New-York tribune., 1869-03-27
A CLERKS SIDE OF TIE SALARY. BUSINESS,

A CLERKS SIDE OF THE SALARY BUSINESS.
10 the Editor of The Trt0ane, I0. trl
SIR: 1 have observed your opposition to IN
clerical compensation, and without entering on
the subject generally, would like to submit certain con
sderaons in connection herewith, which do not seem
10 have received due weght l... .... ..t...
FIrSi. Congressman themselves get 66l per cent IN
creased compensation their employees at the Capitol 20
per cent No is known 70 exist or has ever been
assigned why two persons employed the same class OF
asor-one at end of the and one at the other
should be uneQually paid, especially when those paid
most work but ak eight Months In the year. and those
paid least, twelve months. You undertake to pillory
certain members Of Congress voting for extra compensa
tion TO Others as favOring extravaganza How many OF
fhose economical paragons voting against this extra
Compensation for Others, would vote TO cut down their
OtcH salaries TO anewar baslsf Thai 10 the point
Second; The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad plunder
every family in this District from 500 to $500 per annu
averaging clerks about $50 or SOO tins done Dy
means Of their practically almost monopozng trans
portatIo of many leading articles of consumption, thus
enhancing prices, much directly and more indirectly
Congress sustans them in this punder AS long they
sec lit to do this they should compensate employees Of
the Government in some degree at least. Inls hOad
fao,, that II owned much.belauded Cabinet officer
proofs Of this fact are on record II might DC patn9te
10 fight that railroad Increased compensation may be
attainable, but competing route to Washington 10 not
consolidate the CHess val Which cuts of the debt for
the OF the world imposed license tax OF 500 on resi-
dents 500 nonresdents, who pedde or even solicit
orders so as to throw Government employees completely
the Washington Dealers mostly OF the unen
erprsng prOsayery school, who believe in slow sales
and large profits (he latter at any rate and who are,
moreover heavily taxed on rent by Washington land
lords. real estate like other things IN the District OF Co
lnmbia Is more a monopoly than elsewhere, ana rents
therefore spOndngy enhanced. The latter half OF
the Nineteenth Century may be designated the age OF
monOpolies but N this geion they concentrated.
Fourth. Many clerks recently employed In certain
Government office found IL more profitable to reside In
Baltimore with their families and pay $50 per annun
communication, than TO bring their families here TO be
taxed by Washington landlords Washington store
Keepers Washington corporation, and the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad which imposes OerOI duties on goods
coming to this city. -
Fnf: As to Jenekes's bill, the opinion Of some we'll
informed persons is that t would ony result II passed.
securing pedD rather than clerical capacity TO the
commendabe and wOuld myself much prefer chance
promotion based efficiency any increased COM
pensatiOn. doubt however, II efficiency be made
road TO promotion II the examiners politicians ap
pointed for political services or learned jackasses.
IL has been maintained by P1E TRIBUNE, on the
question that the cheapest labor the best paid and
the most that that paid almost nothing But
you contend that increased compensation should not be
gwen TO Government clerks, because when one vacated
ten are ready occupy his place. even az less salary
suppose for every Congressman that leaves, hOsdds
would be glad TO take his place for half the money
know would and DO far better work and moro OF
IT. am unable conceive OF any scheme by which oil
OF half Government employees be made to earn their
pay but after considering the matter as mpartay as
can (being interested party, don't see that starring
them is remuueratiye to the nation. RECIILINEAR
Washington, ID. G., Feb 27 1862