The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1895-03-16
WASHINGTON SHYLlCKS



msat EDployss Who DasTow y
ExorbttAnt Rasss q In
tefeet.
The United States government, - .
rule, pays higher salaries to. ito om-
plcyes than private firms pay for the
same class of work. Despite this fact
there is probably no class of clerks SO
continually ''hard mp" . these sans
government employees, says the Phila-
delphia Press. This Is true at least in
Washington. where the majority Of the
employees are protected in their posi-
tions by the civil service laws, and
where it would be supposed there would
be more opportunity for saving than in
positions less sure of tenure.
The average department clerk re-
snug salary in most any other city. es-
pecinlly in cities where metropolitan
prices for living do not prevail It would
be safe to place the average salary re-
;cived at one thousand dollars per an
mum. It can be stated as q rule almost
hat these clerks are in debt from one
years end to the other. They are in
lcbt to the butcher, the baker and the
yrocery man, and their frequent
changes of residence are due to habit
they have of ncglecting to pay rent for
their houses. This sort Of thing iskept
up until their debts are brought to the
attention of their superiors in Office,
when the alternative is given Of paying
of their Indebtedness in monthly in
stallments to be kept out of their
salaries or Of leaving the government
service.
The faculty of the government clerk
to get in debt has created class of Shy
locks in the various departments in
Washington the like of which would be
lard to find In any other city. They are
appropriately called ''ten per centers-"
They feed upon the unfortunate clerk
who is living beyond his or her salary
like vultures upon the stricken deer.
They have their spies out in every
direction, and learn of the financial con-
dition of their intended victims in ways
no honorable person would adopt. To
u clerk in distress for ready money they
appear and offer the cash 10 meet press
ing wants The bait is too tempting,
agreement that it shall be paid back at
the end of the month at the exorbitant
rate of ten per cent. interest for the
thirty days. If not met at the end of
the time stipulated the loan, Or part of
it, is continued at the same rate for
another month, and often times within
. twelvemonth the poor clerk has paid
more than the original sum in interest
alone.
Enticing circulars are sent to the
clerks by these "ten per centcrs." Sums
ranging from ten dollars to five hum
dred dollars are offered as loans under
the '.strictest secrecy" The security
asked is merely nominal Furniture is
usually the security suggested in the
circulars. These sharks well know
that the clerks nominal note Is sufficient
to guarantee . payment OF the loan, rs
the presentation of it to the chief OF
Office usually results in arrangements
being made for the return of the money
out of the monthly salary Of the victim
The local newspapers are full Of the
advertisements of these ''tcn per cent
era" Their alluring offers are espe-
Tally intended for that class OF en-
ployes who desire to cut figure in
Washington society, but who need ready
cash 1T times to indulge their ambition.
For instance, lady in one of the de-
partments fee,s that it will add very
materially to her standing in society II
she were to give pink tea" or some
function of that sort. She must do 50
at certain period of the year during
the social season. She has exhausted
her credit at the grocery and the con-
fcctionery, 90 little ready money In
hand is an absolute necessity for the
accomplishment of her plans The en-
ticing circular. of the ''ten per center"
is brought to her notice, and she can
not resist the temptation. The money
is borrowed, the social function passes
off, and the poor victim finds herself in
the clutches Of money shark, who
will keep her stipted Tor the necesaitiea
Of life until his ten per cent month
interest and principal - paid.
This Shylock bnsiness WAS begun
years ago, and to the discredit OF the
government was largely carried on BY
employees Of the departments who were
in position to know the wants and
necessities Of their fellow-clerks. So
oppressive did the system become that
rules were adopted forbidding employees
of the departments to loan money to
their fellow-employca These rules
have been obsel ved 30 strictly that the