Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-17
GOVERNMENT CLERKS.
Their Duties Contracted With Those
| of Members of Congress.

Ine1r Duties Contracted With Those
Of Members Of Congress.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
This is the season when the employees Of
the executive departments are used as
topics for discussion by gentlemen in Con-
gress who crave notoriety and who cater
to constituencies like unto themselves. No
end Of speeches have been made in the
past on the munifcent salaries paid to the
clerks of the government, their easy hours,
lazy lives, ct cetera, but what has been ac-
complished? Nothing, absolutely nothing.
Ordinarily the clerks who are experienced
simply smile contemptuously when they
read the old familiar speech Of the aspir-
ing, statesman and turn to some other and
live issue. But inasmuch as the silence
of the clerks seems of late to have en-
Doldened some of our nations lawmakers
to more venomous attacks. few plain
words from an old-time department clerk
may be In order.
The clerks Of the government are above
the average in ability. Many of them have
studied law and medicine. Not a few are
authors, whose works have been favor
ably received. Comparatively few are
drGnkards or addicted to the fashionable
vices of the day. Their salaries are the
same as fixed more than forty years ago,
when the cost Of living was much less,
and were not advanced, as were the sala-
ries of congressman. mechanics and la
borers during and since our civil war.
They work seven hours a day throughout
the year and frequently they are found at
their desks long after the hour for closing.
intricate duties are performed by many
OF them and there are many laws in our
statutes at large which have been framed
by them at the request of the Congress
men introducing the measures. In a large
number OF instances the clerks prepIre
the rulings or decisions which bring fame
to others than the authors. Is it states
manship to v!lify the clerks when no cause
Is, or can be, shown? Is 1t manly or fair?
Suppose for a moment we turn the glass
around and ask, How Is it in Congress-"
How much that is worth mentioning is
done by the average Congressman in re-
turn for his munificent salary, mileage,
stationery allowance, ETC.. his few hours
of posing and his three months annual
vacation?" Now, be honest, what does he
do beyond publishing a speech. rarely de-
Hvered and frequently not prepared by
him, or running about the departments in
the interest of persons whose assistance
Is necessary to his official existence. Every
one who knows anything Of the subject
or legislation understands that all bills and
other work are prepared and determined
upon in the committee rooms, and while
the members generally have opportunity
to make or print their speeches for home
consumption, no one pays any attention to
them, and when the time TO vote arrives
well, they vote as they are told, or some
item in an appropriation bill will be miss
ing, or some other project will not reach
the calendar. Some small men sometimes
get on important committees and we then
have legislation commensurate, and their
bad work is mercifully covered during the
following session by a deficiency bill or
some other corrective.
Clerks in the departments. as body
make better records in their sphere than do
Congressman, and it would seem that
man who can find no higher employment as
a member of a national legislative body
than indulgence in petty filings at body
of men and women who are faithfully and
inteiligently performing intricate brain
work for insufficient pay, is somewhat out
of place. A CLERK.
December 16, 1897.