The La Jara chronicle. (La Jara, Conejos County, Colo.) 1896-19??, 1906-04-06
OLD CLERKS REDUCED.
BLOW ABOUT TO FALL UPON
VETEREN MEN OF THE COY
ERUENT DEPARTMENTS.
Congress Preparing to CUT Salaries
and Discharge Older Employees
Who Have Spent Best Years OF
Life in Serving Uncle SAM.

The blow, which the older govern
ment clerks at Washington have Tor
sometime feared, is about to fall, and
If the House OF Representatives follows
its apparent intention, the clerks OF
Go years old and over, will have their
pay cut from 20 to 80 percent.
The investigation carried on by the
Appropriation Committee, shows that
over S2,0OO,0OO is annually paid to
clerks over TO years of age, and that
if the plan proposed is carried out, over
I5 percent of these will be reduced.
This will mean that many faithful en-
ployees of the government, who have
grown old in the service of their coun-
try, will suddenly find their incomes
cut nearly in half.
1t is often stated that the average
government job is an easy one, with
short hours and good pay, SO that there
is something of Discrimination
throughout the country to feel or ex-
press much sympathy for the govern
ment clerk who is reduced, or per-
chance dismissed for any reason. AS a
matter of fact, however, these posi-
tons in Washington, are most trying
and Improbable (unless we except a
few cases, in which the work is tech
nical, with the possibility of leading
to better things outside in the com
mercial world). and after a few years
of service, leave the incumbent with
ont the capability of making his way
in business, if suddenly thrown upon
his own resources.
Most of the government bureaus are
large offices, where a clerk may be en-
gagged for years in a single line OF
work, his knowledge and experience,
,1t t,ggh dir
thus becoming valuable to the govern
ment. In the meantime. his salary has
been barely commensurate with his liv-
ing expenses. and although some of the
government employees with thrifty
wives may have been able to buy
modest home, the proportion of these
is not large.
Then, after twenty years of confirming
and uniqSpiring labor, comes his dis
charge. and he finds himself complete
ly out of touch with all former bust
ness knowledge and relations, unable
to earn as much in a new line of life
as could his recently graduated son.
This would mean that the man who has
entered government service in middle
life, and through meritorious effort and
faithful endeavor has worked up to a
salary of $1,000 or $500, would in his
out on the world, like an old horse. who
has served his master faithfully but
has lost the vigorous step and stylish
action of a younger animal. Had this
man been connected with a big com
mercial house for those twenty years,
his business associates would delight
to honor him with the increased salary
due to his experience and wisdom,
which had done so much toward build
ing up the structure of their worldly
interests.
The sentiment has been freely ex-
pressed upon the floor of the House,
however, that it is not believed that a
majority of its members will favor any
drastic measure of cutting down the
income of faithful clerks. One plan dis
cussed by the House Committee. en-
braces a provision that when any en-
ployee shall have reached the age of 20
years, he shall be Immediately dismissed
While $1,000 might appear to bea rea-
sonable living in the smaller towns, in
Washington, where expenses are so
heavy. it is a small sum for man of
family. Old and honored government
employees, from the administration of
Washington down. have resigned or
died in the nations service, but Con
gress in its wisdom, in these days of un'
wonted national prosperity, seems to
be pursuing extraordinary methods to
increase the efficiency of the service
and to reduce the federal expenditures
Anent the subject, the Washington
Post says: What a kind and benefi-
cent government it would be that
would cut faithfsl servant who had
served it for yearsand who is as eff
cient n clerk now as he was ten years
ago. because he has reached the age Of
sixty-five! What an inducement to
faithful service What splendid ex-
ample of the merit system" But
it probably serves man right for
reaching the age of siXty-five. and be
ing still vigorous and faithful and capa-
BILE in the public service.
The Speaker of the House. the honor
able Joseph G Cannon, who will be
seventy years old on the 18th of
May next, should see to it that his
friends on the Appropriation Com
mittee take back track on this Osler-
itish proposition. If the provision
should not be stricken out in the House
the twenty-six Senators who are over
sixty five, and the three others who
will be siNty-five before this year is
out ought to be able to give it a
quietus in the Senate.