditions remained UNCHANGED
| The representative said that he doubt ed
| the accuracy of the accountants conclu-
| sion.
| When the Women Will Rule.
| Il will prove 1t to YOU" said the account
ant.
In 1862 Salmon P. Chase, then Secretary
| Of the Treasury appointed six women
| clerks in the office of the register of the
| treasury, under Francis E. Spinner. In the
| thirty-one years following up to 1899 there
were appointed 5637 woman clerks, and
| during the past eight years, of the 5000
| appointees 1000 have been women making
| total Of 1887 woman employees out Of
| total force of about 81 900, exclusive of the
| census employees, of whom the ma jority are
women In thirty-nine years. therefore, the
force of ladies has increased from six to
one-third of the total OF all employees
Proceeding with these figures as a basis,
and they are accurate, 1t Is easy to figure
the date when the last man will retire in
favor of the last woman.
The question becomes simply one of per-
centages. In 1861 all of the executive en-
ployes were men. In 1893. of the total num-
Der. 1884. there were 5.637 females. or a
percentage of 32h. If the percentage OF
increase In thirty-on years is nearly SO per
cent, at the same ratio In sixty seven years
1t will have increased to 100 per cent, and
the last man salutes the last woman In
1860, and that year. IL these calculations
are realized will be q memorable one in the
history of the rise and fall of the male gov
eminent clerk. =
Result of Ratio Of Increase.
while 1t is not probable that the result
demonstrated by these figures will be wit
messed, 1t Is not impossible, and Is even
inevitable II the same ratio Of Increase Is
maintained between the sexes and increas-
ed with each decade There is but one way
to prevent the result and that is to reverse
tHo percentage Ol ttIlldle appointments
Just so long as they show a percentage OF
increase over the men 1t means that they
are slowly and surely crowding out the
men. And this is what the percentage at
present shows. 1t Is like the familiar ex-
ample of a man starting in a race with ten
miles start. with another fellow following
going at a slightly Increased rate Of speed
over the first man The latter Is bound to
be overtaken and passed.
'In the present case the race Is toward
the 100 per cent mark, and In single gem
GRAFTON the women have already covered
one-third of the distance. In two genera
tions more they win.
The ability of women to perform the
same work as men in the departments in
an equally efficient or superior manner is
another question, and one with which my
remarks have nothing to do. You question
ed the fixing of the date when the Secretary
of the Treasury Will order the dismissal OF
the last male clerk III this city, and l fixed
it with mathematical correctness. nOml-
nate the then Secretary of the Treasury for
the reason that it would be a fitting finale
that this sad official act should be perform
ed by him (by her in all Likelihood for IL
these mathematical calculations are ful-
filled the Secretary will be Woman), since
it was in that department women were first
appointed to office. Naturally. as the gem
also be fair in this respect, and allow the
last man to linger in the granite building
on 10Th street.
Additional Official Instances.
"A few separate instances will serve to
emphasize the total just given you.
"In one large bureau on May 1, 1889,
there were 1,554 persons employed, Of whom
] ,257 We're males and 297 females. On May
l, 1900 the total had increased TO LII, OF
whom 1870 were males and 81 females.
The percentage of increase or the males Is
0 per cent, and of the females % per cent.
I'm another office on May l, 1889, there
were 1888 male and $50 female employees.
On May l. 1900. there were 2I1s males ana
Lip females. In eleven years the males
increased so per cent and the females 30
per cent. and at this rate they will event
ually displace the males in that office.
an many bureaus and divisions the per-
centage is much heavier in favor Of the
female. and I select these bureaus which
show low but ultimately effective percent
age, to meet the charge that a bureau vas
selected for the purpose of sustaining the
affirmative by reason of the fact that 1t
contained an unfair. for comparison, num-
Der Of females In some of the bureaus of
the different departments the percentage in
favor of the increase of women is double
the last figures given.
Here is one In which the males have
been practically crowded out. In one bu-
reau the allotment of clerks Is 2OS. fair
division of the sexes would be four men
to one woman. To mollify the demands
Of those who insist upon an equal division
Of all things, including offices, let it be
placed at two to one. At four to one,
and at two to one. 1O4 AS matter of fact,
there are only IL men out of the Dos. This
roll Is under the classified service. Where
are the men? Been pushed out.
In the same office there Is q temporary
roll, numbering tifty-seven clerks, which is
not under the civil service. Forty-four Of
its clerks are women and thirteen men.
Method of Procedure.
"Of course. know that it is on the point
of your tongue to- say that the 1877 women
in the first-quoted division get the small
and the forty-one men the large salaries.
There are thrty-four clerks in this division
who are in the 81 400 grade, and of these
thirty are women.
The picture of thirty women clerks out
of thirty-four In one office drawing 81 400
furnishes food for thought as to whether
my calculations are going to be so far out
of the way when this generation Is passed,
and 1t also permits the fortunate ladies
therein to come In for congratulations.
Outside pursuits in which women earn that
salary year are very limited.
The work Of the division in question is
purely clerical. 1t is not work which is
classed as technical. neither is it that
to which women are particularly adapted
ia CT NIL Of ,i.in {y,