Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-03-17
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| 1t takes about 100000 men to run
the Federal government and this is
not great number when we consider
that there are nearly 100000 of peo-
| pie in the country. This number in
| cludes great many country postmast-
ers and others, who do not give their
whole time to the government, but does
not include some 10000 privates and
on-commissoned men in the army. 1t
is notable that there are two kinds of
jobs which it is hard for Uncle Sam to
fill-those in the army and those in
technical positions. The army is about
$4,000 men short of the proper force
and the number of those in the ser
vice is decreasing steadily through de-
sertions and expiration of enlstnents.
Men can do better in civil life, and
even West Point appointments go beg
ging. The technical positions in the
various departments in various branch
eS Of the service are hard to fill. The
examinations are very strict, the re-
quirements are of the highest and the
pay is about one-half that in civil life.
1t is no wonder that it is hard TO Sc
cure the right sort of men. Every man
is supposed to be patriot, but that
does not mean that he is willing to
work for Uncle Sam for half pay. espe-
cially as this employer is rich and able
| to pay better salaries. Members of
! Congress voted themselves so per cent
additional pay, but did not take into
consideration the great mass of EN-
| ployes of the government, most of
whom are working at o compensation
fixed more than 80 years ago, when the
cost of living was not more than half
what it is at present
-
The joint Congressional Committee
appointed to investigate the working
of the Post Office Department has
made preliminary report suggesting
several radical changes in the organi-
cation of the executive machinery of
the department, chief among which is
the recommendation that the actual
direction of the business of the service
be placed in the hands OF an officer,
with necessary assistants, to be APP
pointed by the president and confirmed
by the Senate, for long terms, so as to
insure the continuity of efficient SER
vice, which, they say, can not be eX-
pected in the fullest measure when the
business is intrusted. as at present, to
a postmaster general and certain as
sistants selected without special refer
ence to experience and qualifications,
and subject to frequent change Under
such a system, they say, a large rail
road commercial or industrial business
would inevitably go into bankruptcy.
and the Postoffice Department has
averted that fate only because the
United States treasury has been avail
able to meet deficiencies. 1t is not
proposed to abolish the office of post
master general, who would still have
control of matters of policy as a cabi-
net officer.
-
Every four years Uncle Sam has a
job that requires workmen having more
than the ordinary amount of daring in
their makeup. 1t is the difficult task
of cleaning and painting the dome of
the Capitol at Washington and the
Goddess on top of j.. Nine tons of
paint are used and it requires two
months work of from so to 40 men to
complete the task. The top of the
dome is so far above the ground that
workman loses all his freshness, NOV
ing about slowly and with great care
1t is not so hard for the men who do
the actual painting as they usually
have scaffolds to protect them. 1t is
the men who put up the scaffods who
take the greatest chances of being
dashed to their deaths somewhere be-
low. The entire capitol dome is in four
levels first there is the cupo!a and
the statue on top of all then comes
the dome proper; then two levels col
umns. All of this except the statue,
including the columns themselves, is of
iron. The Goddess herself is some 20
feet high, and weighs 10000 pounds
-
The annual pension bill as favorably
reported TO the House carries total
appropriation of $f5O.S69.000. Az a
method of economy it proposes to con
solidate all the branch agencies in GER
tain cities into the central bureau at
Washington. This policy is opposed by
the G. A. Il. There are now 967,371
sum paid them last year was $685.
030.S94.
q In order that the War Department
fsay appreciate the strong sentiment
of the people of the Pacific coast in
tayor of permanently maintaining
fleet of ut least six modern battleShIps
in these waters. various commercial
bodies of Washington Oregon and Cal
iforna will be asked 10 pass resoiu-
tlons to that effect and TO forward
copies to the authorities Mt Washing
ton.
80
At the graduating exercises of the
West Point Military Academy 10S ca
diets were given diplomas and are nov
in line for commissions in the regular
army, where they are said 10 be great
iy needed Secretary Of War Taft made
the principal address and delivered the
diplomas. lie reminded the young men
that an army man lost a good part OF
his freedom of initiative and speech
and reminded them that their plain
duty was to 'obey orders and keep
your mouth shut"