The sun., 1882-08-20
AN ARMY OF NEW CLERKS.
A Considerable Increase In Washington's
Popuiation-Merit Not Considered.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18-The city Of Wash
ington is disposed to condone the sins Of the
present Congress out OF gratitude for favors
received The river and harbor steal had a
most liberal appropriation for the Potomac.
Washington is especially grateful to Congress.
however. for the large increase ordered in the
clerical service Of the Government. The force
In the various departments Is to be imme-
diately increased by more than l 800 clerks.
Twelve hundred OF these have been or are to be
engaged for the adjudication OF pension claims
The remaining hundreds are scattered through
the departments in larger or smaller groups.
A moments reflection will enable one to see
how greatly Washington will be benefited
locally by this increase Of its working
population. The compensation Of the new
clerkShips will average nearly or quite 81 900
each. This means an additional disbursement
Of public money In the District Of Columbia of
poor. and spend their salaries as fast as, they
earn them: The money therefore, will almost
District. Moreover. 1t should be remembered
that In many cases clerk represents a family;
No doubt the !, 500 new appointments M will stand
for population OF 900 or 500. possibly more.
added to the local population This means a
prosperous winter for real estate brokers,
boarding houses and retail tradesmen. for all
these !, 500 persons must be housed. clothed.
fed. and amused.
Some OF the, work for which this increased
rary and extraordinary. Much Of the PEN
desc description. & " But phS'I Tor all i interests @ and and
purposes it is permanent 1t will take
three or four years, at the least calcula-
the Pension Bureau @ s The n2M has
given warning that his requirements for the
next fiscal year will probably be largely in ex-
cess even OF the enormous sum of 800 O0O. 600
granted him for the present year. and 1t will
be, in his judgment. Ave years before the
pension appropriations will be sensiblv smaller
than at present. To handle such a mass OF
business properly a large force of clerks. prob
ably as large as at present. must be employed
for many years; The increase in other depart
ments was mainly granted upon representa-
needed to keep pace with increasing business.
1t Is the inevitable tendency OF every depart
ment to aggrandize itself. and then there is a
legitimate growth Of departments due to the
rapid development OF the country. Thus the
increase to the population OF the capital may
be regarded as permanent.
These l.5OO appointments depend in all
cases upon caprice, not merit. Not man has
been examined by those who will be held re-
sponsible for his work as to his fitness to per-
chance offered it TO show tho sincerity OF its
professions for reformed civil service. 1t has
shown instead the utter hollowness OF these
pretensions. In some cases where vacancies
occurred in the higher grades OF clerkships the
record was consulted and promotions were
was the individual preference OF q chief OF
bureau TO be guided by such Il policy rather
than the obligation Of any law which resulted
in promotion by merit. In all original appoint
ments, however personal and political consid-
eratons ruled.
Not quite all the ST. 500 900 yearly stays In Il =,
District OF Columbia Two per cent. OF thGt
sum. or $50. 0OO goes to Mr.. Jay A. Hubbell.