Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-05

Togo His views on the subject Of race
suicide, 1 think, would receive your APP
proval. The does, on the other hand, neg
lected Their kids so shamelessly that fear
they belong to a female goat club.
Il inClosed the flock with fence highly
recommended to me by a steel and wire
company. l now suspect that this company
may be trust and should be investigated.
The goats began by thrusting their heads
through the upper part of the fence,
where they hung by their horns. When
tired of this they went through under and
over the fence.
Il make no complaint that they ate a val
liable rose garden belonging to a neighbor;
but their conduct in my own vegetable gar
den entities me to relief"
The committee appointed by the president
to investigate the workings of the various
departments and suggest reforms as well
as abolish Anticipated methods used in the
transaction of public business has un-
earthed some peculiar characters among
the clerks in the departments One of the
strangest Of these characters is an old
man, the chief of one of the small divisions
in the Agricultural department. While he
is not deaf and dumb he has for many
years never uttered a word while on duty
at the department. He writes everything,
and even when he wants to call a stenog-
rapher he writes note to the man to
come in, and then hands him the written
copy he wants typewriter. one of the
tales reported to the committee about
the silent man of the Agricultural de-
partment is that the other day, when
the thermometer was UP in the nineties,
he called a stenographer and handed him
u~F#N
in the next room whose desk was near
the thermometer how hot it was, He never
uses the telephone on his desk Another
of his freak methods was to have a stenog-
rapher write out a question to a subordi-
nate, asking him when a report could be
expected. The stenographer wrote out
the question, then handed the note to the
silent chief, who rang his bell for a mes
senger and the latter carried the note to
the clerk in the next room. Another thing
the committee has discovered is that, in
the treasury, there are rules providing how
many letters are to be written, and that
all letters must embody the question which
is to be answered. The last phrase before
the beginning of the answer is as follows:
'In ordinary English the word follows
is followed by colon The treasury rules
of composition, however, require a period
so written are sent back for correction"
When the president appointed the COM
mittee his instructions especially referred
to the paper work" officers OF the army
have to do, and desired that some reforms
be instituted. In looking this up the COM
mittee has found that recently, in Cen
eral MacKenzie's office before young
officer in Maine could s = two thermome-
tiers required in his work his requisition
had to have the Endorsement of twenty
eight officers, and when 1t reached the
twenty-eighth man it had to go back by
the same route.
1t has become known that a number of
the players of various base ball teams of
the governmental departments here were
appointed to positions in the government
| service solely for the purpose of securing
them to play ball on the departmental
teams For years there has been depart
ment league of base ball clubs here, which
! plays a series Of games for the champion
ship Of the government service. In past
years men who were known to have much
base ball ability were appointed to positions
! in one or another of the departments and
as result of inquiries 1t is found that the
| same condition prevails, to some extent at
| least this summer.
| The statement is made that there are at
least three outside men on the team of the
Interior department. for instance. These
! appointments appear to have been made
without the approval of Secretary Hitch
| cock. That official knows what has hap
| pened in the past and early this season he
put his foot down hard on the practice.
| So far as is known there have been no
| charges filed at any department regarding
| the alleged professionalism of players in
/ the government league or the violation Of
| civil service regula lions in their appoint
| ment. This is one of the matters how
ever, which the department investigation
committee, of which Assistant Secretary
OF the Treasury Keep is chairman, will in
vestigate after it gets through with prob
ing the government printing Office Lanston
monotype contract and other matters.
The clerks employed at the Panama
canal commission in Washington were
startled the other day by an official order
from Chairman T. p. shonts that until
| further notice their office hours would be
! from a. m. until $50 p. m, with half an
| hour for lunch The only explanation Of
| fered for this radical departure from the
rules applying to the working hours Of
! government. clerks was that the rush OF
| business required it. Chairman Shonts saws
| that the work OF the commission has been
piling up so rapidly that it would be abso-
lutely impossible TO dispose Of the bust
ness that demanded attention without this
extra work on the part OF his force
! MIR. Shonts evidently has not caught the
! spirit of the heads OF other government
! departments who, when their work accu-
mulates, make demands upon congress for
additional clerks. He also has not been
! affected In the least by the storm OF pro-
| tests that was raised when the clerks in
| the employ OF Uncle Sam were ordered 10
work until 4:30 each afternoon, instead OF
T. as previously. Mr.. Shonts being a rail-
road man, believes that the government
should get much for its money as do
the railroads, who pay no attention 10
| ironclad office hours when there is work 20
be performed by their employees
The Washington Post relates that re-
Gently letter was received at the Treas
ury department addressed, Uncle Sam,
! Washington, d. C." II reads: please find
| IN close O5ct. For which I want you to
! tell me the side OF the nickel is heads and
what is tails. Use nickel for postage in
return" The department replied that there
was no head or tail" officially, but an
! 'obverse and a reverse side The writer
I was tlld TO toss a coin and take his choice.
The nickel was deposited In the treasury.