Evening star., 1909-07-07
BARREN OF RESULTS BIG PUBLIC SAVING!
Comment by NeWlands on Treasury lops UT So8 tor
Congressional Tariff Work. Keeping Its Clock on Time.
DECLARES PLANK IGNORED AND THAT IS ABOUT ALL
That Senate Alcohol Employees How
Been Upward ever Not Restored to hols
CONFERENCE CLERKS MEASURES NOT TAKEN
Opportunity Little Relief Macveagh Goes Slow
Would Fake Devising Ways Economize.
Simped
Treasury Lops OFF $50 for
Keeping Its Clock on Time.
AND THAT is ABOUT ALL
Denatured Alcohol Employees, How
ever, Not Restored to Rolls.
CLERKS MEASURES NOT TAKEN
Secretary Macveagh Goes Slow in
Devising Ways to Economize.
Congress Has Scrimped It.

An appalling story went the rounds of
the Treasury Department today that ex-
penses there had been cut s5S a year in
line with the general policy, now SO much
talked about of saving dollars until the
new tariff bill and the corporation tax
get to furnishing enough money to meet
expenditures.
A careful investigation showed that
part of the story was true. at least. There
has been a cut Of $5S year in one item.
1t was for furnishing electric connection
with three large clocks with the ball time
OF the Naval Observatory. But it was
vigorously denied that the cut had any
thing to do with a general policy of re-
trenchment.
Congress Has Scrimped.
The fact is that for fifteen years Con
gress has given the Treasury the same
appropriation for various incidental eX-
penses, including furniture. electric fans
water coolers. etc. Despite appeals fol-
more money. Congress has not increased
the appropriation.
In four years the department has in
creased the number Of it's employees b.
400. The demands on Chief Clerk Lud-
low are heavy. Furniture Is getting old
many things are asked for which can
not be granted.
And the chief clerk finds himself be.
coming unpopular with some of his
clerks because he cannot give them
everything they want.
The SJS a year was paid for many
years to a clock concern that sets the
time of the clocks i'll many of the de-
partments. This concern has an ar
rangement with the national observatory
h.x vuv1,S ,S1I>S a - Lclr Il
hour from the top of the Navy Depart
ment building. This ball. which falls
when the sun crosses the meridian OF
Washington. sets all the clocks by ar
electric connection.
The Treasury Department has a clock
repairer and tender of its own. II con-
cluded that the $50 was q luxury and
that the money could be spent in better
ways for the comfort of Treasury clerks
So the contract was cancelled. Now
others in the Treasury, are set by the
watch of the regular watch repairer.
Interior Department ouandary.
That isn't all.
The Interior Department. which has 10
clocks that are regulated each day al
| noon by the ball and electric process, is
threatening to cancel it's contract with
the clock company. This contract has
called for an expenditure Of about $7OC
each year before this. but the company is
said to have demanded more money fol
its services, shocking the officials and
supply division of the department by Its
effrontery
Serious negotiations are going on be-
tween the company and the Interior DE.
partment as to the pay for the work. /,
Is possible that the department will give
the $7O0 to. some man to visit the clocks
each day and keep them going in accord
ance with balied time or whatever time
he can get that is handy.
Clerks Measures Not Taken.
'. Secretary MacVeagh has not begun to
put all his clerks on edge by asking for
the records of the goods and bads in the
department. He seems inclined to so
slow In this direction.
He has, however. failed TO restore to
the denatured alcohol roll Of the depart
ment about twenty clerks who had been
upon the rolls most of the last fiscal year.
Congress has appropriated bountifully
for building up the denatured alcohol in
dustry in this country. Many clerks were
employed from the appropriation. BY
| reason of the fact that the money was
running low toward the end of the year
good many employees were dropped off.
year started and another fat appropria-
tion would be available they would be
restored.
They haven't been. Probably they won't
be, as matters now look.
The appropriation will not be spent in
full this fiscal year. Some of ii will be
kept to hold down expenses.