Sunday Washington globe., 1902-06-08
A SINGING REVIEW
OF the Methods BV Which Certain
Favorites Beat the Civil Service
and Secure Soft Snaps.
Editor Sunday Globe;

E0ffOT oMHddV Cl00e'
In Saturday issue of the Star sometime
back (recently noticed) appeared lengthy
long range article Of the glorious Fourth Of
July order which read to the effect that
about all the female clerks Of the Washing
ton departments were experts of a more OF
less high grade order. In answer ] will
give the other side of the question. In
starting, out, however, will state that have
no rocks to throw at the female money
handlers employed in the Treasury nor
against the skilled laborer female employees
of the Bureau, most Of whom pass competi-
tive examinations, entrance examinations
for their positions and hold such positions
according 70 their individual ability In
the FIRST place the Star writer claims that
there is Civil Service Commission, and
lamely eudeavors to hOodwink the people
throughout the country into the belief that
all lady clerical department prodigies
have honestly obtained original entrance
through the certihoatiOn route. There may
be a Civil Service Commission right now
! 1--WE are told so), but in time past there has
been only a Civil Service Omission or shield
20 bluff those outsiders who we're honest in
their intentions as to getting entrance to
the Washington branch of the Government
/ service. In time past women have been
worked into the classified ~ service of the
Treasury, State, War, Navy, Agricultural,
Pension and even into the Fish Commission
on the straight influence, Temporary
labOrer, transfer and all sorts of rackets;
worked in singles doubles, triplets and
even by scores untilt the aggregate foots up
into the thousands. IL has been estimated
in time past that more than 90 per cent of
these epartmentwOmen who pose as clerks
obtained their positions entirely exclusive
of the certihca4ion entrance route. To sum
the matter UP most of them were Govern
ment pets to start with, and many of them
are pets still Certainly the women of the
cities big and little throughout the United
States have cause to look with an envious
eye upon their more favored sisters of the
capital city who work shorter hours and are
better paid. Women Of undoubted ability
/ all over the United States have been max
/ ing high ratings in competitive examina-
/ iions, both clerical and auxiliary, and ex-
! pectiug to obtain entrance to the Govern
ment service as a result. Meanwhile the
/ Washington departments have an over
surplus Of female home talent and con-
sequentlV no room for genuine outside
| ability. No use for il; on the contrary they
D
relatives and those with pull.
Again, this writer claims that the Depart.
ment women seldom marry, which is
granted Many of the bolder ones are ever
striving, however especially it they can
find willing victim with more real estate.
worlds goods, ETC., than good sense. Many
of them are sharpsters with an eye to the
divorce court future and consequent ALI
mony. Business men from New York and
other cities, however, are not coming to the
Washington Departments to seek wives, as
| have heard remarks from this source
which don't care to print.
When the Department sassiety female of
the butterfly order loses her position, well
that's another matter, as she is more than
overjoyed to get anything wearing pants
providing he has anything in the shape Of
a salary for her immediate support. Will
give a sample case as follows: A Govern
ment female clerk residing IN my neighbor-
hood (chasing thirty in age, but acting like
sixteeu) of the kind that punctuates the
atmosphere with much loud talking and
causes the summers night to be riven and
split ND with iuane laughter of the peafowl-
schreechowl variety, gets fred from the pay
roll. She manages to catch a male speci-
men Of the Department clerical persuasion
Of uncertain age, grizzled, and with a SWELL
ing in the pit of the stomach and another
in the back of the head Then what 10y.
There are front step levees Sidewalk lawn
parties) most every evening, and the public
is treated to a freefor- all show in which
pats, slaps, goo-goo-eyes, pet names
huggles, and guggles (the latter after the
sun goes down. form the substance In
fact some liar or other stated that it would
be but a question Of time when they went
TO bed on the front steps before an admiring
public. The lawn party is usually rein
forced by one or more big showy female
pets of the War Department, all loaded up
with the latest scandals, as well as sweep
ing trails and powerful hustle Then a
widow (said to be Rrass-widOw) with an
infant Guvenile) female phenomena forms ]
a further or rear-guard auxiliary. Then |
what sassiety- -department-racket there is |
sure enough; a BAKERS dozen of lawn
mowers geared upside. down could scarcely /
be heard nor would a steam caliope fare
much better in a race for points.
OF course in the same neighborhood there
are department women who show all the
marks of refinement and good breeding
and every department has its quota of these
as we'll as the opposites.
When it comes to endeavoring to make
nearly all out to be experts-well the less
said the better. Many who have not Civil
Service Commission records are undoubt.
edly very worthy and efficient as clerks
we know a Pension Office lady clerk of this
class. AS before stated though there is en-
tirely too heavy percentage of the showy
brazen class of the ght-infuence-order
to qualify the whole as anything above cop,.
monPlaege meGsoerity.
The Times Oflate is pfaisihg and praising
with shOddy cloth handbill ads, yet very
many of these low calibred swell heads,
both sexes, have not even an honest initial
examination record although the contrary
is stated explicitly stated. Cheap suffers
wagon fighters (some of whom we know
personally to be the veriest towards, ours
and soldier backbiters) are endeavoring
through the columns Of a very cheap brand
Of uew.style newspaper to make themselves
and department relatives out TO be some
persons Of consequence. If we cared go
into the details of petty and individual
scandal we could throw a pretty dark cloud
.-c- ha rftar,cfera Of certain of fhaee.