Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1906-03-31
OLD CLERKS REDUCED.
BLOK ABOUT TO FALL UPON
VETEREN MEN OF THE COY
ERNENT DEPARTMENTS
Congress Preparing 20 Cud Salaries
and Discharge older Employees
Who Have Spent Best Years OF
Life in Serving Uncle Sans-i

The blow. which the older govern
ment clerks at Washington have tor
sometime feared. is about 70 fall, ana
IL the House OF Representatives follows
ia anparent intention. the clerks OF ,
is Years old and over, VIII have their
pay cut from % 10 80 percent III
The investigation carried on % tne
Appropriation Committee, shows lhal
over s. 100000 is annually paid 70
clerks over So years OF age. and that
II the plan proposed is carried out over
80 percent OK these VIII be reduced-
This viii mean that many faithful EN-
! ployccs OF The govern ment, VINO nave
| grown old in tho service Of their cOun-
/ try. Will suddenly aud their incomes
| cut nearly Ia half
IL Is often stated that the averags
| government job is an easy ono. with
| short hours and good pay, so that there
/ Is something OF a dislnclnauoD
/ thr0uchout the country TO feel or e1-
press much sympathy for the govern
/ meut clerk who is reduced, or per
chance, dismissed for any reason As
matter OF fact, however. those posi-
tti0rs in Washington. are most trying /
/ and Improbable (unless we except a
L Few cases. in which the work Is tech-
/ meal. with the possibility or leading
20 better things outside in the COM
rrercial w0rlil. and after a fcw years
b. ~ service. leave the Incumbent with
! out the caralility OF making his way
- lin business. II suddenly thrown upon
his own resources
| Most Of the government bureaus are
Ila-re Offices. where clerk may be en-
ca-ri for years in a single me OF
work. his knowledge and experience
lalflough narrow and clrcumscrlnec'
lthus becoming valuable % the govern
mont In the meantime, his salary mas
been barely COMMEMORATIVE with his llF-
Ing expenses. and although some on the
government employees with thrllly
wives may have been able 20 buy
modest home, the proportion OF these
is not large.
Then. after twenty years ~ combining
and uulnspiring labor, comes his CTS
vharro. ana he finds himself complete
w out OF touch with all former buai
ness knowlcs-e and relations, unable
20 earn as much In new line OF l'i'
rs could his recently graduated son
This would mean that the man VINO na
entered government service IN middle
ME. and through merit0riOus effort an.
faithful endeayor has worked mp 30
salary OF $1,000 or $500. would In Li
lrIye years and experience. Pc tAro "'
lout ~ the world, like an old horse. WI
has served his master fathin->y on
has lost the vigorous step ana sly iia
action OF q younger animal LiAd l-l
man been connected with big CON
lmcrcial house for those twenty years
his business associates would dcile-
TO honor him with the increased sa.ar
due TO bis experience and wisdom
which had done SO much toward oril
Ing up tho structure OF their W0rl4-
interests.
The sentiment has been freely g
pressed upon the loOr or the Hous
r.~H = 10 Ha1fnrrnIN fffnF
majority Of it's members Will favor a.
drastic measure OF cutting down q
income or faithful clerks. one plan d
cussed by the House Committee. Fl
braces 4 provision that when any e
plovee shall have reached the age or
wears. heshau be immcdiately dismiss
While $1,000 might appcarto bea ri
sonable living IN the smaller towns,
+hel Washinston. where expenses are
and heavy. it Is q small sum for man
ould family. old and hOnOred governm'
a EMPLOYEES, from the administration
rlSed washington down. have resigned
nore died in the nations service. but G
light gress In its wisdom, In these days or
CITY wonted national prosperity. seems
ID a be pursuing extraordinary methods
and increase the efficiency or the ser'
llghtl and to reduce the federal expendituT
Anent the subject. the Washing
cent government IL would be {
would cut a faithful servant, who
served Ii for years, and who is as G
Client a clerk now as be was ten We
tago. because he has reached the agC
y ef sixty-hvei What an inducement
aon't faithful service! What n splendid
lample OF the merit system"
oio II il probably serves a man right
z reaching the age OF siXty-five, and
fng still vigorous and faithful and CO
; BILE in the public service
The Speaker OF the House, the no
So able Joseph G. Cannon. who will
= - seventy years old on the 9TH
1-Stro May next, should see to il that
y go friends on the Appropriation c
r-orTb mittee take a back track on this o.
Da5e itiSh proposition. II the provi
IinDsr should not be stricken out in the H'
presi. the twenty-six Senators who are
some Sixty-fve, and the three others
: and will be sixty-hve before this yea
a. OF out ought TO be able to give
4 the Qusetus in the Senate.