National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-02


Ma. EDITOR Having heard so much about
"pOOr clerks" "inSuriciently remunerated, high
grade Of servlceA,n Ac., In the various phases Of
"2O per cent" increase Of salaries" &c,, de-
sire to submit a stckfull or two touching my tes-
timony and CONCLUSIONS
We doubtless do not presume too much In adj
hitting that great majority Of employees, high
and low, RnKiously desire 4 liberal Increase Of
present salaries; that all would accept without
protest any amount from TO 800 per cent,
should the generosity Of Congress so extend
itself beyond Its own body; that, at any figure,
many could be found, without the aid OF ClaFyOe
OF McDevitt, Who would pass their plate Tor more.
But there are many good men, and clerks withal,
who believe that, as class, the Government en-
plOyee II sufficiently, and In most Instances
amply, Temuneratet-ln many grossly oyeTpald.
From our personal OhAervAtlOn-and we assume
10 speak from no other RTOund-the lOudest COM
plants come from the latter number There are,
without doubt honest, frugal, and industrious
men, with large families; students with books
and tuition 10 pay for; sons with mothers and
hundreds Of thousands, outside Of the Depart
ments, Of equal merit and ability, on smaller
salarles-many, God help them, on nothing at all.
And the fewer inside the more outside.
The more revenue the more paupen. There
are places Of responsibility and trust that require
severe and continuous mental labor and high
degree OF ability, where equitable salaries are
not now paid, These are exceptions. We are
not dealing with the exceptions enumerated. An
Increase all round will still leave them eXcep-
tons. We speak Of classes. From the knOwl-
edge Of rates Of pay and relative living In other
large cities and towns we have reason TO believe
there are not to he found In all the land four
times as many clerks so well paid We cannot
safely say that any man In Government employ
left better position 10 accept q lower rate Of
pay and the evils Of which our fellOw-ceFks
| complain; that Us soon as he can do hstter he
viii not leave the service he 50 Affects to spuTn,
and yet we hear them talk Of the better TecOgni.
ton Of ability such theirs In private establish
ments.
II Is said the Government owes Its servants q
falT living. This must he determined by COM
paTisOn with outside emplOyments. For the sake
Of liberal argument I'VE can see no other reason
grant they should receive more than Il paid else,
where. But what claim have we for handsome re.
muneratlOn7 Do we stand between the country
and destruction Do we perform extraordinary
duties at extraordinary hOurs7 DOVE sacHnce
our bodies to extreme physical snnornEs9 No,
We simply struggle into comfortable once
between and OGlDCk a. m, finish the morning
papers, discuss social, moral and political REFORM
do as much work perhaps ~ anybody would per
form under the same circumstances, forget
ting to leave promptly on the stroke Of three,
Seml-mOnthly we receive from 80 W 500 each,
Before We occupied an Otiicial stool we labOred
under the Impression that the business OF the
Government was carried on for the benent Of
sNre u, 900, 600 Of people, hut have since dlscOy
some odd 1000 Of lts employees. THIS "a pTotec'
ton, Let the 20 900, 900 come down and raise Oni
salaries by their contributions. According q
some Of our excited friends II would seem thai
the most ambitious and talented CLERK should bt
selected, his "style Of hylng"-clgarh, family
liquor and bsef-ateAk bill -aaoeTtained and gen
eral raise OF pay on that basis be made, II might
add q little 10 the general taxation and pauper
ism outside, hut the dignity Of the Government
would he maintained. They seem To forget