The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-04

The Chicago 'tTribune', as n Fault Finder and
the XpOiosist for ReIrenchment.
From the Chicago Tribune Senator TrunlbuHs Organ)
Aprl29.
During the war the clerical force OF the Govern
ment IN all its departments was greatly increased
and often very reckessly Temporary clerks were
appointed in squads OF thirty and forty, and gene
rally the offices became permanent No office was
discontinued, but constant increase OF the number
was Kept up. The salaries also were raised and
when the war closed there were at least 2000 civil
ians in Government employ in addition to the force
in disbanding the army OF 100000 men; but this
army OF civilians was not TO be shaken of. With
more than barnacle tenacity they cung to the pay
rolls. 1he most OF these people, men and women,
went 20 Washington from distant States They were,
as q class, too lazy to earn their bread by work at
home, and therefore went down, and through their
representatives in Congress, were placed upon the
civil pension list. As matter OF course, they
resisted all efforts for their displacement. They
constituted lobby TO defeat all legislation having
for its object the reduction of the civil force to the
only successful in this, but they annually obtained
from Congress special pension equal 10 twenty per
cent. additional salary. During Johnson's admins-
tratiOn the number OF civil officers of the Govern
ment, not only at Washington, but I'm all parts of the
country, was. increased. Neither COngtess nor the
Executive had the courage to dismiss the useless
officials. During a few months, while General Grant
was acting Secretary Of War; he took the RESPONSE
bty as far as his discretion extended, of dismiss
ing large number OF persons and OF closing large
number of offices no longer needed by the Govern
ment. There was the usual outcry against the petty
economy Of dismissing a few clerks at comparatively
small salaries, but the most efectua to this
was the fact that the aggregate OF expenditures
saved by the limited reform already instituted was
equal to two and half millions Of dollars year.
The last Congress at its last session was driven
into reform by the mperious demands of the press
and people of the country. These thousands of
cerkships had no other warrant OF law than the APP
preparations from time to time. discontinuance of
the appropriations involved dscontnuance Of the
offices, and since the first OF March we have wit
messed the discharge of q large number OF these
clerks Several hundreds have already been dis
charged, and by the first OF July the whole num-
her dismissed will have reached 1900 males and
females. .. ..
The Democratic papers are making pteous COM
plants about the hardships and cruelty upon these
poor men and women who have been dismissed, and
they ridicue the economy which exhibits itself in
that FORM But the whole expenses Of the Govern
ment made up OF small items, and the cutting Off
OF 1900 salaries, averaging $1,000 each is aggre-
gate saving well worthy OF consideration. The re-
duction OF expenditure by millions is exactly what is
needed to reduce taxation and no government can
palliate the crime OF continuing any man in office
whose services are not needed.