Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1899-07-26
superintendent of Buildinnsxlos
Rebellion Records, el

iNc"ciilon hcCOrus, 81
Total. AGA
Almost precisely doubtvthe num-
Der employed thir,y-four~}ears ago
in the midst of great var. An
unsatisfactory state oi dministra-
tive defects is here discS ed. What
that mysterious bureau loes with
such an array of lerksrhas long
been one of the condndr Mas .of the
War Department"
The lowest salary paid NJ NC
War Department for clerical W.
is S75 n month. 1t will be noted
from the above statement that there
were 700 more clerks employed in
this department alone, in 1897.
than there were in 1863. A largo
number of these 700 clerks receive
from 81, 500 TO 81, 500 a year. We
viii, however, figure the salary of
each clerk at 500 per month. 1t
Will be easily seen that il cost the
Government for the War Depart
ment IN 1897, alone 800, 900 per
month more than it did IN 1868 nn-
der the spoils system. Figuring
twelve months in n year. we find
that we have the astonishing total
of SIS, 400, 900 in this one dapart.
ment to say nothing of the cores
ponding increase in the other De
partments. This startling increase
Is under the so-called Civil Service.
or merit system.
The same paper from which we
quoted above shows an increase of
Ill officers and men in the Surgeon
Generals Bureau In 1897, over the
number employed in the same bu-
reau in 1868, TO figure the salary
OF these men at one hundred dollars
month, (most of them receiving
more than that) our total reaches
the nice little sum of Sl4.IOO a
month or $l69,2OO "A year.
Add this amount to the So. 400.
600 and the total reaches the
enormous sum of g., 1860. 200 per an
mum. We assume that the other
Departments have increased their
clerical force correspondingly. The
taxpayer can figure up the sum total
and then judge whether or not il is
to his interest for the merit svstem
TO continue in force.
The CIVIL Service people claim
that there is Il greater measure of
faithful attention TO business under
the merit system. Let us briefly
consider this question. In the first
place, what is there in the merit
system to spur up an employee?
What incentive is there in it TO
make him labor diligently?
The records will show that under
the so-called Civil Service. or merit
system, an applicant who secures a
position under the Government is
placed there for life. Where is
there an employee that you would
feel like trusting at all times and in
all places, implicitly, and that you
know would be diligcnt and vioi.
liant in the discharge OF his duty,
If that employee knew that he was
TO remain in bis place, or hold his
position, unassailcd and unassaila-
bic during his natural life, regard.
less Of whether he performed his du-
ties or not?
There is no better incentive and
no better whip to spur to proper
Official conduct upon the part Of the
employees than the fact that unless
they perform their duties satisfac-
torily, they will lose their posi-
tions and their place be filed by
some one more worthy.
There is nothing so conducive to
sloth, inattention 70 duties. indo-
lence, impure and degrading NOR
ais, as that feeling Of security that
comes TO Government EMPLOYEES
through the Civil Service humbug.
In view of these facts, aud upon
facts observable by all men as in.
cident to human nature, we be-
lieve, and feel quite sure that all
thinking people will acauisace in