Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-16

Editor S1RdaV Globe
In a recent issue of the Star a Mr.. Hay
ward makes statement to the effect, that he
is against any transfer of the Census Office
employees to the classified service Of the
Government. owing to this force being
largely made up Of women. Mr.. Hayward
is but speaking the truth when he states
that these so.called emergency forces are
largely made up from female material and
that inroads are constantly being made
against the merit system, and the principles
of the Civil Service, in the way Of foister.
ing large numbers Of such employees per
manently into the departments in Wash
ingtou.
Mr.. Hayward has undoubtedly taken
notice Of an evil that has become patent to
nearly every observing person, I. e., a con
tinual stream Of females appointed to Gov
erument positions exclusive of the Civil
Service certifcatiou route of honest initial
competition.
Basiug all claims strictly upon Civil Ser
vice principles, especially as TO original
competitive entrance examinations, the gen
tleman is certainly right concerning large
proportion Of Census Office clerks. Please
remember, however, that Of two evils we
should choose the least A large number
Of these same Census clerks are not Of the
District, nor Of the District tribe of Depart
meut family inAuenualism. On the con-
trary, they are from the country at large,
honestly appointed according to their quota
after passing an entrance examination as to
their individual fitness. How many Of our
Capital City female clerks secure their life
lasting appointments half as honestly2 Yet
very many of these home women have
several members of their respective families
already quartered on the Government pay
rolls, and they all stick like chinches on
feather beds, and squall and howl because
Root, Roosevelt. and others are not speedily
putting family blankets or thief-shields
over their already stolen positions People
have about gotten played out with this talk
about the merit system, especially when
they see it continually openly violated right
under the noses Of the Civil Service Com
missioners by well-Fed, swell-headed Dis
trict families with a large number of Aashy,
idle female relatives who. in time past,
have neither spun, wove, nor worked.
According to the statements of this home
tribe of department females, both old and
young, and dating from the Civil War
(Spinner's time) to Raginados embroligO,
they are real workers The younger gene
ration who have come under our obserya-
tion, however, were not anything above
gossips, dawdlers, aud doorstep loafers
prior to their getting their feet into the
various departments.
Some of these Washington lady clerks
want to know who Mr. Hayward is Mr..
Hayward in our opinion, is simply one of
81 Il. a.
temerity to voice his opinions through
the Star.
Another hints at Grass ignorance, con-
cerning persons who have not given maud
lin praise to female clerks The less said
in this line the better, however as those
Civil Service eligibles (some Of which have
been repeatedly certified by the Civil Ser
vice Commission, both as to clerical and
auxiliary requirements, find these same
lady clerks, both young and old. are mighty
small numbers as regards so having tested
their very exceptional (2) abilities through
the certfcatiou channels We have heard
Of female clerical prodigies before to. day,
and the less said Of them the better.
Again, still another claims that families
require more to live now days than form
erly mentioning education of young. etc
these goldfish city aristocracy who, with
their family Of snowy females, move into
| large houses and pay large rents for the
vain purpose Of trying to make believe
| they are some prunes And it is just this
| tribe by the way. who have been making a
Swivel Service out Of the merit system for
their own especial benefit, and when an
honest and fearless paper exposes their
] eaFg fftafr karlra col.
bowed over their heads in imitation of a
| tribe Of departmental tabby cats.
To sum up the whole matter, the merit
system has been used as a screen, or thief.
shield, for a very long time. and it is only
lust that some new blood (even If it does
happen to be largely female) is diverted
into the Washington department channels.
If these Census Office lady clerks are not
favored some of our female home talent
will be- and be favored by the entire family
racket at that. One Of these Washington
lady clerks makes statement to the effect
that the male sex ought to be thankful to
have the department work performed by
the fair sex think however, that it is no
more than right that the male persuasion
be given their share Of we'll paid Govern
meut work, especially since this sex fights
the battles, tills the soil and does all the
great work Of the country, not to mention
building the very Government buildings
that afford 50 many lady clerks sheltered
work at salaries far beyond what they could
earn on the commercial markets Of the
world C.B
In regard to young men not wasting their
time nor talent in the city departments,
would state as follows: No the more hard
headed and euterprisiug are not fooling
after positions which are so largely stolen
and monopolized by hordes Of city females.
On the contrary they are passing examina-
tions for the various positions at large re
quiring considerable more ability than those
Of plain female clerks There are not
positions Of this kind for all men, however,
and consequently some feel free to throw
brick where needed. FAIR PLAY