The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-30
AN OPENING FOR YOUNG MEN
PaymaSterS Wanted For the Un-
tied States Navy.
AN EXAMINATION TO BE HELD
At Washington on January lO-Open 10 twenty
Applicants From the Soulh-Inno-
walton in Naval Affairs.
IN EXAMINATION TO BE HELD

xApAli oU, 100, nedTIA 1UU years dSD, lllt ill.,
val department was organized, and since
i, that time has been one of the most i'm
portant of the cabinet departments. During
the hundred years vast amounts of money
have been appropriated to it's support. This
money came from the four corners Of the
United States, and tho department has
thriyed However, provision in the law
left to the president authority to make staff
appointments, and the officers now occupy
ing positions in the navy received them as
a gift from one of the late presidents. AS
a rule in making such appointments the
real merit of the man has not been con-
sidered and some past favor probably de-
cided the case.
There are officers in the navy who Sc
ourea commissions by active work and
promotion, but this presidential power of
appointment has been a constant cause of
discrimination.
One of the most popular corps OF the de-
partment is the pay corps, which consists
of thirteen pay directors, thirteen pay in
spectors, seventy-six paymasters and TWEEN
ty assistant paymasters, having alike rela-
tive rank.
OF these positions thirty of the paymas-
ters are the outcome of an act passed less
lIdn SIN years dSO LII llAC Pttl Po9o VI P+'7
viding additional paymasters for the new
ships then in the course of construction.
Since that time and at a very recent date,
there was passed another act. 1t was
judicious one, and contained a clause
which provided that in future all powe%
of appointment in putting on these addi-
tional officers should be left to board of
examiners and not to the president; and,
furthermore, that competitive eXamina-
ton should settle the matter, with the
idea of securing thereby the fttest man
for the place.
This is an arrangement especially graft
flying to the south, as it at last gives men
from this section an opportunity to enter
this branch of the navy, which opportunity
has been practically denied them.
This first examination will occur on Jan.
TO- and will be confined to the paymaster
class. Under this new dispensation the
lists are open, and one of the fat slices of
patronage will go out of existence.
Where the South Gets Left.
Congressman Gaines, of Tennessee, was
one of the first members Of the house to
call attention to the unequal distribution
of public expenditures, especially in the
line of appointments in the army and navy
departments, and also as to supplies. He
viewed the matter from a sectional stand
point, but was warranted in doing so by
the facts and figures in his possession. Elk
Secretary Herbert also took the question
up, and in open letter set forth start
ling statements that have since caused
much comment. 1t was charged in this
letter that only per cent of the funds
appropriated went to the south, and the
per cent of patronage devoted to the south
ern states was equally SMALL The naval
| appropriations since 1886 have reached
| $745, 294 ,902.2O. The south has borne its
share of this burden.
1t was because of this complaint of Con-
gresham Gaines, which was quickly taken
| up, that the armor-plate commission was
| sent into the south to look into the posi-
| bility of building a plant in this section. AS
| to the question of appointments, congress
| thought by the competitive course all sec
| lions and conditions of people would have
an equal show.
During the present administration there
have been five naval paymasters appointed
| by President Mckinley because the appli-
oants were sons of old and intimate friends
and political supporters. A sixth paymas-
| ter was also appointed because he was the
| son of Admiral George Brown. None of
these new paymasters came from the.
south.
The Next Examination.
In this examination of JAM 10 there are
| 100 applicants, twenty OF whom come from
south of Mason and Dixon's line. The re-
mainder, with FIVE exceptions come from
| the east These young gentlemen are or
| dered to appear before the board, in the
Washington navy yard, where they will be
carefully examined in writing, photography,
English composition, grammar, literature,
geography, American and European his
| tory the constitution of the United States,
| international law, political economy arlth-
metic algebra bookkeeping. natural
sciences and modern languages. In addl-
| ton to these branches they must bring
| testimonials of character and adaptaplnty'
| OF this list the thirty who receive the
| HIGHEST marks will be held as a source
| Of suppIy in the event of future vacancies,
| tbe first of which will occur in February,
and seven more are to follow. There Is
also a bill pending before congress, recon-
mended by the secretary of the navy and
Endorsed by the president, to add another
list of thirty paymasters, to be appointed
during the next six months This will give
southern boys a chance to show what is
in them.
Paymasters For New Ships.
A review of the present roll of the naval
department shows interesting state of
affairs so far as equity in distribution is
concerned There are twenty-three pay
masters from the west, eleven from the
south and sxty-two from the east. New
York has fifteen Pennsylvania thirteen and
Massachusetts, seven.
The salary at first is $1,700 per annum,
but this increases each year until 1t be-
comes 81 AGO. and at the age of e. the pay
master is retired on half pay, and after
his death his children enjoy pension which
lasts through life. Young men In the south
who have not heard of the new law will
not have the opportunity of entering this
first contest, because the lists have been
closed, but in a period OF sixt months there
will be another examination, and the re-
uuirements having become generally
known, will cause men from this section
to secure offices in the navy, which have
been partially closed against them.
The present naval service is very much
embarrassed by a lack of paymasters. New
ships, gunboats and naval stations render
the present staff helpless, so far as covering