The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-11-20
A GLASS BY THEMSELVES.
Employees of the Government Who
Have Grown Old In the Service.


Whenever read in the papers of the
unknown dead Of Washington, | think
Of the unknown dead in the executive
departments, said chief clerk.
AT first blush it may appear paradox
ical that a man or woman may be alive
in the departments, reporting for duty
when not sick, drawing pay and breath
ing and eating and at the same time
be a corpse But Of the type Of clerks
of which speak, they are to all intents
and purposes. from an official standpoint,
dead.
These clerks are forgotten. They are
buried. They are like two or three
cards in n deck: when the pack is shut
fed, they shuttle along with the rest. They
are TO be found by the dozens in the diff
ferent departments, men and women
alike. How they got in no one but them
selves knows. Most Of them are old
clerks. They stay because they consti-
tute one of the components Of system.
Once IN the service they have remained
in the maintenance Of the system. But
for the beneficent protection of the civil
service they would be hunted out, named
and numbered and tagged like victims
selected for the block and summarily
decapitated
"The influences which secured their
appointment have long since passed to
the other side or been snuffed out Of
political favor or power. They were put
at desks, and they remained obscure and
overlooked Even their chief may moi
know how they got there. He found
Il. l. la
reins, and he retains them as fixtures
not unlike the desks and chandeliers.
"They constitute a curious set. these
dead alive clerks. Some may still have
what they consider influence or back
ing of some sort upon which to rely in
case of need and trouble, but most ol
them have nothing tangible upon whicl
to base this assumption. They are drift
ers. They float because others float will
them and carry them along on the sur
face of the official stream.
'They work. Of course. EverybOd!
nowadays in the departments works
They may be good workers. Every clerl
thinks he or she works harder than hi
or her fellow clerk But their quantit!
and quality Of work are not the reason 70
their official existence, as is the ease il
outside emplOyments Anybody els
could do their work just as well and, il
all probability, better.
''Some have been in the service for 2
and 30 years, others not so long. The!
constitute a class distinct TO themselves
They wouldn't admit this, however, j
they were conscious Of it. But If an Off
cial had the power to 20 through hi
department and collect them in a groul
their classification would be easy. The.
have outlived their influence and in man.
cases their usefulness. But they ham
on. Only death itself will remove them
for they never resign. There is no spe
cial reason why they should resign I'M
der the existing rules. The world owe
them a living as well rs their more IA
vored neighbors.
Most Of them are unObtrusive. Som
are eranks. Old age and long tenure j
office tend TO the making Of cranks o
some Of us. In their unobtrusiveness lie
their main hold. II they were 10 becom
too assertive. the inquiry might be raise'
as to why they are there at all or tn
question IL their salary would not b
earned 10 better advantage by clerks il
the lower grades who want promotion
and have the ability TO secure such ]
the necessary reduction can be made
SO they saw wood. or rather, scribbl
and say nothing. Washington Star.