Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-16

would mean to government employees, espe.
cially those in the departments here. can
scarcely be conceived by anyone outside Of
the realm. The cost of living has increased
at this capital even to larger extent than
at other places. That the government has
been so slow in recognizing this fact has
long puzzled the public in general, especial
ly in view of the fact that the wages of
employees of nearly every corporation have
been increased within the last year.
Amount of Appropriations.
THE appropriations made by Congress
for salaries of government employees for the
fiscal year ending June go 1907. amounted
to approximately 500, 500, coo. and. assuming
that the appropriations for the coming
year are no greater-but they undoubtedly
will be-that would mean the enactment of
a law increasing the salaries 20 per cent
would cause the government to dis5urse
an extra sum amounting to nearly $4,50O,0OO
among its employees.
THE avera ge salary paid to department
clerks is 81 900 per year Taking that fig
uTe as an average, of course, nearly two
thirds of the governments force. receive
less. The contemplated increase would give
the Clerk who is now receiving $50 per
month a salary of $50 per month; a 81 100
clerk would find in his pay envelope s12O
each month"; and the favored clerk who
now draws $50 would receive each month
just $50 more. Think of it! Enough to
pay his house rent.
Clerk and Money Soon Parted.
"A $1,000 clerk and his money are soon
parted-especially if he is married and has
family Say he rents small house at
SIG. cant say where he will find house
In respectable locality or otherwise in
Washington that he can rent for the sum,
but let the figure go; his gas bill is $500,
fuel IS, groceries $50, milk S. car fare 81,
making the actual expense 81. This
doesn't allow for any incidentats like a
daily paper. having coal put in. his laundry
bill, and thousand and one other petty
expense incidental to housekeeping; there is
nothing left for clothes for himself and
family unless he goes hungry awhile; moth
ing to pay doctors; no 81 left over for a
treat to the theater once in a long, while,
and not even the price of magazine left
to give him few moments of entertain
ment at home.
IF he was given 20 per cent increase
think what that $50 each month would
mean to him. If necessary he could hire a
servant and not have a scrubwoman and
cook. for q wife. He could take his wife
to the theater occasionally and allow her
new gowns once in while. In fact, If
ne mad been existing on SluJ month the
increase would afford him some OF the lit
tie Injuries of life which we all crave at
times. If he be good financier he might
possibly lay aside So each month a re-
serve fund to be used in case of Sickness
or some other emergency.
Something of Trap.
''The departmental service here is some
thing of a trap. 1t is an almost eXcep-
tional rule that a clerk runs just one
month behind his expenses, scarce-y ever
doing a cash business, but having accounts
al groceries, drygoods and furniteure
houses, the milkman, iceman and coal
dealer. This is due to the fact that almost
invariably the. newly appointed clerk lives
beyond his income for the first six months
or so of his residence in the capital. de
generally comes from a small town where
500 month would seem a fortune, and is
far more than he ever dreamed of earning
He also knows more or less Intimately
the representatives from his district, and
at home he has been accustomed to meeting
him on the same social footing. This pace
he tries to keep up when he reaches Wash
ington, the result being that in short time
the little sum of money he has been saving
for years, and which he brought along
with him-usually few hundred dollars
is gone. He has been living at an expense
far greater than his income, and he is in
debt to a number of business houses for
clothes etc, and to money lenders for
advances. The sad part of it is he never
catches up. 49,.
1T may be asked why he will live be-
yond his means. The truth is he never
intended to do it-like many others-until
1t was done"