Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-25
HALE SCORES CLERKS
Calls Them "A Hungry Band OF
MendiCants,"
WHO FORM A FAVORED CLASS
And Constantly Importune Congress
for More Pay and Privileges.
MIR. PATTERSoN'S DEFENSE
Says There is as Much Reason for Re
tirement Pensions as Army and
Navy Retired Pay.
WHO FORM A FAVORED CLASS
MIR. PATTERSON'S DEFENSE

The Senate continued to discuss the agri-
cultural appropriation bill yesterday after
noon. Senator Hale made point of order
against an amendment made by the Senate
committee permitting the employment of
weather observers who are engaged in other
work for the government. In making the
point he criticised as pernicious the prac-
tice of permitting the employment OF the
same person in more than one department
of the government service. The point was
sustained.
Mr.. Hale also criticised the provision per-
uniting the Secretary of Agriculture to ex-
= tend to thirty days the fortnight's leave now
allowed to employees outside the city of
Washington. expressing the opinion that the
practice is growing rapidly and that 1t Will
soon extend to all the post offices of the
country If not checked. He spoke of the
general demand for government employ
Inent, saying that such employees became "a
hungry, persistent band of mendicants." and
that Congress Is dragooned, boycotted, i'm
portuned and browbeaten by the demands
of this organized body of subordinates.
Heads of departments should not allow en-
ployeS to engage IN such an onslaught, he
said
A Favored Glass.
I'VE have a favored class OF officials in
this country" he declared There is no
Office created that there is not an impor-
tunatc demand 10 fill It. For every Office
created it is safe to say that there are doz-
ems and scores of applicants desiring to
get into the government service. They de-
sire to get into the government service be-
cause they are better off than they are out
side They have regular employment: they
have short hours; they are desirable places,
and the moment they get in they become
an organized and impOrtunate and hungry
band Of mendicants, begging US for more
faYors.
I'VE are beset by them constantly and
we forget all the people who have not been
able to get into these Offices Committees
take the cue from the opportunities of the
people in Office and are continually granting
them more and more pay. They organize,
they taboo, they boycott members and sena-
tors who do not favor their propositions and
their demands for increase, and sit
tamely and grant their requests.
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 pension in some form
other, which, when inaugurated and adopt
ed by some careless and Indifferent Con-
gress, will add tens of millions of dollars
every year to our expenses.
Il am rather hopeless of being able to
stop or restrain or limit this. l have tried 1t
before. and I have always been overruled.
I have nothing to say against these en-
ployes personally. They are, l presume al
most all of them good and faithful servants
of the public. But that does not Justify
them In this constant importantly upon as
for more pay and more privileges. Who
ever goes Into one of these places at a
known and fixed compensation and priv
fleges should accept that; and the heads of
departments ought not to allow subordi-
mates to push these matters before Con-
gress. think some heads of departments
have adopted rules which seek to prevent It.
I find on examination that last year this
was crystallfzed as permanent law. and I
cannot make point of order upon IT, but
do make the point of order on the provision
that Is Inserted by the committee which ex-
tends It.
Mr.. Patterson Defends the Clerks.
Does not the senator from Maine think
that there is some justice in the principle
OF the old-age pension for employees of the
government, who. entering under civil serv-
ice rules as young men and young women,
continue in the service of the government
until they are discharged by reason of old
age, and who by reason OF the smallness Of
the compensation are prevented from ac-
cumulatiug anything for the time when dis
charge cOmes?' INQUIRED Senator Patta--
son.
Then. again" he continued, there Is one
other matter l should like the illuminating
views Of the senator from Maine upon
II - Il recognized race that the of
living IS constantly on the increase. / have
not any question but that the cost OF Iiv-
ing. taking the same standard has in
creased not less than 80 per cent within the
last ten years. Under those circumstances
can you blame those who give their service
TO the government from seeking to have
their pay keep pace with the cost of
livelihood? think there Is a good deal TO
be said upon the side OF those In the en-
ployment of tho government under civil
service rules who seek to keep the wage
that they receive upon an equality with the
cost OF living"
Mr.. McCupber in Opposition.
Senator McCumber spoke in opposition to
granting civil service pensions. Il simply
want TO ask the senator" said Mr. McCum-
bar, III he sees some Justice in the matter
OF pensioning government employee
whether he has considered the question as
TO who is to pay those government employees
this extra amount OF compensation? He
knows something about life on a farm. 1
think. whore men work from 5 o'clock in the
morning until 10 at night There every
member OF the family works. and they do
not stop working when they are sixty-two
years OF age. nor when they are seventy
years Of age. Those are the people, who
are putting in sixteen hours a day. who
must pay the pension to the clerks@who have
had easier time all their lives, and have
received on an average four times as much
a day. taking year In and year out that
their lives may be made a little more easy.
Does the senator see any injustice from that
side Of the proposition
Mr. Pattersont's Reply.
senator Patterson said that he did not de-
fend general pension system. but that
there Il as much reason for granting retire
nent pensions to the more humble govern
ment employees as for granting retired pay
to the federal judges and military and naval
officers.
There was also considerable discussion of
tho amendment authorizing, the purchase of
samples Of all serums and anti-toxins for
the cure of animals and 1t was denounced
by MI Hale as another step in the direction
or paterualtsm. which he deprecated In
strong language. Senator McCumber sup
ported the provision as In the interest OF the
protection OF the public against poisonous
ana otherwise dangerous decoctfons The
amendment was agreed to.
In connection with the provision making
an appropriation TO originate crops by SCI
faction, etc. Senator Hale said this was an
erort TO improve on nature, and he con-
graduated Senator Proctor In charge OF the
Dill. on getting nearer the line of absolute
control oy the federal government than any
one else had ever gotten before,