The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-11-01
Bleeding Government Clerks.

Assistant Secretary of the Interior
Jocelyn touched on a sore spot few
| days ago when he said he would not
help money-lenders get their loans from
| his clerks. The extent to which en-
| ployes are bled by these usurers is
scarcely credible. One firm is said to
| do business of $4,000 a month, and
there are several others whose transac-
lions are nearly as large. Il suppose
seventy-five per cent. Of the Govern
ment clerks, y said one of these brokers'.
''are behindhand, and in the habit of
borrowing money. The rates vary
from two per cent. to ten and even
twenty per cent. a month. One large
| firm which does business on conserTa-
tive basis charges its customers the
legal rate of eight per cent. perian-i
mum, and then two per cent. month ;
for discounting the notes. In this way
the brokers eyade the laws against
usury. The common charge for dis.
count is ten per cent a month. The
| Washington broker is worthy of O COM
n1ittee OF investigation, and rigorous
| inquiry by the Democratic House would
bring to light some very sensational
Scandals 80 fae
There is no legal process for collect
| ing these usurious debts, but the bro
kers know how to bring influence to
| bear on the clerks. Often q chief of
division or bureau is himself customer
in the broker S power, and willing to
apply the thu1nbscrewss TO "a subordi-
nate to ease the pressure on himself
Besides, the brokers, like all men who
control a large capital, have great indi-
/ rect influence with the higher officials,
and can secure. themselves in that way
Many OF the chiefs employ their own
capital and that of their relatives and
friends in the brokerage business. The
brokers do not use their own money
even after they are rich. Most Of them
begin with nothing but a good credit at
a bank. Legitimate bankers readily
discountall the paper broughtthem upon
| the endorsement of the broker at one
and a half per cent a month. The
brokers use the bankers money, and
turn it over and over. They have no
end of tricks of the trade to get their
money. One dar forlorn looking
lady in widows weeds came to General
Walker with a pitiful tale. One of the
| census clerks, she said, was defrauding
her of her board bill. She wiped her
tears as the indignant Superintendent.
told her that the clerk must paw up or
go. He paid. 1t afterward appeared
that the poor widow was worth $780,.
900, and was settling up her late husr
bands brokerage business
| In all the departments the failure to
pay debts is regarded as iustifying in
| reference on the part OF appointing
officers, and this gives the brokers
lever which they soon become expert
| in using.
There is regular c1ientage of these
| impecunious clerks, who are chronic
borrowers. Formerly the brokers kept
black list for mutual protection, but
| of late less fraternal policy has pre-
vailed, and new firms are left to find
out the dead beats by costly experience.
| There are many setbacks, even when
the lenders are shrewd and careful.
| Borrowers get deeper and deeper into
| the mire, lose their positions, and dis
| appear. But in spite of their OCCASION
| al losses, most of the sharpers get rich.
Few women clerks borrow money.
When they do they usually get the en-
| dorsement of men. Very often the lat
| ter have to pay the note. This phase
of the subject illustrates an unpleasant
| feature in department lifes but fortga
nately one that is much exaggerated
The colored employees are great bor-
rowers, and pay enormously high rates.
They are said to be better pay, how
ever, than white people. Two or three
firms of colored brokers have become
quite rich in this business among their
own race Washington Cor. n 7. Sun.