The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-02-01


from which hts threatening letters
come.
Speaking to members Of the LegisIa-
tive Eauhcil Of the American Medical
Association recently. President Roose-
welt gave utteranc6 to the following
startling statement:
Should a war break out tomorrow
and 1t became necessary to muster
large army there would be q complete
breakdown In the Medical Department,
because our Medical Corps Is numer-
per cent Of the Regular Army as It is
now.
"The Medical Corps" continued the
President. ''is not able to srapple with
a campaign in which our whole army,
little as it is, should be employed. II
We had to mobilize an army Of volun-
teers we would, under present condi-
disaster through the shortcomings of
the medical and sanitary and hygienic
arrangements rendered inevitable by our
present lack of PREPARATION
PRECEDENT Roosevelt has accepted an
invitation to became nonresident
member OF the Southern Club Of Phil
DR.. j. Madison Taylor. member Of the
Board Of Governors of the club, who il
& personal friend OF the President, has
received the following letter from the
Executive:
my Dear Mr.. Taylor: accept the
ern Club OF Philadelphia with great
pleasure. It was awfully good to hear
from you. How we'll I remember the
time when you were on the Little Mis-
souri,. Sincerely yours-Theodore Roose-
velt.''
The club is composed Of men Of
Southern birth or close affiliation. Ar
rangements will soon be begun by the
organization for = reception to the
President.
Cincinnati friends OF Representative
Longworth will send him a truly regal
wedding present. They sent to Ken
lucky for the finest driving team that
could be found. price not limited. The
bay trottsrs Of finest blood, and the cost
Is placed at $4,000.
For a long time plans have been
talked over for the retirement OF Gov
eminent clerks who have grown old
and gray in the service, but nothing
suited to our Republican institutions
has as yet presented itself. Cabinet
on1cers nave been discussing it for years
A few weeks ago Secretary Of the Treas
ury Shaw concluded he would get some
facts and figures from the great De-
partment over which he is the head
He sent out blanks to each clerk in the
Treasury Department. and these blanks
held questions tending to bring out
clerks history from his cradle to his
then status, politically. religiously,
financially and every otherwise. 1t was
comprehensive enough, goodness knows
Ihese blanks were not to be signed:
thus the Secretary did not know who
filled any Of them out. He simply
wanted to tabulate the answers to his
questions. and see what he could de-
duce from these answers. He has made
his deductions, and they are rather
startling in some respects.
To begin with, Secretary Shaw be-
lieves that it is not wise to become a
Government clerk, and here are his rea-
sons for this belief:
I know OF no labor more emphat-
ically drudgery than that performed by
large majority Of Government clerks
at Washington. While all work is
drudgery, most of the worlds toilers
are permitted to witness affirmative re-
suits, the inspiration Of which is most
helpful to the individual It is drude-
cry to plant, to till, to harvest; but the
character Of work changes with sea-
sons. and hopes and fulfillments afford
constant inspiration
1T Is drudgery to grade q railroad or
to improve the track, but the progress
Of the work should afford Inspiration
books at a bank, but possible increased
business and profits to the concern are
sources OF inspiration. The work Of the
Government clerk. on the contrary,
neither changes with seasons nor ma
terially improves In character, and re-
suits In no profit to the Government.
"rhe point make Is that it is we'll
nigh impossible to get that reflex influ-
ence from formal IL not perfunctory
Government work SO helpful in the up
building and development of the indi-
vidual. There Is no opportunity to ex-
ercise the initiative, and the trend Is
constantly in the direction Of transform
Ing the clerk from thinking, planning,
executing representative Of the Govern
ment into a mere machine. This must
not be understood as a criticism Of these
operatives. I am simply speaking Of
the unfortunate character of the work
they perform. The wonder is that SO
many survive and actually climb up I'm
the scale Of efficient service.
Looking solely to the interests of
Government clerks" he continued, ct
believe their lot I'm life would be i'm
proved by provision retiring them per-
manently from public service at the ex-
piration Of a limited period, not to ex-
ceed six years. 1t is q great thing to
spend four or six years at the Capital
OF the great Republic. TO catch the In
spiration Of It's history, to observe Ma
tional Legislators for period and note
the character and demeanor Of those
who come and go to and from impor-
tant administrative positions. Four
years at Washington is an education
So is four years in the school room, but
80 years in a clerical position In one
Of the Departments naturally has about
the same effect as 80 years In the school
room would have II the same lessons
were taken over and over and recited
again and again. College professors
have not always been able to keep
themselves alive and abreast of the
times for any very great period, not
withstanding the constant inspiration
that comes from ever-changing material
on which they expend their efforts If
they were to have the same pupils year
after year they would be justified in or
ganizing retirement association
The Secretary said that he was aware
that in making such a suggestion he
would be opposed by civil service re-