Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-09
Aancaster fntelligencer.
TUESDAY EVENING. JAN 8. 1893.
Coucprniuy SScrub Women"


1t is reported from Harrisburg that
the new chief clerk of the House, MIR.
Meek, has appointed but six pages,
though he is authorized by law to name
fifteen, and that he has reduced the num-
Der of scrub women OH the pay roll from
one hundred and fifteen to slxty.five,
thereby challenging the Democratic
caucus to supplement his proposed re-
forms with such action as will lop Oil
enough supelfluous offices to save the
state $4,000 and the Democratic House
some credit. 1t may be doubted whether
the reduced number of pages is sufficient
for the wants Of the House, but II the
new chief clerk proposes to appoint the
smaller number, and to only add others
when their services become indlspensl-
bic, he has done wisely. That the con-
tingent funds of both Houses have been
lavishly spent, if not stolen, under
preense of employing women 10
clean the legislative halls and CON-
mittee rooms, can be easily demonStrat-
ed. For the session of 1s70-the only
recent one of which we have at hand the
figures in detail-Chief Clerk Shurlock
reported to have paid out of his contin-
gent fund 49, ,195 to lie women, in varl-
Gus amounts, for cleaning the House OF
Representative hall and committee
rooms. AS the session lasted l1O
days-or 1oS exclusive of Sundays
this amount would have paid, at
the compensation allowed, the SER
vices of 50 women for work every night
of the session, including Fridays and
Saturdays when there was seldom any
session held. Besides this seven House
janitOrS wele paid for the session, Il!
the rate Of Sc per day each-a total. in
cluding their mileage of SG,GlS 20. Now,
an ordinary court house as large as that
in this city is managed BY 4 single jani
tor at $500 year, and he las little
enough to do. To say that seven janltors
are required for the House of Hepresen'
tatiyes along-wth its hall. three or foul
committee rooms, basement, CLOAK
and wash rvoms-and 80 women besides
every night in the week. whether a ses
sion is holding or not, is to admit that OF
the money thus alleged to be spent muci
is stolen.
Two janitcrs can easily do all thu
work for which under Republican dis
pensation seven were paid, and twent,
women. even between G and 80 p. u.
can easily keep the House chambe
clean. The sixty-live proposed to be pu
on the list could be divided into three
gangs, each having two nights work pc
week. More than this will only be il
the way of each ether; and an observa
ton made the other evening while tli
process OF cleauingwas in progress shcwe'
that fifteen women swept the ch@mhe
in a l.alc-hour. In view OF these well
known facts Democratic officials ar
bound to keep down the expenses am
the number of employees and the Iious
caucus should support and supplement
their efforts. Moreover we trus. som
resolution will he introduced into tn
House requiring ali employees to be a
Harrisburg ANA lender the services fO
which they draw pay, or in their failur
to do 50 that 10 warrants be a'lOwe
them. In times past many of the suborli
nate places have been filled by substitute
hired ut from 81 to Sl.5o per day Will
their principals got So. There must h
genuine house cleaning.