Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1901 — AN EXPERT ACCOUNTANT. [ARTICLE]

AN EXPERT ACCOUNTANT.

Figuraa Out Tima Whan Women Will Entirely Displace Man. An expert accountant in government employ and & representative in congress were discussing in one of the uptown hotels this morning the proportion of female employes in the executive departments in Washington. The accountant stated that at the rate of the present increase of female employes the date when they would entirely displace the men could easily be figured, and, furthermore, that the result would not be merely one obtainable on paper, but would prove an actuality if the ratio of increase was to be maintained. While it is true that such a reversal of things would seem odd, the real conclusion, like the result of a sum in mathematics, would be inevitable if the increase grows proportionately as the years advance. Fortunately forthe men,he said, the date was somewhat remote, but, as figures are supposed not to err, it was sure if conditions remained unchanged. The representative said that he doubted the accuracy of the accountant’s conclusion. “I will prove it to you,” said the accountant. “In 1862 Salmon P. Chase, then secretary of thetreasury,appointed six women clerks in the office of the registrar of the treasury, under Francis E. Spinner. In the 31 years following up to 1893 there were appointed 5,63? woman clerks, and during the past eight years, of the 3,000 appointees 2,000 have been women, making a total of 7,637 woman employes out of a total force of about 21,000, exclusive of the census employes, of whom the majority are women. In 39 years, therefore, the force of ladies has increased from six to one-third of the total of all employes. “Proceeding with these figures as a basis, and they are accurate, it is easy to figure the date when the last man will retire in favor of the last woman. “The question becomes simply one of percentages. In 1861 all of the executive employes were men. In 1893, of the total number, 17,301, there were 5,637 females, or a percentage of 32|. If the percentage of increase in 31 years is nearly 33 percent., at the same ratio in 67 years it will have increased to 100 per cent., and the last man salutes the last woman in 1960, and that year, if these calculations are realized, will be a memorable one in the history of the rise and fall of the male government clerk.”