The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-01-16
FREE-HAND COMMENT
ON MEN AND MANNERS
clerks Who Want to Work From $500
to 1870 Are Sure of Their
Reward

Va. he was a Government clerk.
who had lately received a shock.
ana his eyes were haggard and wan
AS they yawned at the Office clock.
les, his eyes were weary and sad.
AS he gazed at the Office door,
And he sighed. "I'l be dead at 80.
And | am so fresh at A.
Then he whispered the name of Gillett,
And his orbs took a savage CLINT.
And the thoughts that arose in his
bosom.
can fancy. but cannot print
But know that he said at closing.
To several Government ladies.
May he shovel coal till 4:30.
For a million years in Hades"'
The human mind resembles the deep
sea. You never get clear down to the
bottom of il that you don't find some
thing queer and unexpected-something
hitherto undreamed OF. Such discov-
cry is the attitude of those department
clerks who desire to work from $50 to
4:5oo. according to their replies upon The
Times coupons. 1t must be admitted
that replies of this nature are not nu-
merically strong, but still they do exist.
their work are almost sure of their re-
ward. IL they can secure the right sort
of Congressional influence, and II the
temple of civil service is not tumbled
about their ears like a child's house OF
cards by some blind Samson, these en-
thusiastic people Will climb as rapidly
upward as Jack Of bean-stalk fame
In ay.te another frame of mind is the
clerk who asks:
How many hours per day do the
Congressman. who stirred up the dis
cussion. work?
How many days in each year do they
work?
Are they confined TO their seats every
minute during the time the House Is IN
session.
What is the difference in the salary
of a Congressman and clerk?
us a Congressman subject TO the
whims OF some petty chief or supe-
rior?
Does Mr.. Gliett or any other mem
her who was instrumental I'm bringing
about this change have TO sit In an
sxlO room with six other men 80 days
out of the 1852
These ingenious queries. which nave
a feminine flavor, are founded upon the
unfortunate fallacy. that has caused so
much OF misery in the world. that all
men are created free and equal. They
have no bearing OF the case. and their
correct answer is This is a free couR-
try. II you think a Congressman has
the better OF Il. go and be a Congress-
man"
1t seems hardly possible that the few
/ for Ia
night schools open till June will be de-
MED by the Committee on Appropriations
Economy is rarely practiced save in lit
tie matters by any government The
closing down OF a few schools or the
reduction of a few salaries. already
small. OF the addition Of half an houi
or so to the working time Of employees.
makes more talk and a greater STOW
OF economy than the refusal to pass a
$40, 100000 appropriation. These displays
of petty economy may be made any
where with greater safety than when
they affect the public schools. States
men assume a great responsibility when
| they refuse needed money for this pur>
pose LIberality with reference to any
public school proposition is almost with
out exception the safe and patriotic
\ policy.
That Mayor Mcclellan is being thought
Of I'm some quarters as a possible Demo-
cratic candidate for President Is seen
| from the fact OF his eligibility for the
Office has been questioned on the ground
that he was born in Dresden, Germany.
His own opinion is that ne is "a nat
uraI born citizen" and there will be
few found willing TO deny the claim TO
one OF his name.
One man has at last been found, who,
were he equally famous. would share
with Mr.. Smoot the latter's unpopular
| ity among the women OF the country.
/ This is the ex-Rev. Charles A. Alden.
till recently secretary OF the New York
city board OF charities Mr.. Alden has
been found guilty OF embezzling some
thousands from the fund deposited with
the board for the payment of alimony.
Our novelists have been turning their
eyes longingly for some time TO our
new satrapies for plots and local color.
and several works Of fiction have APP
peared with plots located In the Philip
pines In Porto Rico. in Havana. The
results have been discouraging. how
ever, for nothing has as yet been pro-
duced that has made lasting impress
sion on the public. The fault seems 70
lie rather with the writer's than with
the material There is certainly no
lack of popular interest In the life In
our dependencies. and as for the ro-
mantle element, that is by no means
lacking. Take for instance the story OF
the pirate Herman. late of the Cebu
jail, now citizen Of the seas and the
world at large. What could Robert
Louis Stevenson not have done with
Mr.. Herman and his story! Herman
and Johnson. his partner in crime. stole
a vessel and started on a piratical
cruise. In the fight which resulted In
Herman's capture. four constables were
killed and Johnson was afterwart
found dead in the bottom OF a boat
There IS enough In Herman's life up to
date. to make a rafting pirate story,
could IT be ampIifed and touched up
by the genius OF Russell OF a Steven
son.
According TO a recent report of the
health department OF Chicago, the peo-
pie of that city live twice as long as
did their grandfathers. This increase
OF vitality Is attributed bv the loca
! authorities TO the application OF i'm
proved sanitary methods. but 1t is not
probable that these have anything al
;