The Washington times., 1906-05-25
Makes Attack on Provision
Extending Privilege.
TOO MUCH PATERNALISM
Congress, He Says, Is Constantly
Beser by Hungry Band of
Mendicants.

Senator Hale assumed the role Of a.
critic OF the Governments leniency in
the matter Of granting. concessions to its
employees when the agricultural appro-
priation bill came up for consideration
at yesterdays session He attacked in
fierce terms the provision in the bill
granting leaves Of absence 10 employees
Of the Bureau OF Animal Industry en-
ployed outside Of Washington. He called
the attention Of the Senate TO the fact
that no other department Of the Govern
ment granted such concessions to its
employees under similar circumstances.
IF we are going to give leave" he
said. 1.-The pay continuing, to officials
in the employment OF the Government
outside of Washington, every postofflce
employe will want his fifteen or thirty
days. The practice OF leave has grown
up gradually. being at first only applied
to certain departments in Washington.
Generally speaking. il is confined. ex-
cept in special cases-I do not know
how many there are-to employees here
in Washington for special reasons. But
il everybody outside OF Washington is
to have fifteen or thirty days leave, II
is a vast subject and is a depletion Of
the work OF the Government TO a very
great extent
Hungry Band of Mendicants"
Mr.. President. the provision in this
bill shows this feature is creeping; II
is advancing, and that is one OF the in
firmities we are under as a legislative
body. We have n favored class Of Off
cials in this country. There is no ONCE
created that there is not an importunate
demand 10 fill II. For every office ere
ated. it is safe to say that there are
dozens and scores OF applicants desir-
ing to get into the Government service.
They desire TO get into the Govern
ment service because they are better off
than they are outside. They have reg
ular employment: they have short
hours; they are desirable places, and
the moment they get in they become
an organized and importunate and hun
cry band of mendicants. begging US for
more favors.
We are beset by them constantly, and
We forget all the people who have not
been able to get into these Offices. Com
mittees take the cue from the impor-
tunities OF the people in Office and are
continually granting them more and
more pay. They organize, they taHea
they boycott members and Senators
who do not favor their propositions and
their demands for increase. and we sit
tamely and grant their requests.
Constantly Beating on Our Doors.
There is no session Of Congress that
we are not importuned and our doors
beaten upon by the employees here in
Washington and elsewhere demanding
more pay, more privileges; and they are
now organizing for civil service pen
sion In some form or other, which, when
inaugurated and adopted by some care
less and Indifferent Congress. will add
tens OF millions of dollars every year TO
our expenses
Il am rather hopeless OF being able
70 stop or restrain or limit this. / have
always been Overruled I have nothing
to say against these employees person
ally They are, I presume. almost all
Of them good and faithful servants OF
the public. But that does not Justify
them in this constant importantly upon
us for more pay and more privileges.
Whoever goes into one of these places
al a known and fixed compensation and
privileges should accept that: and the
heads Of departments ought not 70 allow
subordinates TO push these matters be-
fore Congress 1 think some heads Of
departments have adopted rules which
seek TO prevent 1t.
Il find on examination that last year
this was crystalIized as permanent law.
and cannot make a point OF order upon
IL; but l do make the point OF order on
the provision that Is inserted by the
committee which extends It."
Wants to See it Stopped.
From this the Senator drifted of into
a general criticism Of the bin and Of
Congress for allowing little things to
creep in time and again
"As 1 have s-lT." he continu, d, II dis
like to play the role Of criti; on tnie
bill, because 1 think the committee ha,,
got a good bill. the best bill I haze
known TO be brought from the ComI..is-
tee on Agriculture before the Senate.
What 1 mean by that is that l think
they have been more careful TO keep
from putting in new things, changes in
the law; but when I read this provision
| must say 1 was rather amazed at the
extent to which this Governmental su-
pervision of everything under the sun
that men. women. and children do and
enjoy and wear is taken hold of by the
Government, and rules as TO it fixed.
1 should like to see 1t stopped some
where II evidently IS not stopped IN
this bill, and do not know that we can
stop it.
4 have no doubt L am making a USE
less and Intellectual talk. but thG mole
drift Is In one direction. We do not
stand up against any of these things.
More and more we are drifting into that
neVer-ending tide which esta blishes at
last paternalism. We assume the duties.
the burdens. and the responsibilities that
nd n1c reh n r1ly
down every barrier that has heretofore
existed Of the jurisdiction Of The STATES,
and the right and province OF the State
10 regulate things Is a shifting. receding
shore, constantly encroachedl upon and
constantly swallowed up by this oncom-
ing tide for paternalism and national in
reference. Senators ought to appreciate
il. but I cannot stop It,"
A Pretty Big Contract.
He criticised the provision allowing