The Washington times., 1907-05-12


an Old subject, however, because
the service, and sooner or later
it is wise to stay.
FIVE years. fifteen from five 10 ten years,
two from eleven to fifteen years. Eve
from sixteen 10 twenty years, and three
over thirty years Less than one-fif-
teenth have served over twenty years.
and less than One-fourth have served
over ten. More than three-fCurths have
served ten years or less. and nearly half
have not served more than five years.
The figures Of the scientific bureaus are
almost exactly reversed. What is still
more important about these forty-sevc.l
heads Of business and legal bureaus IS
that only thirteen OF them were pro-
NOTED from lower positions, less than
one-third, as against nearly twO-thirds
in the scientific bureaus, and Only five
Of them entered the service at thirty
years OF age or under. less than one
ninth OF the total number. as against
more than one-half in the scientific
branch.
If one can express such a thing uni
versally. il IS therefoge probably safe
10 say that The chances for advance
raent are twice as good for a scientific
man as for clerk.
Friendship of Scientific Men
As matter of fact. the chances are
far better than this. when we consider
the opportunity presented d scientific
man 10 reach the goal OF his ambition.
namely. 10 do good scientific work. to
assist IN the discOverlngs Of scientific
facts. 10 win the respect and friendship
OF scientific men. Many a scientific
man much lower in rank than chief Of
bureau has a worldwide reputation as
an authority in his chosen work What
division chief in the business branches
Is known to any extent outside Of
Washington?
Further, scientific man, by the very
necessity of his work. is allowed the
utmost freedom. His jealousy OF his
own reputation gives him the greatest
caution. and when he attaches his name
10 a manuscript ne usually rests assured
that his superiors will accept his opin-
Ion ar final. or how many clerical divi-
sion chiefs can this be said?
Political Interference.
The cog in the wheel found that his
work was interfered with by political
opponents who were his superiors. ne
found a department head appropriating
his work, and. naturally. such injustice
CALLED him. A scientific man seldom is
troubled in that way.
The short hours, the good pay at the
start, the opportunities for study are
advantages which the scientific man
appreciates. IL is a question OF how
much good these advantages do a man
in the clerical branches. II a clerk can
Withstand temptation, there is no reason
why he should not use these Opportuni-
ties as well as the scientific employee.
A scientific mans work does not stop
at 4:30. The average clerk forgets the
Office after that hour. II he can And
he is not to be blamed. after all In the
first place. he gets too much pay at
the start. and that makes a fellow think
he doesn't have 10 work; IN the second
place, he sees everything going up, and
up, and responsibility fixed nowhere. and
he gets 20 thinking that II wouldn't do
him any good II he did work. Then,
when he sees a loafer promoted simDly
because he has drawn mis- pay a Year
or so longer than some one else, he feels
sure he doesn't have 10 work
No Responsibility.
And. speaking of responsibility, that's
one reason why the clerical branch or
the service is a good place for young
man OF worth TO get out of. and one
reason why the Government service as
n business career is not equal to private
business employ in a railroad or other
corporation. It is almost impossible to
/ fix responsibility. The scientific en-
ploye has a reputation to sustain; il he
makes a blunder. his reputation is in
jured. and II he makes a hopeless ass
/ Of himself. il is gone forever. He may
/ continue 70 hold his position, but no
{ scientific men pay any more attention to
| him. With the clerk. reputation before
the world doesn't count. Cor he hasn't
any, and, in nine cases out of ten. II he
makes a mistake he can wriggIe out of
the tangle without losing anything, for
some one higher up Is responsible. and
the man higher up has another higher
up, and so on ad in1nitum. and by the
time they want 10 fire or reduce some
one the whole thing is so befuddled that
the right man can't be located
Clerical Service DeterioIating.
Wen. well, this is getting very pessi-
mistic. an6 your correspondent always
claimed to be an optimist- The clerical
service is not what it should be and
not what it will be. Moreover, it is not
what Il was five years ago, and not by
any means what IT was twenty years
ago. 1t is many, many times better. and
I 1
better now than five. ten. or twenty
years ago. With all its grievous short
| comings, the Civil Service Commission
! is bringing about vastly better civil
| service. and God speed the day when
4 one Of the Civil Service Commissioners
/ shall be a man who has come up from
| the ranks, not from The ranks of the
/ Civil Service Commission. but from the
/ departmental clerical ranks-some Eel
/ low OF thirty-five, or therea bouts with
| good red blood in his veins. a backbone
/ like a stone pillar. and a keen sense OF
| humor-a man who has served time
| as q clerk and has been a departmental
| division chief of sorts. long enough 10
find out what peculiar creatures some
/ times drift over from Eighth and
] to pound typewriters and make queer
4 marks IN a stenOgrapher's notebook
1 The civil service is improving, the op-
| portunities are becoming better. and the
! day OF the young man is at hand. See
the young men in the Cabinet, one OF
| whom worked up from the very bot
tom OF the bottom. However, If some
one viii rise and explain how "Cncle
Sam is going TO I'LL his executive