The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-01-31
FRIDAY. JANUARY 81. 1905
As 20 Government clerk.


Says the esteemed and erudite Duluth
Herald:
The Washington newspapers are beseechins
Congress 10 raise the pay OF the government clerk.
employed at Washiugton, which is a proper thing
for tbe Washington papers TO DO since the govern
ment employes form a large eement in the Dopu
lation Of the Capital and large increase in then
pay would increase the volume Of government money
floating in that city
In ordinary mercantile establishments clerks
start Ia at SO or less and when they get up %
sl.soo year they consider that they are doing
pretty well. And they work, too which Is more
than can be said Of the average Washington de-
parinaent clerk, who sets to the Office at O'Clock
AID leaves at 40 in the afternoon. after having
had half an hour for lunch.
Many Of the department clerks work faithfully
no doubt. but the general atmosphere Of sloth and
diatoTiness that hoEeFs over the Washington de-
partments prevents the ambitious from working toc
bard. and gradually forces them dom to the com
mon level Of siuggaTdly postponement. An active
aambitious clerk. new 70 department, who cleaned
his desk in short order. would have TO rest most
z the day because those surrounding him would
ct Keep the pace going 50 he could be oontinu
sisly supplied with work.
q A broad. UngeuerOus, and untrue state
uent is this; remarkable for narrowness
of vision and misconcepton of actual
facts. In the first place, it would seem
: that the Washington newspapers" might
be given credit for something by way
of motive a little higher in the scale than
that accredited TO them by the Minnesota
paper. The papers mentioned are, at least,
on the ground. and as able to Judge the sit
Uation as one a thousand miles away If
the Duluth Herald should advocate the in
crease of its postmaster's salary. we be-
lieve we should give it credit for some
thing better than because such an in
crease would circulate few dollars more
in that city And this, Notwithstanding
its assurance that such a thing would De
the proper thing to do"
The logic OF the Duluth Herald. how
ever, is as old as the hills, but utterly
feise. Our contemporary is not the first
10 seek to prove that two wrongs make
a right. and the mere fact that some one
else pays no more than the present gov
eminent scale Is no good and sufficient
reason why the government should stick
10 its present scale forever. The question
Of salary is largely relative, and depends
quite as much upon the masters ability
TO pay as upon the deserts of the servant
a rich, prosperous business should pay
its help generously; whereas a struggling
concern should not get too far from the
shore, Mr., A, may pay his clerks $500 per
year, and still be more generous than Mr.
p. who might pay the same class Of labor
$3.50. 1t would depend upon the relative
prosperity of the respective men. This
government is rich, powerful, and able to
pay It's servants well: better than nine
tenths of the business houses in the land
Congress increased its own salary 30 PEI
cent, and no complaint has been regis
tered. Surely. it may increase its govern
ment clerks, and not be unfair to any
interest The mere fact that some one
el~e may be had for less, or is paid less
for the same work by another party. has
nothing TO do with the case. The ex-
pense incident 10 living these days is
admittedly far above what it was a few
years ago. and If a master is able TO pay
his help IN such way that il may meet
these added expenses without hurting
himself, he should do it, The United
States is able: it should, therefore. act.
1t isn't worth while discussing the Min
nesota papers estimate Of the clerks in
regard to their usefulness or attention to
duty. The Duluth Herald would not be
convinced. and this HeraId's constituency
knows better Perhaps the difference in
opinion herein expressed may be result
OF location; the Washington papers are
here. where they may judge what is
going on; our contemporary is thousand
miles away, and speaks at long range.