Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-24
Unjust Discrimination I'm the CLASH
ffcatiOn Of Clerks.

Editor Star: j desire through the columns OF
your paper to invite the attention of Congress
to what appears grossly unjust discrimination
in the classification of clerks in some of the
bureaus and divisions of the Treasury depart
meDt. 1t is agreed on all sides that clerical
labor should be compensated, as far as possible,
according to ability, integrity, responsibility,
and general usefulness to the government; and
wherever in the department labor is to be per-
formed requiring a high order of these qualiti
cations, that labor should be recompensed ac-
cordingly. For instance, IL certain labor to be
performed In one of the bureaus or divisions
requires ability, responsibility, and experience
worth 81 500 or 80 400 per annum, labor in an
other bureau or division of corresponding i'm
portance should be worth equally as much. Let
us see how this is. Under the legislative, Judi
cial, and executive bill now before the House of
Representatives we find that the Fourth Audi
tor has in all SO clerks, five of whom are fourth
class, or in the ratio of 10 o. The Third Au-
dltOr has 173, and IL of fourth class, or 1 to Is
The Second Controller has 6I, and IL of fourth
class, or to 6; while the Second Auditor has 1885,
and of the fourth class, or to every 30 clerks
In this Office of the Second Auditor, there are
ten responsible divisions, yet the Auditor is
given but Sir ith class salaries for these divis-
ions, and none of the class termed sprincipal
cerks' in other divisions of the Treasury de-
Partment Of minor Importance and requiring
the labor of but few clerks. In the "appoint-
ment division" "a division, by the way, requir-
ing a very high order of intellect to assert, file
away, and keep busted applications for APP
pOintment) there are but ttUelre clerks, the
clerk" g, 400 per annum. The s'reyenue ma
rine division" has ten clerks, the "chief" SO OOO
and his principal clerk" e, 400 per annum
The "divisiOn of navigation" with its multi
tudinOus and OnerOus duties, has a corps of
seUen clerks with its "chief" and his "principal
clerk" paid s., goo and 81, 400 per annum. And
the chief or PRINCIPAL clerk Of the "Supervs.
ing Architects division" Is paid 80 900 per an
mum. None of these "principal Clerks so
called, ever assume the obligations of bureau
chief clerks, yet the chief clerk OF the Second
Auditors bureau of 1S5 clerks, who is liable To
be called upon to perform the functions OF
Second Auditor in his absence, is to receive bat
5000 per annum. His position, and that of
other bureau chief clerks, is regarded as in
teTtor to that of "chiefs' or "principalsS' of
simple divisions.
We will assume that the story told by the
annual report of the auditor has not been read
by the committees, and were it not a fact more
generally known throughout the country, and
by Congressman who have occasion to to deal
with the office, that it is of the largest most
important, and hardest worked under the gov
eminent. / would invite attention to a. few
facts, such as the examination of paymasters'
and other disbursing officers accounts, army
pay and muster rolls, medical and ordnance and
clothing accounts, examination and revision of
Indian accounts, all involving millions of dol
lars; examining and auditing pay and bounty
claims, requiring the same character of labor
required in the examination of pension claims,
yet the pension examiners are given ttoenty- SIR
4th class clerks;) the duties Of the warrant
requlsition and book-keepers' division; the in
yestigatlon OF frauds, and prosecution of crimi-
nal and civil cases in every U. s. district court
in the country, &c. Justice should be done
and 1t IL earnestly hoped that this matter will
be inquired into further By Congress.
FAIR PLAY.