The times., 1897-12-15
MARKED FOR REDUCTION
Septuagenarian Clerks in the
Treasury to Be Put Down.
SIXTY OR SEVENTY OF THEM
They VIII virtually Be Pensioned
at 5000 a Year Younger and More
Efficient Men, Says Assistant
Secretary vanderlip. TO Be Put
in Their Places.

Sixty or seventy clerks, seventy years
old anG oyel that age, have been marked
at the Treasury department for the slaugh
ter of their salaries. This news, which
was given in the Evening Times yester-
day, is the most interesting that has been
obtained ct the Treasury this season. 1t
has been Known to a few clerks that some
reductions in salary have been made, but
they had no idea, until they read The
Times, cf the peculiar circumstances under
which reductions have been made.
IL was learned yesterday at the Treasury
Department that nine or ten clerks had
been reduced TO a salary OF $500 per
annum, and in each case, IL was stated, the
clerk reduced was over seventy years Of
age.
Assistant Secretary Vanderlip explained
th9 situation TO a reporter. He said that
it was well known that there was large
nun ter of clerks in the service of the
Treasury who Were uperannuated thd
in Justice to the Government IL was neces-
sari that the work should be as far rs
practicable in proportion TO the raw.
OF diy isions to report en- such cases. The
chiefs would naturally be aNerse TO report
adversely on the cases OF these aged clerks,
so tEa department had to handlethe delicate
matter III the best wa in its Judgment.
1t wa determined that under a just rule
theirs should be no discrimination. y gen.
eral rule was, therefore, necessary, and
the reduction OF all clerks over seventy
TO $500 wear was tire plan res orted TO.
Mr. Vanderlip said that there was need
Of the infusion OF new blood in some OF the
divisions In one auditors office, he said,
the leverage age Of the clerks was nifty
years
IL appears that in some OF the cases
thcr. was nothing TO do but to dispense
with the services of some of these septua
geTarlan clerks altogether, or to permit
them to remain and do the best they
could on the other hand, 1t is said that
there are among the number clerks whose
age has not impaired their availability
70 hard and constant work. ana besides
they lli vc an experience and judgment
v htch make their services all the more
valuable.
Nj. VaHdcrlip said that 1t was proposed
To ueai 1ludig wIththosc who needed atten-
tiuu For Instance, late rival in the
mo. u.ninp, or other sligiIt infraction of
discipline would not be charged up 20 thuse
who have been reduced.
Ter clerks have already been reduced.
Mr.. Eanderlip said that there had been,
or course, q protest, but eventually there
was a quiet submission to the rule. In
one case, that OF a lady, who is SAID TO
b. efficient, a relative of Assistant Ses-
reatry Of the Treasury Howell, made OBJ
lection and her case was stated by .dr.
Howell, but no exception would be made
| to the rule and tie reduction stands.
The reduced clerks are now really in
the position of receiving 4 pension from
| the Government. Some Of them do not
like that mea, although they are not in
/ position to protest publicly.
Two Of them were found la night, but
declined absolutely to speak for publ
cation. one OF them admitted that he
4 had not hetu a thrifty as he might ia We
/ been in his long service, but he said if
/ he were t-n years younger he would
! throw up tie job and go out to look for
/ another.
AS u t." he said, Il am too old to
/ begin life over again, and that's exactly
| the case with a great many of the other
! fifty or sixty who are TO 60. l can't do
! anything except in my line at the Treasury
! and the world is not picking up people
! like US to give them start a gain. !
made no kick when l heard what was TO
| be done, as I am obliged to hold on to the
! Job"
| Another clerk said that if it Were wortl
while, he could show that there is not d
younger clerk in the depa rtment who can
do his work bali as well as he the speaker,
could.
II don't say" he continued. but that
some of tho clerks are really unable to dc
| their work, nut think that the most ot
| them, from the very fact that they have
been very long in service, ale better quail
| fled to do their share than those Who vii
eventually be put in their places"
The civil service reform shield does no
| appear 10 c,ver this particular plan Of pro
viding for promotions.
One or the clerks, who is not sevent,
years OF age, hut who is sixty-nine, ,,ai,
| that he had heard that there would he al
| investigation. when the promotions wer
made, as to who will receive the bencfi
| ofthe reductions, and whether the changes
have been made for any other than tn,
rea son stated by Mr. VanderIip.
Comment, but clerks are not criticisinl
chiefs in the newSpa pers