New-York tribune., 1867-02-08
THE POOR CLERKS AGAJN.

A gentleman in some one OF tho pnbllc Offices
in Washington, apparently in that bilious frame
of mind which is pertinent TO the season, spoils
several sheets of very handsome Government
paper in finding fault with THE TRIBUNE.
We found q number of the Washington clerks
asserting, in print and by petition, that they
could not live on their salaries, that the sti-
pends of their places were utterly inadequate
"to maintain them and their families and that
in consequence many "had been compelled TO
resign We praised the enterprise of those
who pursued this course, and asked why the
remainder did not follow so laudabe an ex-
amplcR Whereupon, we find this protestant
sorely aggricycd, and comparing the clerk
10 Southern negro commanded by his
Rebel master TO go and shift for
hmsclf. This is sheer childish petulance. No
clerk in Washington, however small his in
come, has been forced 10 live on pint of meal
n day and few ounces of rusty bacon week.
The masters wero In debt 10 these slaves for
years upon years OF unrequited labor and, in
fact owed them sustenance for the rest of
their lives. The Government has always paid
solid and honest wages. Now, when it is so
poor that is is forod to tax every poor mans
dish, its servants, who are suffering no more
than other PEOPLE, call for an increase of ply,
which really means mDre taxes upon poor MEN
who havn't the good luck TO be quartefed
upon the Government. This demand il en-
forced by this assertion that nobody can
do ahe public work except the petitioners. We
took issue upon this, and declared that there
weros plenty os people who would be glad to
do tbs work at 0he old rates. Whereupon our
rebuker informs that zoe could MT do II AT
any price; but what our abilities or qualifiea-
tons for n clerkship are will become OF I'M
pOrtanse when we ask for one. Heretofore
our struggles have been principally confined to
helping other people into fat places, and keep
ing them there. As for the unique and rare
accomplishments required of a Government
clerk, and the impossibility of hlling his place
should he resign in a huff, we confess
that wo do not believe in their exist
ence. This increGulity may arise from
our ignorance of the lrcan0 Of the desk
Probably there are clerks whose places it would
be difficult to fill well and at once; but we
doubt if Il be clerks gf this class who are pc
titioning for higher salaries. Such men usually
know how. to take care of themselves, and to
command what is just and equitable. The in
crease of compensation comes of itself, without
petitonne II is the other kind that is always
sending in little memorials.
Our correspondent comes at us with an drgu-
mentum ad hOniinepl. Did MT we raise the price
of THE TRIBUHE7 We certainly did raise the
price sufficiently to enable us to pay for
our white paper; but our correspondent
must be very ignorant of business not
TO know that we should make a great deal
more money if we could sell THE TRIBUNE
for two pence. We didn't make an advance to
enable ourselves to live respectfully, but in or
der that we might live at all. We practiced
all possible economy; but economy amounting
TO penuriOusness, in our business, would be the
grosscst wastefulness and extravagance. More
over, we more than give the worth of the
money. If any old reader will take the trouble
to compare THE TRIBUNE printed at two
pence with THE TRIBUNE printed at four, he
will see that we sell more goods and better
goods under the new price than under the old.
The public, wanting good newspaper, and
instinctively knowing one when i sees one, has
not yet complained, Iand is not likely to. We
put our goods into the market and the fire.
queaters thereof buy them or leave them, ac-
cording to taste or necessity. But we do not
undertake to bully anybody into purchasing
nor do we, like these Washington clerks,
threaten horrible vengeance if buyers prefer
some other journal
Our correspondent asks: "Who ever heard
"of clerks becoming rich on their salaries in
"the best of timesf" To this crushing inter-
rogatory we answer that linen get rich by
trade. and not by salaries, however large.
Mere wages never made anybody rich, and
never will. Those who prefer certain stipend
TO the chances of business are not those who
grow wealthy. The Eclerks who want to be
rich must carry their great skill aud extra