The sun., 1892-03-18
A FIELD FOR RETRENCHMENE.
The Extravaeance Of the "Clerk" Depart
ment In the House OF Representatives..

ment In the House OF Representatives.
WASHINGTON. March 17.-whue Mr. Holman
| and his assistants are figuring with a view to
economical government, they might do we'll
to overhaul the Offices in the Capitol building
and deaden some OF the rank growth that year
by year has grown up under the mistaken lib
erality OF the two Houses OF Congress. Without
considering tho Republican Senate. which has
time and again refused to assent to a rcduc-
ton OF its enormous contributions OF political
favorites and attaches. let us turn to tho Dem
ocratic House and SEQ Just how deeply Mr.
Holman may thrust III his snickersneo without
detrment to the public service. We will first
look into the business affairs OF the office OF the
Clerk and regard its astonishingly big paw roll.
Tho Clerk himself receives the ample COM
pensation OF member OF Congress-$5.O0O
per annum Hc has literally nothing to do save
to stand of members who may desire places
for their friends. without individualizinR.
the Clerk OF the House, most generally. Ia the
embodiment OF well-salaried Government
! official He has big pay. fine Office room. a
| clerk. n typewriter. a colored messenger to
shine his boots. a high standing collar. silk
hat. and very general acquaintance with the
Chairmen in their committee rooms.
His executive officer. lrst lieutenant, is
known by the rcsounding title OF "Chicf
Clerk" and upon this individual falls the
heavy service Of ordering out the towel wash
and attending to the lnlnitesimal chores that
otherwise might fret the consideration OF
tho head OF the Office. These duties
are swcetened by compensation OF
$4,000 per annum. This office should
be abolished. 1t Is Of no earthly use and adds
nothing to the efficiency OF the force. Some
years ago the incumbent OF this place com bined
with the desk clerks and engineered bill
through the House which raised their salaries
from $500 per nnnum to $4,000. Again. in q
later Congress, q second combination was made
between the Chief Clerk and the reading
clerks and another foray was succesful.in spite
OF the frantic appeals Of Mr.. Holman. and the
Legislative bill was amended 80 as to increase
their salaries to $4,000 per annum each-pay
equivalent to the salaries OF bureau chiefs In
the departments. who work year. in and year
out on intricate problems involving the settle
ment Of accounts in our system;
stated. $500 per annum each for their labor:
ends with the session. In othyr words. these
public servants receive each Sl2 per day for
arc on duty only about ten months out Of the
tw.nty-four.
AnSfhe5 desk ossi the joS5ns1 ~ r. clerk ;sd en-
marking up Minute OF tho House proceej-
ings He does not keep a journal. but memo;
shears and paste compile the journal from the
es"r here qsSs al the ,ose
than the JOURNAL clerks: It is not t. Muntreauently
read @ from the CLERKS desk. are more chan haf
m"ds up Of sheared bodily from the
The tally clerk. another Of the desk officials.
for Keeping the roll calls and making caien-
Ing Ing in tommitte" Of the Whole this Official is
literally out OF JOB. and has nothing to do but
The Speaker staff is expensive. His private
secretary earns his salary. $2.lG0 per annum.
but ! ho is Is accredited with an additional private
his $1,000 annual stipend. " Another clerk
5y the desc and tie
Ss he IE 100 Rsr a ia
kis pay oi 800 il he would 90 his WORK him
ss snouS spacSy bs ssn 1d o
two enrSIiine CLERKS. at $3.50 each, are Wei
paid. They enroll as many as 1000 bills
adioarns.. The resolution and petition eierk
fsM bTe lsn Petitions that pare are
dropped into 2 box without the formality OF
0fhs rsSS psrSae "s neatest
egg In the whole rookery. He minutes the me-
In sEs sSor w9F ths hs prsHsy yh he
OF silver debate on the hoor. He too enjoys
The printing and bill clerk earns his pay Of
s223% per ann9p He { enters the .s;aption Of
n 1s - DHofS
papers to and from the printing office; This
i Down @ in in the the base BASEMENT ne M Of the building tho
clerk engineers small store where members 1
Ties. ink horns. waste baskets. Waterbury
rdgSaGsy MsSS sfec and hs
han hree are ap1 It. w Whese
confined c ANN annual salaries exceed the worth OF
1t would extend this article far, beyond q
he sns.e 10 o
Those mentioned are the ripest fruit; The in
the less All nd paa ber
ally in proportion. many OF them far in excess
Of the worth o: their services
public Treasury in connection with this cer-
lcal department is the employment Of COM
Ss There are s thirty-seVen W House s committees
whose chnirme9 are auth29rZcd .9' M TO appoint
a. S aay has sste
sit. because no measures are referred to them;
Some of them have not met In two years; and
| yet the clerks draw their pay with surprising
The Ways and Means and Appropriations COM
az irene az are @
edged committee places The other important
| committees also employ annual clerks. some
| twenty in all. who draw 81. 900 each. Some of
| these do committee work. but the majority do
| the private espondepco OF the committee
| Chairmen who appoint them.
Let us look for q brief moment Into the office
| Of the Sergeant mt Arms. Here we find the
head OF the Office receiving 54.IlO per nnnum-
| for doing what2 He has a cashier at $1,000. q
paying taller at 5000, a boo kkeeper at 81 800.
s Se aas S So Of tHaso a q Tisy
Sergeant-at Arms Is not the financial agent Of
| the House. but the Treasurer of the United
| States koeps the accounts OF members and
states them in his own name to the auditing
| Arms duties are simple. He receives. so much
money per week or month on requisltion. and
pays 1t out in advances on members receipts.
| Any good business man can do the whole work
daily long before tho bank clerks In this city
| are permitted to leave their desks.
1t will be observed by reference to the digest
| Of appropriations for the current fiscal year
House clerical ferrcDe. . exclusive Of committee ON.
Gether the clerical help OF the House. together
with .,doorkeepers. pages, messengers. and