The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-19
PAY IS NOT ENOUGH
sOUTHERNERS DO NOT CARE FOR
 GOVERNMENT JOBS.
Quota of This Section far From Full in Departments Where Civil Service Examination Must
 Be Stood.
By Alfred J. stofcr.

Washington, March 1S.-(Special )-- Every few months statements are sent out from this city that men and wo- men do not seem willing to stand ex- aminations for Government positions to which some of the Southern States are entitled. The departments from stenographers, etc. The quota of six or more of the Southern States is far from being complete, and the members of the Civil Service Commission have been trying for the past two years to induce persons from that section to stand the examinations and get on the eligible list.
 Complaints are frequent that after Southerners get on the eligible list they cannot secure appointments for the reason that they have no influen- tial Congressman to push their claims Another thing that discourages the Southerners. is that the salaries paid beginners in the service are not sufFi- cient to attract them to leave their homes and settle in Washington. It is related that young man in Alabama stood the examination for both the messenger and stenography registers specifying In his application that he would only accept position in one of the Washington departments. He was offered a position in Panama which he declined He was then asked if he would accept place in Texas. and that was also declined Finally he was ap- pointed a messenger in one of the de- partments here. His bureau chief dis covered that he was stenographer and assigned him to that work. The work he had to perform had previous ly been done by a man who received $1, 400 year. This young man, how ever, received only messengers pay. He was told that he would have to wait his turn fer promotion.
 Some of the Government clerks who have carefully looked into the matter say that if the Civil Service Commits sioners really desire to even up things for the Southern States they will have to do away with technical rulings and prove to the people that 1t is possible to obtain desirable positions without political influence, on which they are rather "short" just now. Another St. rious bar to satisfaction in the C1vIl service is the well known practice of paying widely dlfferings salares for identical work. a clerk getting $720 and doing work for which another re- ceiYes or has received $1,400.
 It is claimed that the average salary of the civil service omploye in Wash. ington today is less than t was fifty years ago. And the cost of living is estimated to he Learly foe per cent greater than 1t was fifty years ago Under such circumstances clerks do not think there Is much inducement foI Southern people to seek Government positions l. costs about double to liv, in Washington when compared with expenses in most of he Southern cities and towns. They realize also that few Government employees reach nld age with q competency unless they lead the lives of misers, and as there are greater opportunities for competent young men and women in the South than here. owing 70 he rapid develop rnent of the industries of that section the general opinicn is that the Com mission will continue to call attention to the fact that the Southern quota is not full without creating rush foI the vacancies