Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-11-04
THE AUSTRIAN CIVIL SERVICE.

pfeme.
It would hardly occur to Englishmen
resident in this country to describe the
Austrian civil service as model worthy
of imitation, writes a Vienna cOrrespon-
dent of The London Telegraph. In one
respect, however, it is exemplary name
ly, its strict honesty. It must also be ad-
mitted that the Austrian government
official is very superior to the regieTungs
bednlte of ante-constitutionaI times. He
is as a rule man of intelligence and
education, having in many instances
taken his university degree. He is almost
invariably civil and obliging, whereas in
former years he was a petty tyrant,
ready to snub all who had the
misfortune to require his services,
and looking upon the long-suffering pub
lie as his natural enemy. In other re-
spects there has been little improvement.
Red tape still reigns supreme. It is next
to impossible TO obtain fran any Aus
trian government official, even from those
in high positions, verbal answer to the
most trivial inquiry. In general they are
irresolute and reluctant to assume re-
sponsibility. The following instance
shows to what extent red tapeism exists
In different branches of the administra-
ton. Some three months ago a foreign
conferee of mine applied for permission
to open an office for the sale of his paper
"a leading continental contemporary
In Vienna. According to the Austrian
press laws, a special authorization is re-
qulred for the purpose. He first had to
address himself to the ministry of the in
terror. There his application met with
no objection, and the minister forward
ed it to the Stockholders office with the
mention: urgent" It went through
three departments of the Stockholders
Office, which only took about as many
weeks, the document being marked Cur
gent" Thence it was sent to the perfec-
ture of the police, where it fell into
the hands of a clerk who likes to sec
things properly done. On scrutinizing
the application he discovered that there
was an important omission, which had
entirely escaped both the minister of the
interior and the stakeholder. The person
on behalf of whom the application was
made-for my conferee did not intend to
stand behind the counter himself-had
not appended his signature. He was ac-
cOrdingly invited to call at the perfect
ure and sign the document. This had to
be done before it could be submitted to
the perfect. No immediate decision
was taken, and the application was
sent for approval to the commits
sary of police belonging to
the district where the paper was to be
sold. 1t is at present on its way back
through the different government depart
ments concerned. Though my confere
has lost all trace of it, he hopes that the
matter being dealt with as urgent he
will some day hear more about it. The
Austrian government employees are gen
orally industrious. Those connected with
the PostOffice, who are the pariahs of the
civil service are over worked, and that to
the detriment of the public. The postal
service leaves much to be desired. Let
tiers and newspapers are not delivered
with that regularity which ought to be OBJ
served in large towns. The reason is the
small staff employed at the general post
office. The Hungary non-registered let
tiers are never sure of reaching their des-
tinatiOn. In Austria letters are seldom
lost, but frequently delayed.
The absence OF the corruption in the
Austrian civil service is the most praise
worthy as salaries are small although
they were increased by the liberal gov
ernment when in Office. They are di-
vlded into eleven classes, as follows:
No. 1, $1,000; No. 2, G1OO; No. 5, $500;
No. 4, 500; No. 5, 5000; No. 6, $3.50 to
$3.50; No. 7, 924O to 5000; No. s, $50 to
$40: No 8, e13O to Clio: No. 10, 800 to
$50; No. II, $50 to $50.
The first class consists of the prime
minister only, while the second includes
the other ministers of state, the president
of the supreme court of judicature, and
fhn Of
The governors of the different provinces
and the presidents of the high courts of
Justice compose the third class. The
fourth class includes the under secre-
taries of state, the project of police,
etc. The remaining classes contain sub
ordinate officials of all denominations
In addition to these fixed salaries there
are perqisites in every class. The lad
ditional payments" as they are called,
are for class No. L, 1,4OO; No. 2, $1,000:
Nos. to IL, 600 to e12. Pensions are
computed in accordance with the follow |
ing scale: Service of 10 to 10 years, one
third of salary; of Is to 20 years, three
eighths of salary; 20 to so years, five |
eighths of salary; of 35 to 40 years, seven
eighths of salary; of 40 weary, the full |
oNACA 1OLAOb1ou 10 W 1O I1Sd1lS Id OIu
and it is seldom that an official rises |
from the lower to the higher ranks of |
the administration.
Considering the present value of the
paper form, it may easily be imagined
that an official with fixed salary of $50 |
and an additional payment" of e12 does
not live in luxury, particularly if, as is |
frequently the case he has a wife and |
family to support. Still, the claim to a |
pension and the security of his position |
makes the government beamte a favorite |
in bourgeois households where there are
unmarried daughters.
In some of the government depar t.
ments office hours are from to 2, and in |
Others from to 3. They are kept with |
military punctuality by subordinate of
foials. Their superiors take it somewhat
easier, but on the whole they are regular
in their attendance at the office. The |
head officials are at liberty to grant leave |
of absence for one day only. If longer |
leave is applied for, it requires minister
ial sanction. In case of illness great lib |