The Washington times., 1906-04-12
Lack of Appreciation Grip
pies Its Usefulness.
BokAPARTE IS AROUSED
Secretary vainly Endeavors to Have
Congress Come to Rescue
of His Aids.

How to hold the civil service en-
ployes of his department and attract
recruits TO the service is a question that
is puzzling Secretary Of the Navy Bona
parte. toward the solution OF which he is
receiving scant aid from Congress. to
whom he has appealed.
Secretary Bonaparte. in support OF re
quests for special legislation, has had
statistics prepared showing that in the
three months of the year ended with
March 81. approximately 243 employees
either resigned their positions in the
Navy Department and navy yards or de-
clined appointments.
This is an unusual record, and IS an
evidence of the increase Of the unpopu-
larity OF the lower ranks Of the civil
service work in the different depart
ments, particularly in the navy, where
promotions come slowly and the work is
unusually hard. AS result there Is
already a shortage of clerks. The per-
centage of designations and declarations
is the highest ever known IN any de-
partment - Government for the same
period OF time.
The Navy Department Is one OF the
largest employers of Government clerks.
As the total number OF employees on
the classified list is about ESQ, thus II
Will be seen that this percent age of re-
fusals to enter or remain in he service
is sufficient to badly embarrilss the de-
parbnent.
Naturally. the positions which are va
Gated and which are the hardest TO fill
with persons who have passed the civil
service examination are the lowest in
the line Of clerkships. They command
salaries ranging from $40 to 81. 400. The
failure to fill these places is due chiefly
10 the provision of the law that a GER
tain quota of employees must be taken
from each State 1t might be possible
to I'LL the places with persons living in
or near Washington, but mc@v OF those
who are certified to this city from -,
mote sections refuse to move here. In
other cases the higher salaried clerks
are willing to be transferred TO Wash.
ington.
One notable rawback is the fact thai
the pay in the Navy Department is lower
than in most other departments. Con.
sequently. trained clerks and stenog.
raphers. as well az experienced
craftsmen. messengers. and watch.
men. do not remain in the Navy De.
partment any longer than they can help
particularly since promotions IN nearly
all departments come more rapidly.
Secretary Ronaparte, IN his annual re
port last fall, pointed out this evil tC
Congress and suggested that some rem.
edy be evolved He submitted figures
showing the number OF designations and
destinations for last year. and also fol
the first three months this year.
The figures covering last year may b.
summarized as follows:
Destinations = In Navy Department
proper, consisting of clerks, messengers
and watchmen, ~, craftsmen and tech
meal employees. 5: total 45. In navy
yards, consisting of clerks, etc, 345
craftsmen, esc., %: total, 345 The
total number of declarations consequent
~ was 412.
designations In the Navy Depart
ment. consisting of clerks, etc, IS
craftsmen. etc. Is; total. 80. In navy
yards. consisting OF clerks, etc, z35
craftsmen, etc. 100: total, 335: tota
number OF designations. AS. This make.
a total of both designations and declina,
tons for the year of $40, or practically
one-third of the entire number OF en-
ployes IN the Navy Department.
OF the declinations in the Navy De
partment proper 10 were classed as s71
or under, IL between $50 and $500. and
in the navy yards 1S6 at less than $3.50
OF the designations in the navy yards s.
were rated at less than $50.
In comparison with the $40 resignation