Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-02
.sMzzR or THE Assoo,Arso raess
GOVERNMENT SALARIES.

1t is matter of common knowledge
that there is little logic in the system
by which government salaries are fixed.
In some cases large salaries are paid for
the performance OF very little amount
of labor and in other cases small sal
aries for positions involving much labor
and responsibility. Senator McCuinber
recently presented a bill in the senate
looking to the readjustment of the sal
aries paid by the government, and the
bill was deemed of enough Importance
and interest to be printed in the Record.
The preamble of the bill embodies the
ideas advanced by Senator cCumber,
and the body of the bill should be of
general interest:
Whereas great inequalities and dis
crepancies have arisen in the matter
of salaries and compensations of gov
eminent employees in the several
branches of the government service in
substantially the same grade or charac-
ter of work, or duties requiring the same
ability, due in part to the fact that such
salaries and discrepancies have been ar
bitrarily fixed in individual cases and at
divers times without any comprehensive
standard applicable to all cases of like
character; and RI
Whereas such salaries and compen-
sations were in many cases fixed by law
or departmental order many years ago,
and at time when the conditions in
respect to the amount and character of
labor or duties to be performed and the
cost of living differed materially from
that of the present, and when salaries
and compensations paid in all lines Of
private business or enterprise differed
materially from what is being paid at
present therefore
Be it Resolved, etc, That a commits
sion composed of three members be
appointed BY the president of the United
States, by and with the consent Of the
senate, not more than two Of whom shall
belong to the same political party, whose
duty it shall be to investigate all such.
discrepancies and inequalities with a
view to the correction thereof, and to-
report to the congress on or before the
lst day Of January, 1908, a proposed
bill for fixing the salaries and comp
tons of the officials and employees here
matter mentioned
In determining the amount of salaries
or compensations to be paid any such
officials or employees, said commission
shall take into consideration the adj
,vanced cost of living in places where
such official or employee is required to
perform his duties or services, the gem
eral advance Of salaries or compensation
for like services in private employment,
and the advance in wages or compensa-
tion for other classes of service or labor
since such salaries or compensation were
last fixed by law or otherwise.
Said commission shall accompany such
proposed bill with such information and
data as it may deem necessary to 4ex-
plain its provisions or recommendations
In addition to the foregoing duties
said commission shall make investiga-
ton and report the following
First The total number of federal
officials and employees holding positions
not of q temporary character.
Second The total amount of salaries
and compensations paid such officials or
employees
Third. The number of employees in
each of the executive departments in
the city Of Washington
Fourth OF those employees how many
are there who may be designated as
officials and how many designated as
clerks? .s b.
Fifth. OF these clerks how many
are men and how many are women
Sixth OF the men how many are
married and how many single?
Seventh OF the women how many
are married and how many are single2
Eighth In how many instances are.
both husband and wife employed?
Ninth. Tn how many instances are.
there two or more members Of the same
family employed? Giving number en-
ployed III each family.
Tenth. How do the salaries of clerks
IN the departments in the city Of Wash
ington compare with the salaries of
clerks performing like services III other.
large cities Of the country
Eleventh How do such salaries COM
pare with the salaries Of clerks perform