Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-09-11
STRICTLY BUSINESS.
No More Tardy Treasury Clerks Re-
ported.


ported.
SECRETARY MANNING SHOWS THAT HE n IN
EARNEsr-THE LIST OF LAeGARDs REDUCED
TO zERo-How A PROMINENT OFFICIAL WAS
BROUGHT TO TERMS
Last November Secretary Manning sum-
! moned Chief Clerk Youmaus, of the Treasury,
TO his presence and informed him that many OF
the employees OF the department were habitu-
ally late In arriving at their desks in the morn
ing.
II want that corrected said the Secretary.
II can correct IL. Mr.. Secretary" replied the
cnief clerk, "out you will have TO stand by me.
may have to recommend some removals"
"Recommend them, will sustain you," was
the sententfous response OF the Secretary
me chief clerk at once made q regulation re-
curing toe watchmen 10 report TO him the
name OF every empioye arriving after o'clock.
ana the Time OF arrival, showing how much
eacn was behind the regular hour. On the first
uay luis went INTO effect which was the 14th
OF November last, 23o clerks were reported as
late. In connection with the regulation was an
order requiring each clerk arriving late TO pre-
sent himself or herself to the chief clerk and
oner an excuse tor the Delinquency Those
VINO nad no valid excuses were advised that
tuere was no nxed penalty tual could be i'm
posed for habitually reaching the department a
lew minutes AFTER the prescribed time, but that
ns rsSo,o Oh eacn days report was KEEP, filed,
tate against promotions: that that record would
stand there TO confront any Recommendation or
request for promotion, and Il IL showed clerk
to be habitually or frequently late in getting TO
duty. 70
The number Of delinouents. under a r,ytd an.
iorcement OF the regulation, steadily dimin-
ished until IL has reached zero. Oflate IL is not
Unusual Tor an D to represent the number of
clerks late. Many of the employees live out on
the lines of railroads leading into the city. and
when train is delayed that is considered a
valid excuse. In fact, there is no harshness i'm
enforcing this regulation. Mr.. Youmuns Ia
very conslderate liz that respect One day "A
month or so after the regulation had been In
,Urce Mr. foumans took the record TO Secretary
manning and showed him that a large propor-
ZION Oh the delinQuents were only from two TO
hihe minutes behindhand. He suggested thai
| latitude of ten minutes be allowed: that the
clerks oe given until ten minutes past nine.
NO. SIT, answered the Secretary. eff you
wi VIII consult that record you will see that II is
tne same persons who, day after day. are only
Anew minutes late. Ii you were to give them
until AZ o clock-tO Il the hour OF noon as the
lew minutes late. Why not REQUIRE them To
come ten minutes before 8 o'clock and to have
.aeir desks cleaned of aud be ready for work
A. the stroke OF y? No; o'clock Is late enough
ana we Will not ailo W a minutes grace"
Inere was determined effort made TO break
aown Tue regulation. Men OF influence, Sena-
Iors ana Representatives. protested against IL
&s an annoy ance. but the officials stood firin
Not many days passed until Secretary Man
draws big salary and holds high social and
Ponticai position was reported late day after
uay. ne put ia no excuse and apparently de-
eermineu 70 ignore the regulaI ion. Que day
tue cnlel clerk sent for this official He entered
tne room with a high head and staggering air
M: tounans accosted him politely and then
calieo tbs attention TO the record.
"Ioo nave been late every morning and as
you nave not offered any excuse sent To re-
quest you u make one"
ell, said the high-up Treasury man, "this
in it." e -" u'o
III it's AN annoyance to you, you mad better
resign" suggested Youmans.
=, 90 not feel Called upon TO resign, but never
theless this is AN annoyance"
W ell III relieve you OF the annoyance re-
torted the chiei clerk, 'I'll have you removed
!ne onciai looked at the chief clerk i'm sur
prise. have hiu removed He did not belle We
the treasury could get along without him. He
lau no lear OF removal. The case Was reported
10 the Secretary, and in twenty minutes the
orter OF removal was signed. Then the pres.
sure OF The man S political aud social infi ueuce
was brought 10 bear upon the Secretary, out be
replied:
The matter is entirely in the hands of the
cnlei clerk. IL rests with him to suspend or en-.
force the order of removal"
Then the seli-important enploye came down.
auo nnaily the order OF removal was revoked
But the incident manifested the determinaliop
% the secretary TO enforce the re- ula ton, and
tnere has been no more resistance to it,