The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-16
Is OPPOSED TO THEFT.
GOVERNMENT is NOT CAREFUL
ABOUT EXPENDITURES.


That Might BE Saved-some Clerks
Can't Hold Two jobs, While Others
Can-Inconsistencies of the Con-
troIIer's Office.
Washington, Aug. 15.-There is one
fault In the government of the United
States, which ought to rack the souls
of those who believe in thrift. The
government doesn't count that among
the virtues to be encouraged. On the
contrary, those who are in sit" in the
administration affairs, do everything
possible to discourage the efforts of
clerical employees to get on in the
world. Some time ago, the Controller
of the Treasury, the man from whom
there is no appeal. decided that a man
could not hold two jobs, one in the
geological survey and the other in the
census bureau, even If he did not get
a salary from the population-c
office. AS he was getting $4,000 a year
for his work in the geological survey,
he comes under the section of the stat
ute prohibiting a person holding an Of
flee with $4,000 a year, from holding
any other appointment. The fact that
this able citizen drew only one salary
made no difference to the controller.
He was keeping someone else from
getting the $4,000 Census Director Mer-
riam is authorized to spend.
The Controller is opposed to thrift
ness. His decision is the cause of an
increased governmental expenditure of
$500 year He prevents the govern
ment from saving by allowing the fool
ish geological survey person holding
two Jobs, but drawing only one salary
If he had decided that it was all right
Tor him to continue in statu quo he
would have encouraged thrift on the
part of the government. If he had
decided that the man could hold two
Offices and draw two salaries at the
same time, he would have encouraged
thrift on the part of the government
employees. But viewed from any point
Comptroller Tracewell is in unalter-
able opposition to such habits of ac-
quisitiveness and adhesiveness as
make the traditional If not actual
Yanke a world wide type.
But there are a dozen or more cases
or dualism in office to be found in the
census bureau, which no controller OPP
posed to thrift can reach. The statue
says nothing about men who get less
than $1,000 a year from the public
treasury. By the ordinary rules of
NOiAohA hNliQtl VI laws IL IIldn can nOiu
two government offices, each paying
not more than $2,499.99, and it seems
government clerks who have little in
huence with members of Congress have
been doing some double office holding.
Everybody, except the officials, it
seems, know all about the double lives
of these people, almost from the be-
ginning thereof. The officials got wise
only a few days ago. Therefore they
are in stew and fret. The funny part
of the whole matter is that the man
caught at the pleasant trick of stow
ing away two salaries is not frugal
Yankee. On the contrary he is a
youth from Arkansas. He drew (for he
has been compelled to resign from the
cenSuS) 5000 a year for working in the
Postoffice Department from 8 a. m. to
4 p. M, and 81 900 a year for working
in the census office from $50 p. m. I'M
til midnight. His working day was
fourteen hours long. with an hour off
for lunch.
When the matter came up for official
| consideration, 1t was decided that while
no law had been violated, it is against
good policy to permit an individual tc
| draw two salaries. Theoretically, nc
man is able to render his best service
working more than six and one-h half
hours a day. The real reason is, how
ever, that there are not enough govern
ment jobs, in which small desks and
large salaries are in close proximity, to
go around.
One of the night-workers at the Cen
sus Bureau is also mes
senger for a Senate Commit
tee. That job pays $1,440 year
for the very fatiguing mental work of
minding the door while the committee
is in session, making letter press copies
of correspondence, getting the senator's
mail and occasionally going on an err
rand outside of the Capitol. During
the summer his work is very light, but
he must make the eXertion of draw
ing $27.69 from the treasury one week
and $27.70 the next. So there could be
no interference with this hard work,
he went on the night shift at the Cen
sus and got 81, 900 a year more, because
his influence is powerful. If ii had
been puny. his salary would probably
have been only 5000 a year. If he
hadn't had any, he wouldn't have got
a job at all.
Persons without political influence.
are foolish to waste time and money
trying for jobs. even if they have pass
ed civil service examinations. Those
who are appointed under the merit sys-
tenn seldom get more than 81 900 year,
unless they have powerful friends to
urge their claims. Merit wins-some-
times. Nearly all the persons promoted
are meritorious in the sense that they
will do, but not all meritorious persons
get the good things that would be due
them. were merit the only factor.