Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-25
CITY AND DISTRICT.


To the Editor OF the EVENING STAR
Aa.humble government clerk begs leave to
ofysr an amendment TO Pension Office Clerks
growi Of Saturday, July l1th, on the subject of
promotions, to include all the offices of
the executive departments. venture to as
sert that there Ii scarcely a bureau office under
the government where evidences of unjust dis
elimination in matters of promotion cannot be
found The civil service commission have in
timated on various occasions their intention to
rules which would serve to correct some OF the
present abuses OF official power. But. as yet,
nothing has keen aee9hI mp ,s The same old
the end v! time. Nepotism, toadyism and So
called "hng' influences seem to be about the
only means by which advancement is attaina-
bic The survival of the fittest' "a excmpl-
fed In the government service would hardly
bear out the doctrine of evolution as laid down
by the Darwinian school Of philosophers.
In nearly, II not quite, every office there can
be found a select number OF high grade clerks
who, in many ease7 have been advanced in in
decent haste through social, political other
influences TO the positions they now occupy.
and Who by reason of the peculiar combine
lions they have been able tn form and then
grip on official power, have used their positions
20 make IL exceedingly pleasant Tor themselves
and a few chosen parasites, by gobbling up
every thing that appeared I'm sight. including
promotions, extra office outfits. easy and con-
genial duties, &c, &c, while Others of longer
but who have not spent half their time in fawn-
Ing sycophancy, have been Systematically
snubbed and humbied in every conceivable
way by being overlooked and overridden in all
those little official recognitiOns which aid so
materially in making the position of a govern
ment clerk pleasant and profitable. These rings
or combinations actually control the official
destinies of most OF their fellow clerks. having
the ears, ~ they usually do. of the powers that
be. while they manage well to promote the
success of some and retard the advancement of
Others according to Selfinterests and personal
likes and dslikes, and with no regard whatever
70 either seniority of appointments or compara-
tive qualifications.
That this state of things exists Is well known
20 all government clerks, and that Ii is a dis
grace TO the service, and a bar to the great MAJ
jOrity of worthy employees in all honorable
competition for the higher-grade clerkshipS. is
selfevident. This question of promotion should
be dealt with without fear or filvOritisn, and
the clerks ell should be made To understand
that their services during office hours belong to
the governments and not to themselves, to irit-
ter away in manipulating and maneuvering
for advancement out OF their regular turn.
Congress In its wisdom has enacted that cer-
tain salaries shall be paid TO clerks on entering
the civil service, and il should he made the
duty of heads of departments to see to It that
these clerks, II found worthy and qualified to
retain their positions, should be advanced ac-
cOrding TO seniority OF appointment or some
nxed rule OF comparative merit. If this were
done there would be some inducement or in
centive 10 an honest. conscientious clerk to give
his best service to the government, for he could
then feel certain that he would be promoted
some time. CLERK.
July Is, 1885,