Telegram-herald., 1889-09-03
GOVERNMENT CLERKS.
What II Is 10 W ork IN the De-
parrnsnrs at W ashington
A Tsfier Tells Abeos the Lt1e-fts rss
Pts@serss @na suz4h fss AAs
koasy Leader A Clerks AHs-
esor@4iEs Prosp~~ts-


eordink % washllxtoa correspondent.
4re sIlks oonteu ptiols. fbe gossip, tne
money lenders sBd the rnouey borrow
ers. l mention the gossips rrst' pee@ese
they are by al ocis tne most fArufaL
Tb.,v are % respsclor q persons. &na caR't
Be pat down D. sny teing shortof oism issal
Ia sore MYSTERIOUS way they possess them
selves II more or less information concern
ins eaea nsw appointee, IN tneir o"a ard
ne e. 0oriag divisions. ard seen u nnd
uoth .ns 80 interesting IS q little o. of seat
"a thelr ever-vigil at ears may eaten.
N matter how slight or innocent lts ori-
gsn. ~they understand their business 80
wei - = friexd Of miae remarked enc
dav. that by the tine il has passed through
tvo or three noon discussions Ia various
corridors IL comes forth fun iedged Iof any
perpase that may be desired, aaa mol lnfre-
ouentv forms the subject q . sens~lensi
article Ia the daily papers
The money leaders are men, and occasion
anv women. who by thrift ana economy
manage always 10 nave sum OF money on
band with which TO favor needy fellow
clerks. A. interest varying from ave 10 ten
per cent month. This IS al done very
ou,etlv. but II is done. Perhaps II might DO
ssid that the poor clerks are foolish 10 be 50
imposed upon, but they feel-wel, it's only
for short time aud win relieve present
enDarrassments forgetting how many dol
lars such transactions have already cost
them and thanking their friend for tue loan.
There are two kinds OF money borrow
srs- one the thriftless 10 whom q salary Of
from a. .OOO 20 81 500 seems large enough 70
cover sny extrayagances they may indulge
Al HsaFn n
debted 70 landlord, grocer and various
others, whose demands become so dis
agreeably pressing that borrowing Is re-
sorted TO and kept up un.n they get too
deeply involved 20 extricate themselves,
and every body that trusted them has to
suffer in consequence The other kind
should be called swindlers, as they make
a business OF obtaining money under any
pretext from every body they can, and then
resort 20 al sorts of means to avoid paying
4, back. The latter are found among the
men only. and, fortunately, are not numer-
ous. but even one such is just one more
than should be tolerated In the public serv-
ice.
Among the women IN the departments
there are many widows OF deceased of1i-
GERS OF the army and navy, and others
who. a few years ago, moved IN select
circles of society. and were surrounded by
sil that wealth or position could give them,
md who then little thought that very
short turn Of the wheel of fortune would
give them such an intimate acquaintance
with the aside of the building whose ex-
teriors only had been familiar with them
before There are others who, besides per-
forming neayy clerical duty here, manage
20 accomplish a surprising amount OF
literary work Some Of the raciest and
best letters from Washington and many
valuable contributions TO the current
periodicals come from them. 1t has been
said that W Washington women are the most
industrious OF any women In the country,
and think IL might be added that they are,
as a class, the brightest and most intelh-
gent.
Among the men we have ex-soldiers OF
all ranks, or at least they were OF all ranks
when first appointed TO Government posi-
tions, but once appointed il is amusing and
amaziug TO note the rapIdity with which
they assume the different army titles
Whether the @. A. K. has some secret
method of promoting its rank and file now
engaged in fighting Uncle Sans pen-and-
ink battles know not, but certain 1t IL,
they move onward and upward in that line
so RAPIDLY that very few are now left below
the rank of General or Colonel Outside OF
the ex-sOldier class and officials, my ten
years study of the men who accept and re-
tain as long as they can the ordinary Gov
ernment clerkships, has revealed nothing
very complimentary TO either their ambl-
ton or their energy. can not help think
ing there must be something essentially
weak in able bodied men who aspire 70 moth
ing higher in life than to occupy desks in
Government departments ranging from
81, 600 10 &, 800 per year. Such positions are
demoralizing.
They NAV present fine opportunities to
Young men of limited means to equip them
selves for various professions, as Washing
ton can boast Of excellent law, medical and
other institutions where lectures are given
a. night, but even this frequently proves a
dangerous way OF acquiring profession, as
one OF numerous instances now in nv mind
will illustrate.
Fifteen years ago poor but talented
young friend OF Senator Conkiing, fun OF
ambition 70 become as famous a lawyer as
the Senator. sought and obtained position
here for the purpose OF taking a law course.
He began at salary Of 81 200, and was
shortly after promoted 10 s., 400 he studied
hard, was grad with honor, and fully
intended to resign his position and begin his
career as lawyer AT once. just At thai
timo he unfortunately received another pro
motion to sixteen hundred. which caused
him 10 hesitate and then postpone the
change giving IS excuse that u might be
better 20 wait awhile and accumulate lit
tie capital 70 start with. That man Is stIll
drawing sixteen hundred dollars IN the
same bureau typical Government clerk,
dead 20 any higher aspiration than retain
ing his present position.
4 celebrated lawyer told ne not long
since that when he was trying 70 get an od
ucation. he heard Of the advantages in this
limo afforded by Official employ ment IN
Washiu gton, aud thereupon went TO DO
liacai friend az his father who had patron
age 20 bestow aud asked him 70 procure him
an app0 .ntmcnt Cant do it, ny young
friend" answered the judge, bluntlv,
"th.nk TOO much Il your father T. spoil your
future prospects n thai way II would be
the greatest unkiuduesa I could ID yon. and
some day vou vii thank ne for this re-
fusaL" And have thanked him durin-
a. uy professional bfe.n continued tho
r.~~-rrr