The Washington herald., 1909-08-22

gentleman who has resided IN Wash
ington for great many years. and who
has enjoyed a long and honorable legal
career, having at one time been judge
on the bench IN his native State. has
taken up the cause OF the government
clerk. This eminent lawyer and iurist
has been practicing before the depart
ments IN Washington for some time and
knows his subject thoroughly.
He has written 10 The washington Her
aid an emphatic letter n which he ex-
presses hts disgust and dismay at the
manner in which the faithful employees OF
Uncle Sam are attacked by people who
are not IN position 20 Judge OF the mer-
its OF and but extremely isolated cases az
best This gentleman. whose name is with
held at his own request, states some very
Interesting facts. His position and his IN
tegrity add conviction TO HIS words and
on account Of the many proposed changes
and upheavals in the departments Of
washington his letter IS most timely.
The whole letter IS printed below IN
order that The washington Herald read
ers may have the benefit Of these fair
minded and unprejudiced views on an ex-
t-emely vital subject.
Said It in Public.
Yes. sir; I have said IL in public on
more than one occasion. VIII say IL
again. and then again. and viii repeat it
to you, for I know it 10 be true. and that
IS. succinctly stated: There are no mora
capable. honest, and Efficient body Of
men and women on earth than the gov
eminent clerks here IN the city OF Wash
ington. I say this after an experiences
and daily close personal business contact
with them for more than fifteen years,
first as an officer absolutely independent
Of them. and ever since with business IN
terests OF magnitude for others which
places me in daily contact IN almost all
departments. and have yet 70 find the
first dishonest clerk
7 have no favors TO ask OF any OF
them, but I do get very tired OF hearing
sighting remarks about government
clerks being lazy. inefficient, old, and
having an easy berth, often by people
who are totally incapable OF making q
just estimate Of the value OF the work %
any one.
Then. too, have grown tired OF new
/ officers, new administrations, always ap-
/ pointing committees 70 investigate d.
visions and departments 10 Try 10 find
/ those who are supposed 70 be idle and in
! capable. The appointment Of these COM
/ naittees Is an insult 10 the chiefs OF di-
visions. Are they supposed to be so dis
honest or incapable as 10 keep lot OF
useless material attached 70 the pay roll?
/ I personally have not met one who would
/ do so. and I know hundreds. and II there
be one OF that kind the service would be
benefited by his hasty retirement Bet
| ter keep many lazy clerks than chief OF
that kind. Il should be remembered that
the work these men and women do Is
special. There is no such work anywhere
else, as there Is but one government
here. They become experts at It and
| should stand almost IN the category OF
professional men and women. Il they do
the work required with apparent ease to
| themselves, IL IS because OF their ability
and experience. and II does not follow
that others can DO 1t as well
You may see a statesman. q lawyer. q
newspaper man even. with his feet high
er than his head, smoking leisurely q
good cigar. The plOwman or haymaker
would say. See what an easy time that
one has: how lazy he is And yet Just
then that mans brain IS doing more work
than the plowman or haymaker would DO
in a week OF month. It is a shame and it
Is unjust 70 as good q set OF people as
there is anywhere. These constant sug-
gestions have a tendency to make every
single clerk uneasy and unhappy. No
matter how good he may be or how eff
cient some one may undermine and
prejudice him with the committee or his
chief; and say again, the intimation OF
tncompetency and laziness IS nothing
more or less than a SANDER and lie, out
OF whole cloth. and feel big enough 10
defend the use OF that ugly word.
Has Been Amazed.
7 have often been amazed at the
knowledge Of law Of clerks without any
legal training. Their long experience, es-
peciaily with Congressional legislation
bills and al that. has made them experts
in taking good care OF the interests ~
the government. They do get, I think,
too tenacious sometimes OF the interests
Of the. government, 50 much so as TO a.
most prevent them from seeing the rights
Of individuals; but patience and sound.
honest reasoning usually bring them
around TO the proper view.
You take twenty-five 20 thirty thou
sand men and women in any other life
and compare them with twenty-five or
thirty thousand government clerks, and
the comparison viii show these clerks to
be so far beyond the others as 10 make a
contrast instead or a comparison, and
favorable to the government clerks. do
not intend giving this as perfectly clean
bill OF health II would be impossible "a
get that many angles together without
some one or more jumping over the lines
but what do contend Is a shameful per
version Of the truth this everlasting
driving at the regulations or our clerks
and officers simply because their positions
make them helpless TO protect themselves
and every daw seems anxious to peck al
this morseI because OF It's inability e
strike back. I wonder why II is that some
Ike TO drag down instead OF helping K
uplift and In the process OF dragginE
they injure themselves? II you or SCI
q lazy OF a dishonest clerk, let Us be hon
est and brave enough to point him or he'
out 70 the authorities. and II we do not
let Us keep our mouths and minds free Of
slanderous thoughts and words
RecIaiming More Deserts.
From the Scientific American
The largest Of all the schemes OF re-
clanation contemplated BY the govern