The colored American., 1902-05-17

he not entitled as Register of the Treas
ury to as mach consideration as Mr..
Dawes, who as Comptroller of the Cur
rency had, and still has a quota of clerks
on the rolls of the office? AS to the other
gentlemen named, Mr.. Campbell should
know enough to know that in accordance
with the directors nlans MeSSrS. Wash
ington, Chase and Cooper were given
consideration on the same ground that
other prominent men were allowed 10
name appOinteeS-SOme of whom are
still on the roll, unlike the appointeeS
named by the gentlemen quoted above.
1t is stated that at one time there
were $500 employees IN the Census OF
fee and since we are not in position to
know, it would be well for the one who
lis in a position TO know to tell us un-
der what plan of organization or appor
tiOnment the colored employees from
charwomen to clerks at $1,000 only num-
bered in all about 100, or One-thirty-
fifth of the whole number, while the Ne
groes of the country number at least
one-seventh of the entire population. 1t
is currently reported that the Census
force has been reduced about three-hfths
or to about 1900 employees, and yet
dwindled to less than 90
On February I3, according to Senate
Document No I88, there were on the
Census rolls 2,2oS employees, of which
number 2,I57 held places of grades other
than watchmen, charwOmen and labor
ers OF this 2,I57 employees there were
20 clerks of class two; II clerks of class
three and IS clerks of class four, none
| IF whom were colored. While of class
one, 1907 clerks, there were "a cOlOred
clerks or only one in every So clerks,
| and we are quite sure lone in position
to know" will not say that this was taIr
proportion to say nothing of the eXclu-
sion from the clerkshipS of the higher
grades
| AT the present time it is claimed that
! there are still on the rolls over I,Ioo
clerks and yet glance at the desks IN
the office will not disclose more than 10
colOred men engaged in clerical work.
| To the zone who is in a position to
| know" it may seem that there is a
tendency among some to imagine with
out lust cause that there is and has been
discrimination III the Census Office
based on color. To show, however
that there is at least some ground fol-
complaint a review of facts may serve
to call his attention to what the general
Ipublic and THE CoLORED AMERICAN base
Their charge of discrimination.
To more clearly point out some OF the
imaginary determinations" let us take
la look at the Agricultural Division. A
one time there were about twenty-five
colored clerks occupying desks III tina
tdivisiOn and doing efficient work, while
to-day there is but one cOlored clerk IL
} that division out of a possible 23o.
There is another fact of peculiar sig
} nihcance and to lone in a position t.
p know it must appear rather strang
that while the women in the Office hav
always outnumbered the men about tw'
= to one, that to-day only one colored wO
! man is to be found upon the rolls as
/ clerk, and even the cOlored women for
: merly attendants in the lavatories hav
! been discharged to make places 70
2 white women who were formerly clerk:
= Is this statement the fruit of imagina
: ton?
| Another fact is that the only colore
S stenOgrapher is at present hid away i
! a corner on an adding machine, Will
1 upon merit he is clearly entitled to
S better position in the capacity of ster
= Ographer and typewriter, and we -baS
T this statement upon the fact that the d
e rector himself is quoted as having sal
d personally that as a stenographer an
Typewriter this clerk is second to non
in the office.
IL Il -,