Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-12
THE HOURS OF CLERKS
Lively Discnnssiefa in the House
asss4A s5i saF
Of Representatives.
Agb "a 49, -:
LEGISLATIVE BILL UP
FEATUREs oFfTHR MEASURE Elk
= ,--ss..sss -sss
PLANNED ny GEN. BINGHAM.
Objection to the Transfer of Employees
IMr. Wadsworth's Estimate Of
! Time Gained BY New Order.

DDS came in for an hour OF lively discus
sion In the House Of Representatives today
when the bill making appropriations for the
legislative, executive and judicial branches
of the government was taken up for con-
'sideration in committee Of the whole.
The floor management of the bill was
under the direction of Representative
Bingham Of Pennsylvania. chairman of the
appropriations subcommittee which framed
the measure. Representative Tawney pre-
sided over the committee
Sharp criticism was INDUCED in by Repre-
sentative Boutell regarding the alleged
practice of detailing clerks from one de-
partment to another He fayowed it was
contrary to common sense business prin-
'cipies.
Gen. Grosvenor of Ohio again led an as
sault on the antlquated clerks IN the oe-
paEtments.
Alleged Anticipated" Clerks.
81 would like to ask the gentleman" he
said, 'if there is any truth in the state
ment which was made elsewhere yesterday
and repeated in the press today generally
that there is large, very large, force Of
incompetent clerks in the various depart
ments being men of such age and decrep-
itude that they cannot work in the same
room with other clerks, and that the ven
tilation of tho rooms has to be varied ana
shifted for the purpose of fitting 1t to the
condition of these aged and decrepit clerks.
And, If these statements yesterday are true,
is there any remedy, not by legisiation-for
no legislation is ever permitted in this
House upon that delicate and tender sub
ject-is there any remedy by any other pro-
cess by which the treasury of the United
States can be relieved from the enormous
burden of incompetent clerical force?"
= Mr.. Bingham. in answering. declared that
LII .iaon
amendment to the existing law. 1t strikes
out the words permanently incapacitated
in section 3 and substitutes in lieu there
of the word incapacftated, making the
section read: -
THAT the appropriations herein made for
the officers. clerks and persons employed
in the public service shah not be available
for the compensation of any person inca
FACILITATED for performing such service.
Mr.. Bingham said 1t would be impossible
to find any one permanently" incapacl-
tated. If the amendment'is agreed to 1t VIII
place the onus ofc the employment OF IN
competent clerks on thesdepartment chiefs
Mr.. Robinson OF Indiana elucidated the
situation furtherfhy saying that SUCH an
amendment had passed the House -FOUR
times and been strickennout by the Senate.
He scored the conference committee Tor
agreeing to the elimina ton.
Representative Boutell precipitated dis
cussion which was participated in by half
a dozen members. Gem Bingham. as spon-
sor for the bill, was the storm center. ne
was piled with questions from all points of
the chamber. iH
Z The Detailing Of Clerks.
Mr. Boutell said he frequently saw ref
erence to the detail Of clerks from one
department to another. and declared he
wished to call the matter to the attention
Of the chairman of1the committee on re-
form in the civil service, Mr.. Giliett OF
Massachusetts,. Mr.. Boutell said he had
heard that scores and hundreds of clerks
in the classified service carried on the rolls
of one department are detailed Tor services
in. other departments. and make their ap-
pearance at the rfghtful place Of their en-
ployrpent only twice month--to draw
salary envelopes.
II have been trying to find some author
ity for such a practice he continued, ''but
have been unable to do SO. It is most
unbusinesslike practice. II there Is a
statute which permits it, the law should
be repealed. II there is no statute. the
practice should be stopped
Mr.. Gillett, replying, said he thOught-fn
fact he was confdent-the gentleman was
mistaken. He said transfers from one de-
partment to another are legitimate.
Mr.. Livingston OF Georgia declared that
there had been great deal Of detailing
in the past. but it was decreasing annually.
Mr. Boutell rejoined that he hoped he
was istaken. 1t was preposterous, he
declared, that Congress should appropriate
for clerks in department where they were
not needed and that they should be de
tailed elsewhere. He recognized the right
to transfer" and to detail from one bu-
reau to another in the same department.
The question was raised as to the trans
fer of certain employees from the bureau Of
engraving and printing to the Post Office
Department.
Mr.. Bingham said he knew nothing of the
matter.
The debate was at its height when Mr..
Bingham yielded the floor to Mr.. Livings-
ton Of Georgia. the ranking minority men,
Der Of the appropriations committee. Mr..
Livingston yielded to Mr.. Underwood OF
Alabama, one hour. The latter spoke along
political lines, and for the time being gov
eminent department matters were allowed
to drop
Gen. Bingham's Statement.
In presenting the legislative bill to the
House, Gen. Bingham explained the course
of the committee, in part, as follows:
TT has been the common experience of
j every one in this House. not only with
reference to this proposed legislation, but
in~every bill carrying appropriations for
the department. that when the bill gets to
the Senate there are innunerable additions
and changes. Il say that with all respect,
speaking only from the history of legisla-
ton.
II believe by the action of the department
in the issuance of the -egder, now notorious
and generally known, that the seven hours
Of labor ON the part Of the subordinate in
the department will be so ample that this
sbiils so far as the salary and compensation
are concerned. as well as the number of
subordinates will come back from the Sen
ate without any radical or important
changes in the biHi HsSaN sat
The order of the department covers al
most Z per cent off the tsfne, and when you
average that in sne3ationF to- the money 1t
saves to the department., can say without
contradiction, that, In effect, the depart
ment will receive almost, everything that
they have asked for in their estimates.
The Time Gained.
Mr.. wadsworth If New York interrupted.
May ask the gentleman a question:
Certainly" replied Mr.. Bingham.
"Will the gentleman state if the commit
tee on appropriations has made any esti-
mate as to the acttal number Of days gain
ed by this new arrangementg'
:, I'VE have not ttakens that up In any
FORM" said Mr.. Binghaft II can say for
thh committee that while we were cogniz-
ant of the fact several days before 1t was
made. public that-it wars the purpose OF
the President to- issue .the order we had
not and have not taken that question up."