The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-08-10
WHOLE NO. 1884.
CClermont Courier.1

lClermont Courier.l
The Cincinnati Commercial has the
following witty and sarcastic letter
from an alleged Government clerk
who pays his alleged assessment.
Many will think it very funny pro-
duction, and that it exactly hits the
nail On the head. Many others will
be of the opinion that the man who
wrote it never saw Washington, and
that it don't hit anything.
"It may not be generally known
who | am, but that makes no differ
ence when man has ideas and they
are good ones. Let me explain. /
am Government clerk. A man who
accepts office at this time does so at a
discount of two per cent. Why not
make it five insteadP The boys would
all pay it without a word. It is
the duty of the Office holders to
pay their assessments infull or be
turned out without delay. To
assess merchants, bankers or other
business men would be an insult.
The boys in the service are not so
foolish as to get mad. We are slow
OF anger and Of unusual patience. /
get S75 per month; that is big money.
| only have wife and eight children.
My rent is only 1875 per month; that
leaves $50 for food, clothing, medicine,
etc. am compelled sometimes to have
more but my wife sells some Of the old
dresses that she does not need while
sick. fare very well-can't COM
plain. Sometimes have bread and
water, and at other times water and
bread and as to salt and pepper, q
Vanderbilt cannot boast of better.
Pshaw! that tear. I was only think
ing of my mother who died fifteen
years ago. But | believe in civil SER
vice reform. The Republican plat
form, upon which we elect our Presi-
dent, believes in it. The President
believes in it; we all believe in it.
"GRIT."
Now this brilliant letter writer says
he receives $75 per month salary, and
pays $25 Of it for house rent. This
shows his recklessness to begin with.
There are some sixteen hundred dol
lar clerks who pay as high as $25 per
month house rent, but not many.
Very neat and tidy houses short dis
tance out may be had for $12 and $18.
He has wife and eight children. For
this Government is not responsible;
the man is not compelled to have SO
large family, and his own testimony
shows that he is no greater economist
in children than he is in house rent.
A man who has salary Of $75 per
month does not really need eight chill
dren. He is taxed, he says, two per
cent. of his salary. This is for but one
month. We do not understand that
he is taxed two per cent. on his salary
for year. He makes a very poor
mouth at $75 per month. Now he is
not compelled to work an hour nor a
day for that money if he doesn't want
to. If he knows where he can do bet
ter, he owes it to his wife and eight
children to go there at once. His sal
ary is So per day for days work Of
six hours, and thirty days leave of
absence, with pay, every year. He
can take thirty days in lump, or
one or two or several days at time
through the year, until the compile
ment is filled, and he receives his
money Just as if he had remained at
his post and earned it. There is not in
this country to-day many mechanics
who receive S3 per day, and not one
who receives that for day Of six
hours, not to mention the generous
leave of absence. Still they have
wives and children, and take care of
them on less money than our sarcastic
clerk-thankful that they have en-
ployment at all, and would consider
themselves Vanderbilts if they stood
in the position of the much abused
Government clerk, who kicks savage
ly because he is asked to "chip in" to
a fund calculated more than anything
else to secure him in his tenure.
There is not mechanic anywhere
who would not gladly swap places
with him. The continual whining
about political assessments is sicken-
ing. If the clerks do not want to give
let them retire and seek employment
where nothing will be asked of them,
but where, at the same time, but very
little will be given them. Campaigns
must be fought and it takes money to
fight them. If those who are reaping
the benefits of past campaigns do not
wish to aid in present ones they should
gracefully retire. But it is well to say
that the positions in this country
where a man with a wife and eight
children is paid So per day for writ
ing abusive letters against the organi-
zation that sustains him are compare
lively few outside of Washington.