Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-23
The Controllers Views.


Controller Tracewell discusses the matter
at length and in detail. He says:
TT seems clear from the decision of this
office of May 5, 1902, and from the reports
of the committees appointed by you to in
vestigate the question, that the salary
tables now used by your direction in most
of the departments of the government in
laying the compensation of civilian officers
and employees are subject to objections,
partly legal, but chiefly practical. 1t also
appears that great want of uniformity
exists in the methods of paying the civilian
and the military and naval officers and en-
ployes of the government owing chiefly to
the fact that the salary tables used in
computing pay Of civilian officers and en-
ployeS while payments in the army and
navy are made on different basis. AS all
accounts for compensation are settled in
the Treasury Department that department
is of course interested in questions of the
accuracy and uniformity of the payments.
Neither method Of payment was prescribed
by Congress, but both have hitherto been
accepted by the accounting officers in the
settlement of public accounts.
1T may be assumed that you brought the
matter to the attention of Congress chiefly
because the committees had reported to you
that any tables which were not prepared
in conformity to section 26S7 Of the Revised
Statutes would be contrary to law unless
Congress legalized them, and with the OBJ
ject of having Congress, If it so desired, au-
thoriZe the use of these particular tables
which, while made up without exact con-
formtty to that section were deemed to be
best adapted to the requirements of the
government. None of the methods of pay
ment now in vogue in ANY of the depart
ments had been In strict conformity to that
section. 1t Is apparent that the system of
payment you submitted to Congress is also
in contravention of section 26S7 If a literal
construction is to be given to that section.
Present Tables Unsatisfactory.
1.-THE practical experience of years has
shown that the present salary tables are
unsatisfactory and perhaps contrary to a
strict construction of law. They were pre-
scribed only for guidance in paying per-
sons In the civil employment of the gov
eminent and were never adopted in max
ing army and navy payments I under
stand. however. that the object Of the re-
cent inquiry and of your reference to Com
uniform system for use in all the depart
ments of the government. civil, military
and naval, and that expressions of opin-
ion were obtained from the heads of all
the executive departments and of bureaus
and establishments not under any of the
executive departments that would be at
fected thereby.
TT may be said at this point that even
If upon investigation the present tables
had been found to- be the best and most
satisfactory that could be devised, It NAV
be doubted whether the Secretary of the
Treasury could have imposed their use
upon any department which was unwilling
to adopt them, except by direction of Con-
gress. So, also. II he should now pre-
scribe a system ss,of payments which
differ from thatzs prescribed for pay.
ments under army appropriations in
1t would, of course, be imperative in that
direction. and it may be doubted whether
1t would be operative in any department
whose head objected to the proposed
method ~ r.
ut thus appears that no system which
should be prescribed by you without d.
rect authority Of Congress would have the
force of law. and none, of course. could
contravene existing law. l infer. however
from the various statements and renorts
made to you that the system of navmanto
proposed by you will harmonic with the
most recent legislation by Congress in fhe
matter of payments of Compensation
namely. that contained in the act of March
g. 1901 81 Stat. $500, in regard to nav
ment of salaries and compensation of Of
ficers and employees OF the Spanish claims
commission, and In the act of March 0
1908 supra, in relation to payment nnder
army appropriation acts; and that II will
also conform to the practice in the NAVY
Department. 1t appears, furthermore. that
there viii be few, IL any. practical obiec-
lions to the adoption of this system bv the
other departments. bureaus and establish
ments of the government. If this be true
now see no reasons. except those herein
suggested and already known to you. whv
you cannot have prepared and put into
use tables made up on the basis which
you suggest. which would be acceptable
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