The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-16
J, GOVERNMENT office
isn't what it used to be-
sighed an old patent Of

IL ~ isn't what it used to be,
u sighed an old patent Of
Il flee clerk the other day.
"One by one they impose
new hardships and grind us down
further, and now comes this last out
rage Now they lengthen our day,
and we must work until half past 4.
Well, I'm not surprised. Soon we
shall be called upon to work until .,
and then be invited to do so on half
pay. 1t isn't SO bad for the young
sters; but for us old fellows-Why,
I'VE been here in this office-here in
this very ROOM for forty years. For
forty years I've come to work at
o'clock in the morning and knocked
off at in the afternoon. Do they
think an old soldier can change his
habits after so long? Look at that
empty sleeve! Haven't done
enough for my country already, with
out being compelled to change a life
long habit in this manner?
The old colonel grew red in the fact
II s he hotly delivered himself Of the
opinion I had asked for. All he had
said was perfectly true. Things have
changed, and office life under the gov
eminent Is not what it used to be.
The colonel, as well as many others
much younger, prefer the old regime,
when a clerk did about as he pleased.
Twenty years ago the clerk carried
matters with a high hand. The gov
ernment offices were hot-beds of in
subordination, for which, l am sorry
to say, the women were largely re-
sponsible. During republican adj.
ADMINISTRATION there was cooperative al;
not worth living when democracy sat
in the White House. Then there was
war to the knife. The embittered
southern women-"rebs'' they were
and are still called-openly aired their
opinions and fancied grievances, and
held every northerner personally re-
sponsible for wars despollment or
were held in their positions by demo-
cratic Influence" and therefore they
fancied that the more they showed
their nettIe the more secure they
were in office. Thus the contention went
nerrily on until the approach Of the
presidential campaign, when the pei
iigerents quoted down as meek as
kittens. to be heard no more until
return Of democratic rule. f.
The "Substituting" Evil.
Twenty years ago clerk might alb
sent himself from office for an In
definite period, placing at his desk a
man or woman of his own choosing to
do his work in his absence. This was
called in office parlance putting IN
= substitute" Indeed, one might hold
q position. put in substitute, usually
at half pay, and remain away as long
as two years. Had this privilege, like
all Others, not been So shamefully
abused it might still obtain to-day;
but, as it was shamefully abused, it
was withdrawn some time ago. The
''substitute' privilege was abused in
such q variety Of ingenious ways as
to be positively bewildering to the
authorities.
For instance, there is one case on
record which shows originality to say
the least. A man, whose influence
was strong during democratic admin
istration, was enrolled at the treasury
department at $1,000 a year. This
man worked for a time. fell i'll, and
put in a substitute at $500 year. 1t
is a shame to have to tell it; but when
this gentleman recovered, if indeed
he was ever really i'll at all, his name
+ WAS enrolled at the patent office and