Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27

| ment employees for consideration, and the
McNary Jones' Mann and Davis bills.
The Southwick bill Is a comprehensive
measure, providing for a fiat-rate increase
of 10 per cent to all government employees,
including those employed under the per
diem system. 1t specifically provides that
save for the exception Of the President,
Vice President, senators and representa-
tives. the increase shall apply to AL en-
ployes in the service of the United States
whatever their official designation"
The measure introduced by Representa-
tive Jones of Washington Is brief but like
wise comprehensive 1t provides that from
and after July l. 1907, the salary OF each
and every civil service employe of the gov
eminent shall be 20 per cent more than the
present salary of such employee This
bill although it provides for 70 per cent
increase as against the 10 per cent rate of
the Southwick, would probably cost no
more, if much, to carry It's provisions
into effect. owing to the fact that the con-
templated elevation is limited to the civil
service, which eliminates not only unclassl-
fled employees, but the army, the navy, the
marine corps, etc.
The bill introduced by Representative Nc
Nary of Massachusetts would be by far the
most extensive to carry into effect or all
those introduced. 1t provides that every
civil officer and employee of the United
States and every military and naval orncer
and enlisted man in the service. of the gov
eminent shall. during 1897 and thereafter
be paid - per cent in addition to his or her
present salary, the total received during the
year to continue as the established salary
of the position thereafter.
The bill introduced by Representative
Mann of Illinois affects all clerks in post
offices and laborers, workmen and mechan-
les employed by the government, ana aims
to increase their salaries by an indirect
method. 1t is provided that eight hours
shall constitute a days work and that over
time shall be paid for in proportion to the
salaries of the classes named as fixed by
law.
The Davis Bill.
The bill introduced by Representative
Davis of Minnesota bears evidence on its
face of having been framed with more care
than the other measures mentioned, and In
view of the fact that President Roosevelt
is understood to look with favor upon it,
and that it is generally conceded that it has
far greater chances # passage than any
other of the bills before the national legfs-
lature, its text is given here practically in
full. The measure provides that every
civil employee of the government of the
United States whose compensation does not
exceed the sum of $500 per annum shall
be allowed and paid in addition to
his or her regular salary sum equivalent to
90 per centum of the total compensation re-
ceved by him or her for the fiscal year 1907;
and of said additional compensation. one
half, nearly as can be conveniently COM
puted. shall become due and payable on the
day of June next provided that the sum
allowed to any such lerson shall not ex-
coed 500 or be less than $780,
Yesterday, in discussing with a Star
porter the various propositions that have
been put forward for salary increases, Rep
resentative Davis made detailed explana-
ton of his measure and what it is intended
to accomplish.
Il do not assert" he said, that there
is not justice in the demand that the sala-
ries of all government employees, prospect
i've of their present individual amounts,
should be increased, but l do know that
q measure embodying such an idea as this
would have absolutely no chance of passage
at this session of Congress. But do
believe that the lower-salaried employees,
those now receiving from $40 to $500
year and who are most seriously affected
by the great increase in the cost of the
necessities of life and the consequent re-
duction in the purchasing power of the dol
lar, need relief, entitled to 1t and
should receive it as soon possible.
Only for 1907.
ut will be noticed" continued Mr.. Davis,
that 1 have specifically provided in my
bill that the increases indicated be for
1907 only. The payment of these increases
for one year would. at least, provide
basis upon which the work and. granting
that conditions continued identical, Con-
tice of the demand from government en-
enact the legislation for the ensuing year,