The daily gazette., 1883-01-01
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Secretary Lincoln Making the Clerks Toe
a Straight Line Capital Notes,

Secretary Lincoln Making tho Clerks Toe
a Straight Line Capital Notes.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3l.--The passage by
the Senate of the Civil Service Reform bill
has inspired Secretary LincOln TO carry out
plan, which he haa had iunder considera@
tion for some, time past, 70 promote the
efficiency Of she clerks IN the War Depart-
ment. Hitherto this branch of the service
has Nbeen. q Mecca towards which many
clerks discharged from other departments
have turned longing eyes, as the duties re-
auired were light and the berths were re-
Rarded as sure for lifc. Under such state
Of affairs numerous abuses crept in, and the
privileges accorded the employees were
far In excess OF those In any other
public office. Now It Is proposed TO
run the department on the same principle
by which the Treasury is conducted, and
when the clerks return 10 their desks on
Tuesday morning they will probably be con-
frontcd with an order prohibiting smoking,
social visits during office hours aud other
restrictions upon their habits. a half hour
at noon win be allowed for lunch, and such
as fail to conform to the new rules will be
dismissed summarily. II is proposed to
make this a model department, and Secre-
tary Lincoln has established the reputation
OF being master of his own house, so that
no delinquencies will be permitted.
The Secretary of the Navy proposes to de-
tail young naval officers of the line and of
the several staff corps to the various navy
yards to perform the necessary clerical duty
| that ia left unpruvided for by the present
appropriations. There is much dissatisiac-
tion and some open growing among officers
at this decision of Secretary Chandler, as
they claim that such duty will be unmilitary
and out Of place for them to perform.
Secretary Chandler holds that the law which
! required officers to perform the duties OF
| admirals' and captains clerks gives him
| authority to place officers on clerical duty.
II Is understood that the Pendleton Civil
Service bill will be reported to the House
tomorrow or Wednesday, and will be given
precedence over the Appropriation bills.
The condition of the Appropriation bills in
the House and House Committee is "more
forward than ever before at so early a day
in the session." The Indian, Post office,
Diplomatic. Military Academy and Agri-
cultural Appropriation bills are passed; the
Army bill is before the House, and the Dis
tItct Of Columbia, Naval and Fertilization
bills are ready to be reported. 1t is expected
that the Pensions, Legislative and Sundry
Civil bills will be ready before the LIST Feb
ruary. The Deficiency bill, according to
the Chairman of the Committee on Appro
priations, twill be small one this year. y
1t is estimated that the public debt wa:
reduced $13 900, 600 during December.
The receipts of the Patent Office during
the year were 81 ,O09, 1856 against 1858 ,66'
during 1881 The net revenue of the Office
during the year was 1926, 900.
Secretary Chandler has ordered the com
manoants at the various navy yards to re
duce by so per cent. the number of mel
employed under the appropriation for th'
maintenance of yards and docks. The re
ductlon will not extend to skilled mechanics
and workmen generally, but the unskilleC
class. The reduction will allow the yard
TO be kept open until March, by whicl
time, 1t is expected, Congress will havt
made a further appropriation for thei
maintenance.