Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-06-15
THE DEEPEST GLOOM.
Discharge Of Government Employees
Brings Shadows: !
Extensive Diymissais and Reductions In All
Departments Il washington.

WASHINGTON, June H. Especial l.,
Washington and all its surroundings are
at tho height of their summer beauty.
There has been abundant rain and not
much extreme heat, and all nature shows
her richest emerald hncs. There are river
excursions every day, and for land trip
ono may take his choice between Chevy
Chase, the great Geological park, the
Georgetown Heights, Cabin Johns bridge,
Cozey's camp, Mount Vernon and all the
rest. And yet we are not happy. In fact,
the statement one hears so often that there
Is more sadness in Washington now thnn
ut any time since the war is not far from
absolute truth. 1t is a sadness that can
be felt. One who walks through the de-
partmcnts, or In the districts where there
is great deal Of petty retail trade, or
among the boarding houses, takes the gen.
cral impression Of sadness evcn when moth
ing Is said. Dismissals from the various
departments continue and, contrary 70
tho usual rule, the reality has proved far
worse than the anticipation, The discharge
of one employee brings trouble to many
persons, and general trade is seriously af
fccted. Some say the falling of already
amounts to $3.50, 900 per month, and this
DssmissaIs Cause Hardship.
The figures hitherto published do not
show tho full number Of disnlissals. The
first estimate was that $1,000, 900 in an
nual salaries was to DO saved, but there
will probably be more The first statement
In support of the Dockery bill indicated a
decrease Of $240 900 in the treasury depart
ment and the discharge Of some 300 clerks,
as tho second comptroller's Office Is to be
entirely abolished as well as two divisions
in tho sixth auditors office. Secretary
Carlisle says 1t will take until Nov. to
complete tho consolidation Of tho offices,
but dIsmissals arc already in progress.
In tho war Office something between
$500, 900 and $3.50, 900 IL to he saved In
clerk hire. In the record and pension bu-
reau at least 800 clerks go, as tho old mus
ter rolls and records of individual soldiers
have now been arranged and copied in
such convenient shape that any question
thereon can be answered at once. The ex-
act number of dismissals in other bureaus
Of tho war department Is not yet settled,
but it will fall little, II any, below 500,
and q bad feature of it is that In majori-
ty Of the bureaus 1t Is not yet certainly
known whois to CO. In those bureaus
where the work is practically completed
oil or nearly all the discharged employees
will be Republicans, simply because there
arc few others there.
Fewer Persons, but More Work.
In some Of tho divisions more than four
1ifths Of tho employees came In before Mr..
Clcveland's first term and were not dis
turbcd, nor will the pending dismissals be
made on political grounds. The efficiency
record will determine and tho most com
petcnt be retained without regard to age,
sex or politics. Congressman have visited
tho department. and urged that the least
dependent should be dismissed, but Score
tary Lamont found it impossible to make
minute inquiries in every case, and there
was proof that every dismissal would cause
hardship. In the navy department alone
Is there % prospect of increased employ
ment. AT least there will be no dismis-
sails. In the state department. much Of
tho reduction of force results from tho
Same causes operative in almost every
kind Of busincss-that is, new methods
have made it possible for fewer persons to
do more work. As an instance instruc-
tions to officials, especially ctnsuls, have
heretofore been carefully written out and
three copies made-one for tho official,
lCilC lOT lIt llltS Vflu Oilt IDF INC puDllC
printer. Now they arc to be done on a
typewriter, and the three copies can DO
made at once, so that in place of three pen
men receiving 5000 per year each there is
one expert typewriter receiving $1,000.
Correspondence with representatives of
foreign governments Is still to be done
with pen, and In this line, Of course, tho
most skillful writer's are employed.
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many reductions. At the beginning of the
year there were over 1000 employees in
the census bureau, and at tho close Of it
there will be little more than half rs many.
Dismissals will continue steadily thercaft-
CIR, as all work on the census will be COM
plctcd by next February. Down to the
present it is estimated that nearly two
thirds of those discharged have been wom
en-, most of them with salaries of $15 per
month or less. In the land office less than
100 persons have been discharged during
the entire year, and In consequence of the
opening of the Oklahoma strip and some
old Indian and army reservations the COM
missioner asked for an increase, but twas
not granted. Whenever congress adjourns
many clerks, typowritcrs and others are
thrown out of work temporarily, and the
hummer VIII w luTRtT tiiiifi USUAL tHlS year
Altogether 1t Is estimated that about 8, 900
people win lose their jobs between juno
and Aug 1, which will amount, as near
MS can be determined, to q withdrawal of
$780, 900 from the money paid out each
month In this District and possibly $500, :
900 from the amount paid TO clothing and
provision men
Jerry Simpson Hopeful.
An unusually large number Of states
men and their families Mrc at Berkeley
Springs, Va, and our genial Populist
friend, Jerry Simpson, sends daily note
to his copartsans in tho house that he is
enjoying himself there very much more
than he had expected, is rcgainihg strength
and confidently counts on being able soon
to take his seat as representative and
thereafter enter ON the redhot campaign in
Kansas. Incidentally it may be added that
while politics will be lively almost every
where this year 1t is generally conceded
that Kansas in the north and North Caro-
lima in the south will be "hotter'n lime
kiln" from start to finish. The socialists
md those more or less affiliated with them
have opened regular local campaign in
this city, their chief apostle being Mr..
Morrison I. Swift of Boston, who is here
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