Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-02-27
For the Democrat.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 6, 's3.

ton arises, What Snau 1 WTlte' VI WI"
shall write aboutl The few weeks tina
have passed since the ushering In OF TIT
New Year have been full Of incidents, ant
furnished quite diversity Of subjects
The past week came in amidst the festivi
ties attending the visit OF the Marquis o.
Lorne; but he has gone, and we turn oul
attention to Congress. There We find the
Tariff Bill still holds the fort, but IL Is not
at this stage of the game the least bit In
spring. or this we can only say, that we
are very glad that In their present temper
there is no prospect OF reaching any re-
suits on that bill, as we are armly con
vinced that no good could possibly come
from tariff tinkering at This session. There
is too large q stock OF buncome and bile to
be disposed OF at this time TO leave room
TO hope for much good. The members ol
the present Congress can hardly be said TO
be all able statesmen, nor do they show
any evidence Of having received the pow
ers Of vision coveted by the poet, Burns,
when he wrote
40. wad some power the gif,ie gle us,
To see oursels as others see US,
IL wad from monte n danger free US,
And foolish notion"
The Appropriation Committee has at
tempted 10 meet the increasing demands
Of the public service, by adding an hour to
the days labor OF each clerk in the depart
ments. While we recognize the fact that
1t Is the generally received idea that the
average government clerk has little else to
do but to go 70 the department some time
In the course OF the forenoon, where he
spends short time with his heels upon
his desk enjoying his cigar and reading the
morning paper, then 10 brush his hair, adj
just his exquisite neck-tie, and saunter
down the Avenue,--we do not admit that
TO be fair estimate Of the services rem
dered by this much cnvied and traduced
class; however true II may have been In
days ante bellum, times have changed and
with them other changes have come, and
the people are receiving pro quid for the
money expended.
There Is no work that the government
needs 10 have done that II Is not able TO
pay for having respectfully done, and there
Is no excuse for depressing those who do
1t. The present salaries OF the regular
clerk were adjusted by law In 1858, and at
a time when tho purchasing power Of q
dollar was more than double that OF to-
day, and that fact has been recognized in
all salaries paid by the government except
those to clerks. Take, for instance, the
item OF house rent those that rented be.
fore the war for from ten 10 twelve dollars
per month now command thirty TO thirty
five; and this fairly represents the In
creased expense of living in this city. At
the time these salaries were adjusted, Sen
stors anj Members OF Congress were paid
S. per day for the time that Congress was
actually In session; they now receive 3d.
600 per annum. Members Of the Cabinet
then received $4,000; they now get IS, 600.
Judges OF the Supreme Court were then al
lowed 81, 900 per annum they now receive
$40, ,OOO with the additional consideration
that they may retire at seventy on the
same salary. The salary OF the President
has been raised from s2j 900 to $50, 900.
All this on the plea OF increased expense
OF living in Washington and TO meet these
increased salaries, Congress has from time
provided for what they are pleased to call
temporary clerks at less salary than Is
paid the regular clerk, and by increasing
the number Of clerks OF the lower grade
without corresponding increase In those
OF the higher grades until they have sue.
ceeded In reducing the average pay Of the
clerks in the departments fully 20 per cent
since the Republican party came Into
power. Aud the dear people are expected
to accept this result as accomplished In
the interest of economy.
Something of a furry has disturbed the
newspaper fraternity and Congress during
the past two weeks, owing to the reported
tumble in the work Of the census office oc-
casioned by request from the Acting Su-
perintendeut calling upon Congress for an
additional sum of $50, 600 TO continue the
work. The trouble seems to arise from
the fact that Gen. Walker, in his anxiety
to secure large salary, engaged TO do
more than he was able TO perform. In
taking the census of 1870 he received
salary of SO, 900, and the clerks were paid,
as in the departments, 81 200 and upwards,
and he performed the work as was gener-
orally understood in satisfactory man
ner; but when preparations were being
made for the census Of 1880, he urged upon
Congress the idea that II they would just
pay him an annual salary OF 5000, and
give him cart blanche to spend the money,
he could do it for q much less sum than
that Of 1870 cost. The General, being q
devoted apostle Of civil service REFORM
indeed, the very embodiment Of it,-COn-
gress appropriated $3,OOO,OOO, and he
started out to accomplish the work for
that amount, and spent 1t all before one
year had passed, and has made several calls
for more until the appropriations have
exceeded $4,000, 900, and charges have
been freely made that money has been
wasted. Some over year ago, General
Walker accepted the position Of Professor
in Yale College, and his chief clerk, c. W.
Seaton, esq, was appointed his successor.
He is now quite III and has been seriously
20 for several weeks. Walker, on the re-
quest of Secretary Teller, has again re-
sumed charge OF the work, and In an in.