The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-16

wholesale stealing Of the governments
time, but after he has seen the easy
time these drones have and the cour
tesy and consideration that are shown
them, he gradually falls into the prac-
tice himself, if he happens to have
Influence" enough q II he hasn't he
works. So prevalent has this drone
habit grown that now, at last, some of
the chiefs have been forced to call
for more clerks, when those they al
ready have might easily do the work
If they would only work. As a rule
formed by a few, and here is where
comes the real injustice to those who
really. work. On account Of the drones
the clerk who keeps busy must now
put in an extra half-hour daily when
his head is fairly bursting with
figures. ..i...
Incompetent Clerks Are Numerous.
There are many clerks in office who
are willing enough to work, but are
absolutely valueless on account of In
competency. They seem not to have
extra burden falls upon the intelligent
ones who will do anything to hide the
shortcomings Of their associates.
It is by. no means uncommon, upon
entering room, to see two or three
clerks with heads on desks-sound
asleep during working hours! Many
openly sit for hours and do-fancy, work
and chat and visit, as tho the world
were all for play. It is safe to predict
that the loudest protest against the
lengt hening of the hours will come
from this class Of clerks.
Once a clerk might take his own
morning. To be sure, he was due at
9, but what did that matter? Half
after would do as we'll! This was
all right for time, but at length
came a despotic ruler who required
each clerk to be at his desk at y
o'clock or give strict accounting. So
heinous is the sin of hardness now
considered that the clerk who is by
any chance late usually prefers to
remain away for the forenoon and
subtract the time lost from his cher
ished leave rather than to appear
with an excuse which in the awful
presence sounds lame at best.
Once, too, a. clerk was permitted to
| take time without pay. or sick leave
as it is called, but this privilege, ike
| the others, has been so abused that
| to take ''sick leave now seriously 1n-
jures ones standing with his COM
missioner.And so the work of cutting
off privileges goes merrlly on.
/ The Superamuated Clerk.
/! The government offices are full of
| aged men and women, who have
grown old in service and whose day S
work might easily be done by
younger clerk iii fifteen minutes.
There have been many attempts made
| to secure legislationthat would permit
the pensioning Of these superannuated
ones, but up to date nothing effective
has been done in that direction.
Many clerks in their eighties and
even nineties still remain in, the
service. And SO those who are willing
to work must bear in addlt1on every
kind Of crotchet that old age and
bfoodless veins can conjure up.
draft of fresh air will set whole
room full of these bloodless ones into
I a panic, and thus the younger and
Emore vigorous ones must live and
breathe the foul air, which under the
rules may only be changed at noon
Proyidentially there is a rule which
governs even such a matter as the
opening Of windows and from II there
/ iss:no appeal. From 1928 to 1855
I each day every window in every ofhce
! is Open And the fuss that is made
over this brief admittance of heavens
pure air is really pathetlc: mere aat !.
no system of ventilation In most o.
| these old government buildings ano
the only hope for fresh air is such as
may come thru an open window,
There is small incentive to be faith
full in government office, but there are
many faithful ones, for all that. Ano
these look at the drones and 'refec1
that it is long lane that has no turn
i ing. When the day of reckoning
comes, as come it must, and the
ldrone's pull is no more, he Will DC
quietly dropped, as he has made nc
RECORD to endear himself to his SUI
periors.. Anna NJ. Chamberlain.