The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-26

thing else I'm the department-some thlns
Tor ,yhich Dc was fitted. and that salu
/ would do The only differences nay
had with public men nave oeeh w.
questions Of appointment anu lSi 49,. ~
50 far however I have found them amen
able 10 reason. They realize thal dii
trustee for the people and that tn'A 'ir III
thk sarne position and will not argue mat
the people money Dee paid OUT 'o me" WIN
do not render an equlValeui. t
"But do the clerks render an eIuiFa.
lent2" I asked do YOU get as einclent
service from them. for instance. as you
aid from the clerks I'm your bank
Mr. Gage hestated for moment.
.No % he said "their work is not so
efficient as that Of clerks IN IL ou9''''''
Establishments H., .,,,,
and why can't the government De run
like "a big business estahh. hmthl. -.
There is this difference between tne
government and a private business enter
urise-in the first case the manager y
not spending his own money, lh .ne n,
ond case ne is going down INTO me- vM
nocket for every dollar that Is pdld OUT
However conscientious a man may De'
ne cannot have the same teeling ABOUT We
public service which he has about "a PIT
vate business enterprise ~ when ms per
sOnal fortune is az stake. ne Hhi1u't "a
work which can be got out OF the en-
plovees OF the government, however ur-
nands largely on the character or men I'M
mediatelv over them. III the head OF
depar ment is an active, energetic man
one v,ho demands Of his subOrdinates me
Tns+ that they can give. his spirit VIII
ha infused into the entire department ].
the head Of the department ~ indiiferehi
his bureau chiefs will be Indifferent, ana
50 will his clerks
,f.,y nublic men have condemned Office
holding as an occupation. In fact, every
public man whom l have questioned on
the subject has held the same views NJ.
cage saws that ne would not advise any
young man 10 enter the government ser
vice.
"And vet" he added. II a young man
feels that there is nothing creative ln
biu-that he was born not 10 commahu
but 70 serve-there IS much that IS az
tractive in the public service. ne XIV
eminent pays good salaries. Good stenog-
raDhers and typewriters can be had loT
seO A vear-the very best for 81 ,WD Inc
government pays 81 400. The government
paws proportlonately for other work EN-
ployment In the government service ~
steady. The government Is not going 10
fail and that is a very serious question:,
for the failure OF an employer may throw
thousands OF men out or .employhthl.
When hard times come. the business htl
must ont salaries or discharge MS men
the government employs as many men IA
bad times as good and pays them tnt
same salaries-in fact. the government
business is more likely 10 incre dse imam
10 diminish even I'm hard times
but does the government service ol'i
ADEQUATE opportunity for promotion
"a man who has more than ordinary
ability will rise even in the government
service Ninety-nine out or hundreh
men who enter n bank will not rise above
a 81 80 clerkship. Seventeen years ago I,
Young man. about seventeen years oiu,
was employed as messenger IN w
Treasury Department. He worked hat1
and al night he went 20 the Columbia Col,
lego law school. Gradually ne earned
promotion through different grades OF
cfarleshfn until be became the closest al
wiser of the Assistant Secretary or lhe
Treasury having charge or the customs
affairs To-day that young man u an
assistant secretary OF the Treasury. ana
he is one OF the most valuable men IN the
government service. -, 49,.
Men talk about the yoters-thc men
who did their duty at the pOlls.-haFlhs
"A claim on the Offices" said Mr.. Gage
There are about 100000 voters In the
United states. and about one and one-h9it
nor cent OF these can md places IN the
government service. How should lh1t ohr
and oue-half per cent. BE- selectedy FROM
fbe men who shouted the lOudest during 4
campaign or from the men VINO are pest
ou9lided To hold the positions when are
10 be- hiled2 Experience answers that
question. There are In the service oI ue
Trs4surv to-day men who nave mace
themselves 30 valuable that when new ad-
rninistrations have come n. lhr sectf-
f1rles have said 10 the plaee-huntefs.
This position and that one yen cannot
have The men who hll those place
must keep with me- They are men whose
minds are stored with the history OF the
drnsrtment FOR twenty-five or thirty
wears. II Il these men who MAKE lt posi-
bic for new man % step INTO lnr once
~ Secretary OF the Treasury without ex-
nerience ana run IL successfully. The
sccrsfarv considers matters ~ policy; the
details these men manage Tor him. and
thev guide him by the aid 81 their long
esr,risnce where IN he werc left alone
he would be IN constant danger OF falling
"Often when some idea occurs 10 me
which | think Is wholly new and possess
"a ~ value. / send for the chief of a bu-
reau and he tells me that IL has been
considered before. perhaps thoroughly