New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-18
0mcinI Salaries,
To as Ed,,oy Of 7as N. Y. Trisua~

80 ~ <e's0' " INV Az - A''N-'-'
SIR: In common with Thousands Of others,
had tho honor carefully read tho leading article In
your Issue " las. Saturday upon the Compensation Of
Government Ciorks. Widely as may differ with you
upon the question Of increasing compensaors IN these
severe and trying tines yet do 10, propose 10 argue
the question, bat simply to beg the privilege Of laying
before the readers Of your able journa, few fact, bear
ing directly upon this subject
Your observation that the Department clerks have
made ccntraet with tho Governnen. is quite truss but
as 1t requires at least parties In sush matter the
Government has also uade contrac. with the clerks.
The clerks have contracted 20 furnish the labor noces
sary TO carry the operations OF the Government and
IL is equally true Tint th1 Government has contracted 20
pay each stipulated a compensation. What Is
that sum Why 70 clerks Of the first class $3.50
second class. eI4D; third class. slto0; and fourth
class, g. 900 So far as the clerks concerned they
have thus far rgdy and rgateOusy carried OF, their
part OF the contract. Has the Government done %
Others may say yes. without having looked into The
matter for rnyse and IL behalf OF ny fellows oay 10.
The Government has signary failed--not des znedy.
admit-to make good its own Part OF the contract.
lille il has required more upon tie part Of the cerk
than was ever rendered before.
Let us ook at this matter for moment Let us ana
lyze the case and establish our proof preyou1 this
unnallowed and damnabe Rebellion the clerks were
paid IN gold rstcinss clerk received the contract
price Of 81. 200 per annnn. which worth humid
red cents to the dollar tie whole country over. This
sum ia the contract has never been changed or an
nuled; but, when compared with former times the
clerk Of the present day finds |. 10 his coat that he does
not stand upon equality with bis predecessors. IL is
true that noinaly the clerk Is still paid at the rate Of
e. 900 while IN reality be is receiving s4l2 less than
the nan who preceded him. Bow Is this, you will ask
Eas, enough answered The clerk receives his pay of
81 200 In paper From this the Government deducts
eighteen dollars at tie tine Of payment salary taE.
This leaves sils2 whose market value In gold is equal
10 about S5 AS have before remarked previous to the
war The clerk paid 81 200 in god now he receives
81 lea In currency worth only s7os in gold, showing
deficit Of sll2. This is the way the Government is full
filing Its part OF the contract But perhaps II may be
contended that is unfair to value tho compensation Of
the clerk In gold. Is so 10 not gold the standard
il paper is the standard, why hes The merchant added
80 per cent to the price Of his waresthe farmer the
same 10 the price Of his produce And why have you
added the same to the price Of The TRIDuNEf Simply
because paper is Just that much less than gold Every
thing that we eat drink use, has advanced In
thar ratio labor in every direction has insisted upon
an equal rse and yet orsooth the Government clerks
mpss pay these advanced from salary that has
deprecsted lust that amount and do without gTum.
| bling Whyi Oh. because they Rave made contract
will Government and Government cannot afford 10 be
liberal with contractors unless perhaps they are In the
But TO return Nowhere On the loyal eide OF Dixie is
living 30 high and costly as ia this antiQuated and ac
cursed mudhoe Not clerk IN ten keep house.
II he 10 married man. Houses not to be had and
II they were it would require more than the half his
salary to pay the rent In iact owners 90 not rent
II cerl apply to the harpes denominatcd boarding
house keepers. they generally ask two guestions Are
yon In any Of the departments What class do you
telons tor These questions satisfactorily answered.
they Invariably charge him enough to swallow up the
greater part Of his salary
have before ne the carefully prepared statement Of
an old resident who has both kept house and board
ed According 10 this statement by prudent man.
agemen II cost for himself wife, and three children.
t6esum Of s93 50 per month o. lag per annnm. This
sum Only embraces the actual necessities Of bis family.
and refers TO period when the times were good Now
the cost Of keeping tho same family has advanced to
ei 50 per month or 81. s5s per annum, making dif
ference Of e7Os upon one years living Now. Biz, II a
rstclass clerk has family Of five sous TO provide for
land many OF them hsve) how. in the name Of con.
science Is he to do II His expenses, economically ad.
miuistered amount to o. e4 and his salAry TO d. 1872
leaving deficit Of t672 Hhe Is second class clerk,
The balance against him will be OATS.
Nov. Sir know OF frst-olass clerk-and there ere