Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-13
Reported to the House by the Appro-
priations Committee.
Big CUT FROM THE ESTIMATES
A Notable Change in Rules for
Sick Leaves.
INCREASE IN CLERICAL FORCE

] 1He LEGISLATIVE, executive ana judicial ap-
preparation bill, which carries the salaries
| for the clerical force of the executive de-
partments for the fiscal year 1899, was re-
! ported to the House of Representatives
from the appropriations committee today.
The estimates upon which the bill is
based aggregate s22.3f,, $685. of which
| amount there is recommended in the bill
| S2l,562, 1855. The appropriations for the
| same purposes for the current fiscal year
aggregate s21,119, ,5G6.9D being s157,141 %
| more than is recommen nded for the service
| OF the fiscal year 1899
| The total amount recommended in the
! bill is $7So,S61 less than the aggregate es-
! Inmates submitted. The whole number of
| salaries specifically provided for is 10Uo0
| being 19S less than the number estimated
! Tor and % less than the number provided
for in the current law.
Sick Leaves Made ExceptfoneI
The most important feature of the bill
| to employees of the departments is an
| amendment to the law regulating the
| granting of thirty days sick leave" in each
| year.
The new law proposed is follows:
| Ihat section of the act making ap-
preparations for legislative executive and
judicial expenses, approved March 3. 1888,
Hereafter it shall be the duty of the
heads of the several executive depart
ments, in the interest of the public serv-
| ice to require of all clerks and other en-
pioyes, of whatever grade or class in
| their respective departments not less than
seven hours of labor each day, except
sundays and days declared public hoIi-
days by law or executive order: Provided
lhat the heads of the departments may
| by special order, stating the reason further
| extend or limit the hours of any clerk or
empioye in their departments, respectively;
but In case of an extension 1t shall be
| without additional compensation: Provided
further That the head of any department
| may grant thirty days annual leave with
pay in any one year to each clerk or enl-
| ploye: And provided further, That where
! some member of the immediate family OF
a cler kor emplcye is afflicted with con-
| tagious disease and requires the care and
attendance of such emcioye or where his
or her presence in the department would
| Jeopard.ze the health OF feilow-clerks and
| In exceptional and meritorious cases where
| clerk or employe is personally i'll and
Where to limit the annual leave to thirty
days in one calendar year would work
peculiar hardship, it may be extended in
the discretion of the head of the depart
ment with pay, not exceeding thirty days
| In any one case or in any one calendar
year.
This section shall rot be construed to
mean that so long as a clerk or employe
| Is borne upon the rolls of the department
| IN excess of the time herein provided for
or granted, he or she shall be entitled to
pay during the period of such excessive
| absence, but that the pay shall stop upon
the expiration of the granted leave.
Keeping Up to Date.
Hereafter it shall be the duty of the
head OF each executive department to re-
quire monthly reports to be made to him
as to the condition of the public business
| in the several bureaus or Offices in his de-
partment at Washington; and in each case
where such reports disclose that the pub
lie business is in arrears. the head of the
department in which such arrears exist
shall require, as provided herein, an ex-
tension of the hours of service of such
clerks or employees as may be necessary to
Dr1ng uD such arrears of public business.
And all such extensions of hours of service
shall be reported to Congress- at the begin
ming of each regular session in the annual
estimates of appropriations.
Hereafter it shall be the duty of the
mead of each executive department. and
other government establishment, at the
seat OF government not under an executive
department, to make quarterly a written
report to the President as tC the condition
Of the public business in his executive de-
partment or government establishment and
whether any branch thereof is in arrears"
Ihe changes proposed by the bill in the
clerical forces of the several departments
are as follows:
Treasury Department.
Secretarys office-The office of the Secre-
tary and the several divisions therein are
rearranged as desired by the Secretary, and
there are also transferred thereto from
other offices or bureaus Of the department
fourteen employees, with salaries aggregat-
ing $l3,5SO; copyist, at $50, in the loans
division Is omitted, and there is trans
ferred from the Secretary's office to the
office of the controller of the currency one
| clerk of class 1. $1,000, making an an
parent, out not real, net increase of twelve
employees. with salaries aggregating $11 $40
| IN In "a additlon, two expert accountants, at
| $2.oOo each, are provided for in the i'm
mediate office Of the Secretary.
Omce auditor for the War Department-
| Two clerks of class 1 are transferred from
tnls once to the appointment division of
the treasury, and one clerk of class l is
transferred from the office of the auditor
for the Interior Department to this Office.
Omce auditor for the Navy Department
One law clerk, at 5000, is omitted. and a
iaborer at s66o. is transferred to the office
OF the Secretary of the Treasury
Office auditor for the Interior Department
-four clerks of class 2 are transferred. re-
spectlvely. to the offices of disbursing clerks
| N tne Treasury. auditor for the Post ONCE
dfvision; two clerks Of class 1 are trans-
ferred. respectively, to the Office of the au-
dltor for the War Department and the ap-
,n,'t pointment ., division M Of the Treasury; oae
clerk. at $1.0O0, is transferred to the an.
pointment division Of the Treasury: SIX
clerks OF class are omitted entirely; one
clerk, at $1,000, and one clerk, at $500 ad-
dftional are provided for. making an actual
net reduction Of four clerks, $4,000.
once auditor for the State and other de-
partments-An additional clerk of class 4
and two clerks of class 3 are provided for
Office auditor for the Post Office Depart
ment-A clerk of class 2 is transferred to
this office from the Office Of auditor for the
Interior Department. and four money order
assorters, at $40 each. are omitted.
ONCE of the treasurer-One clerk of class
is transferred to this Office from the Office
OF the auditor for the Interior Department.
and six expert counters, at $72O each, are
transferred to the loans division Of the
treasury.
Ofice Of the register-One clerk of class 2
and one clerk OF class are transferred to
| the appointment division.
Office controller Of the currency-One
clerk Of class Is transferred to this ofiice
from the Office Of the Secretary OF the
Treasury.
Once commissioner OF internal revenue
One head of division. at 3. $50. Is omitted.
Bureau OF navigatfon-The additional al
lowance to the clerk designated as deputy
commissioner Is increased from 500 to $500
d1xyfue rl,- -.