New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-23
USELESS COMMITTEE CLERKS.
THE HOUSE DISPENSES WITH A FEW OF
THEM
IT'S sp,sM OF REFORM LIKELY TO BE TEMPO
RARY, HOWEvER-BIG WAGES FOR
IMAGINARY SERVICES.
inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBuSE.J

WASHINGTON Sept. 22.-The Economists In the
House of Representatives, have succ"eded III cut
ting down, temporarily at least. the number oil COM
mittee clerks. but II is rather doubtful whether ths
spasm of reform" will last long. IL Is notorious
that many Of the committees are unnecessary ana
useless however ornamental they may be- AMI now
that each Representative. who Is not chairman OF
a committee which is entitled TO clerk. ~ allowed
not exceeding $50 month for clerk hire' the ne
cessy of paying $50 month for clerks to commit
toes which never meet does not seem to be press
nr Il came out in the debate to-day that In the
last eighteen wears two OF the committees which
have had clerks at s. a day during the sessions OF
Congress have made only two reports each 10 the
House. Reckoning the average duration or the ses-
sions Of each Congress to be ten months which IS
below rather than above the real average. each one
Of these reports cost the National Treasury on ac-
count OF clerk hire the pretty sum OF $500
The Committee on Expenditures in the Depart
ment OF Agriculture, which was created IN 1879 mas
not made single report to the House since thst
time a period OF fourteen years. In the last
eighteen years The Committee Expenditures In
the Navy Department has made five reports, only
one OF which was within the last eight years. Mr..
Paynter OF Kentucky. who related these facts and
many that were equally interesting. was asked
by Mr.. Boatncr OF Louisiana whether he had any
record to show what became OF the committee
clerks after they were appointed, and Mr. Paynter
replied: Il would not state 1t as fact, but have
heard II stated that some Of them retired to the
shades of private life and their checks were sent
to them"
One Of the recommendations of the Committee on
Accounts which not adopted by the House was
| to give the Committee on Mileage clerk during
the session at s. a day. which would amount to
1880 for the Congress. Mr.. Crawford, of North
Carolina who a member of that committee In
the last Congress. when 1t enjoyed the luxury of
clerk said: I'VE had one meeting and disposed OF
all the business in less than thirty minutes at the
last meeting We had and that was the only one "
Mr. Crawford also said: "One committee OF the last
Congress OF which I a member made
port, and that to increase the salary of an
official"
These examples enough to show that the or
ganzation of the House OF Representatives, Is en-
numbered with lot OF useless and expensive com
mittees. which have been created from time TO time
ambitious to hold chaiTnanships and eager to en-
joy the pecuniary advantages OF having clerks paid
by the Government to attend their political cor
responience and other duties. some OF which were
OF a semi public nature AS the present system al
lows 500 n month for clerical assistance to each
Representative and Delegate who Is chairman OF
a committee that Is furnished with clerk, 1t
would TO be desirable reform to abolish al
unnecessary and useless committees, but IL is re-
| form that will not be attempted.