The Washington times., 1907-02-17
Clerks Underpaid,
Says One of Them

To the Editor OF The Washington Times
As an employe Of the Government and
one who gets enough pay now as your
paper quoted from a conversation Of
Representative Serene +. Payne. I take
exception 20 every part Of that inter
view for the reasons following.
First Mr.. Payne says there isn't time
for a movement 10 be- carried through
this Congress toward the betterment Of
the financial condition Of the clerks
There was plenty Of time. and It didn't
take more than a couple of days, for
Congress to raise the salaries of mem
bers, not % per cent but 50 per cent
There is a sad lacking OF consistency
I'm the interviews which these Congress
men give out when considered with their
vote on the question Of their own sala-
ries. There IS no record shown that
Mr.. Payne voted against raising his
salary.
Second. Mr.. Payne says that the mat
ter should not be rushed. that IL should
be considered very carefully.
Was there any careful Investigation
OF consideration or the question OF Con-
gressiOnal salaries Was there any
doubt in their minds about the addi-
uonal cost Of living in Washington
There were 40 reasons brought forth
why that matter should be considered
carefully and tEoughtfully- They want
ed more salary and they proceeded 10
get IL. tuat is all.
Third Nh Payne SAYS that DE is Of
the opinion that The average Govern
ment clerk is paid wei enough now
Surely what may De called sauce for
the goose IS equally sauce for the
glndsr, and when the question Of Gov
eminent employees icing paid what they
earn comes up there should be no diff
ferenuauon between one class and the
other.
Fourth 1Ir. Payne says that there is
chance for a clerk by promotion.
while no such chance exists for Con-
Admitted. but Congress has the privi-
lcge OF making its own salary roll while
the clerk does not even have the Cod
given privilege of asking, TO say nothing
OF getting. an advance.
II is plain that Mr.. PAYNE feels as
do many Of the Cougressmea. thar Gov
eminent clerks are q lot of neudicauts
VINO ought Co be glad that they have
position at all. who ought 10 feel thank
iuI 10 Congress for that fact and who
ought never 10 ask the privilege Of Iiv-
ing as decent people should live We
VINO are employed by the Government
at salaries ranging from $1,000 10 S. 500
"9ulu DC very glad II these congressman
who get 5000 would present 10 Us some
sort ot plan whereby we might live and
Keep out OF debt on such salaries as we
receive It would be a godsend, for
there are none OF us who are able to live
as we should live on the salaries we
receive There are many causes for this
House and apartment rentals are FAR
IN excess Of what they should DE with
the generous tax assessment, Real
estate values are highly inflated. through
computation of interests. and fl is
pretty hard work for a man 20 meet "a
so 10 SO house rene out Of a salary of
less Jnau 500 per month Besides. a
clerk cannot work IN overalls and jump
er and Is obliged to be well dressed az
AL times
T. would be a lesson to some of these
gentlemen, IF they could but know some
or the sacrifices that are made by clerks
IN inns city, VINO are trying, 70 the
extent OF The strength God has given