Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-03-15
GOVERNMENT CLERKS,
Departments Clogged With Use
less Employees.
PROBLEM FOR CONGRESS TO SOLVE
How to CIcnr the civil service Of Su-
pernnnunted and Inefficient Ven.
senator AIIison's Long Service.
Joke on Dcpcw.

Senator AlIison's Long Service.
Joke on Dcpcw.
WASHINGTON, March 10.-[Special. i
There is great problem which con-
gress will some time be called upon to
solve. and the longer it is put off the
more difficult it will be--What shall be
done with the old and supcrannuatcd
employees Of the departments in Wash
ington? These have been on the in
crease, and there are now so many
carried on the rolls that the business is
clogged and the department chiefs are
wondering what they can do with
them. Some of the senators who have
been investigating the matter estimate
that there are from 800 to 500 employ
ees in each of the eight departments
here who are not capable of earning
anything as government clerks ana
who really perform no duty to speak
of for the government. No head of n
department desires to discharge these
old clerks and WORKOUT employees. 1t
is one Of the most bcartrcnding sights
imaginable to see any number of Ell.
ployees gel the little yellow enycl-
ope." which is the signal of dismissal.
Any attempt to discharge the old en-
ployees brings about series of pro-
tests. and oftentlmcs the most useless
have the most influence.
Practically Pension List.
There is the greatest sort of an out
cry at the mere suggestion that there
should be civil pension list, and yet
since all the old clerks who are of no
more use arc still maintained on the
rolls the result differs little from a pen
sion list. Nearly every cabinet officer is
aware that with a capable and efficient
force there could be great reductions
in the number of people in the de-
partments who are virtually living on
Uncle Sam. che civil service law is
blamed by those who advocate its re-
in office the inefficient employees. but
it can be directly traced to the heads
of the departments having the power
to discharge those clerks who are not
efficient. who do not have the heart tc
set adrift those men and women who
have been working in the departments
for years and who have not in all that
time saved even dollar for their ole
age. In some departments these ole
clerks have been reduced to the loves
grades and retained on the pay roll
BY this means they get more than they
would by any of the means propose,
for their pension, either by crcatiI!
a civil list or by taxing those who are
drawing salaries to pay those who are
no longer useful.
Want Him to Break n Record.
1.-THE people of Iowa expect to SCI
Senator allison break the record il
point of long service in the senate" re
marked Representative Dollivcr. III
is now in fair way to do it. He will
have 80 years to his credit at the en-,
of his present term and is sure to D
reelected. He has just passed his sew
enty-first birthday and is now NOR
vigorous and hearty than many mel
at 80 and GO"
when are you coming to the sen
ate?" | asked Mr.. Dolliver, having il
mind the oft repeated assertion tia
every member of the house is a candl
date for the senate.
Not for ten years. even if | eve
come" was his response. II may no
even remain in congress. l 90 no
know that there is much more for me i
the house, and ! have been thinking q
devoting myself to travel and study.
In reply TO Il query as to an incom
which would enable him to indulge i
, such n luxury Mr.. DolliVcr said h
; would create an income; that he coul
in two months ON the lecture platforl
, make as much as he receives during
year in congress. | was rather SUI
prised to learn that the ChautauQuan
of California have agreed to pay Iii
50, 600 and expenses to deliver Il courS
, of lectures to that association Til
, year.
: Depcw's Speeches.
| Senator Depcw always furnishes at
| vance copies Of any noted speech he
going to make. and the general imprc
I sion is that he follows this prepare
copy to- the word, having commlttc
=, the speech to memory. The senate
= tells me that any one hearing h
z speech and a day or two later readiu
= it would be sure that it was the sam
@ as the main thought, the continuil
/ and much of the expression would !
Z the same. But if a person should rea
e the manuscript while the speech WI
) being delivered he would find gree
!. deal of difference and that the scnat,
does not coniine himself closely to Il
q text He makes no claim to feats
n memory possessed by some and oft,
e DIVORCES when talking, the better
l. illustrate n point. They are having
Q good laugh at Senator Dcpew as I
! suit Of his method of preparing nj
delivering speeches. When he mat
! his noted speech on the Philippine
r. he had, as usual, prepared IT. In Il
|. senate under the inspiration of Il
r OCCASION he delivered much bett
6 speech than he had prepared, and
t, decided to publish in The Record 4
+ better one and so informed the steno
- rapher. "Why, senator" replied Z
!, man. 1--WE knew you had the spec
!. printed in slips, and so we did not ia