The Washington herald., 1909-02-22
Square Deal Asked.

Editor The Washington Herald;
The sun IS fast setting on the last half
Of the Sixtieth Congress, and her deeds.
whether just or unjust. viii soon pass
into history Ere the hands Of the clock
point 10 l. noon on March may it be
written on It's pages that the honorable
Senators and Representatives in Con-
gress. while raising their own salaries
and the pay Of other high-saiaried en-
pIoyes Of the government, did not forget
those who are really in need Of it, viz
The watchmen. messengers. and laborers
IN the various government departments.
The door Of hope for better pay is always
open TO the clerks, for it IS no uncommon
thing 10 see a long list OF promotions
among them: but there seems TO be a line
"a line Of demaTcation-drawn between
the clerks and the other grades We have
Of a chance Of promotion that has gotten
in the way Of a square deal toward all
faithful employees alike
a chance for promotion makes better
employees for any government or other
institution. Men and women who are
aware Of the fact that there is a reward
a higher reward-for their faithiulness TO
duty viii always render their best seTv-
ices
OF the discrimination in the cost OF liv-
ing in Washington there is none. The
man with his 500 OF 500 salary must pay
as much for his groceries clothes. shoes,
coal. and everything he buys as the man
who gets his $1,000 or S15.c00 salary. sAnd
it is this very important fact. honorable
Senators and Representatives iR the Six
tieth Congress. 10 which the lsboring
class beg leave 10 cali your earnest and
prayerful attention. IL a law is not en-
acted by your honorable body granting
a general increase of pay among all alike.
then the lower grades beg that you open
the door of hope through which they,
like the clerks. may enter for having rem
dered faithful service 10 the government.
The work which the laborer does is just
as much Importance to the government as
that Of the clerk. Then. why deny him
an increase Of pay If the heads of the
departments see that be deserves III
Erase the line so that those in all the
lower grades may also be promoted If
they prove themselves worthy OF It. This
seems TO Us the better way Of granting
to each faithful employe Of the govern
ment z little bit OF the square deal Of
which We have heard 50 much II the
heads Of the departments find that there
are Iaborers under them who are capable
of doing the work in a higher grade. why
should there be a law to prevent them
from rewarding the deserving ones?
One emplOye with some hope OF q Just
reward for his services is worth as much
as two who haven't any hope Why.
wouldn't say my prayers had no hope
OF a reward II I stuck TO 'em to the end.
But. aside from the laborers. there are
no employees OF Uncle sam who are more
poorly paid than his "vatchmen'' in the
departments. Here is a class CT en-
ployes. watch dogs" (pardou the ex-
pressionl. who must remain at their posts,
1t matters not what Is going on. day after
day and night afftts= night They see but
very little inside Of church or Y. N. c. A.
They know nothing q the holidays and
half Saturdays given 10 the other en-
ployes Of Uncle sam No They must Of
necessity remain al their posts
The salsry1 Wei, NOW. yOun make
Uncle San blush to discuss that subject