The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-10
UNCLE SANS employees.
Figures to Show That Some of Them
Are overpaid.

There are two sides to every ques-
ton, and the question of government
pay has three or four. No one can say
with truth that the government pays
too little nor that the government pays
too much to it's employees. Take the
case of the president of the United
States. Though 5000 was considered
a sufficient reward for the chief mag
istrate until the days of Grant, there
is no doubt that the American people
owe it to the president not alone 10
provide for his wants while he is in
Office, but to guarantee him against
poverty after he leaves the white
house. A former president of the
United States in want would be a
sorry sight for the world to see. On
the other hand. the salaries paid to
the members of the presidents cabinet
are hardly more than will pay their
house-rent in a city where the cost of
living is greater than it is in almost
any other city in the United States.
No man of moderate means can af-
ford to maintain both the official and
the social dignity of a position in the
presidents official family. Our diplo-
mats, too, are not provided with the
appearance in agreeable comparison
with that of the representatives of
other nations; and the president Is
concerned every four years with the
task of finding not so much competent
as wealthy men to represent us at the
capitals of Europe. Scientists in the
government employ are notoriously
underpaid. Some very eminent men
have been engaged in work for the
government, and their salaries have
not been greater than those of chiefs
of division-men of whom no technical
or even business knowledge is re-
quired.
But, on the other hand, the commoner
occupations in the government service
command pay which is out of all pro-
portion to that allowed for similar work
in the business world. Stenographers
who would receive at the most SIS a
month in business houses, draw $l.4oO
from the government; and $S4o is paid
to clerks whose sole occupation is the
writing of addresses on envelopes
work which would be done in busi-
ness office by boys at SO to sS week.
Clerks engaged in making entries in
books, who would not rank higher than
second assistant bookkeepers in COM
mercial establishments, receive $1,40O
or more a year-greater compensation
by 40 or so per cent. than they could
obtain from other employers. In fact,
II may be said. conservatively, that the
government pays for its ordinary cler-
| ical help at least one-third more than
any other employer would pay. At the
same time, it receives from it's employees
only 6la hours of service each day;
and the work. done by each in an hour
| averages for below similar work done
| by clerks in other places.
Yet the clerks of the departments are
| so improVident that ii is necessary for
part Of their number to petition con-
gress for a civil-pension list, to be
maintained through assessments on the
| salaries of those in the service. Un-
| doubtedly under these conditions re-
| duction in salaries would work tenn
porary hardship to those who have be-
| come accustomed to living up to the
! limit of o-bountiful salaries; and at
the same time a horizontal cut would
work an injustice to men and women in
many of the departments who are now
| underpaid. a far more sensible ar
rangement would be a readjustment of
salaries and a gradual reduction of
those which appear excessive in COM
parison with the pay given for similar
work by other employers.
| II the government did not pay more
for it's work than any other employer
| the president would not be bothered
half to death by the opportunities OF
| Office seekers.