The Washington herald., 1910-06-11
neserved Tribute to the Clerks.

deserved 1TlDutc 10 JnS IIc1kS.
An unusual tribute was paid in tie
United States Senate on Thursday by
! Senator Bacon In his remarks on the
proposition to appropriate $4,000 to be
used in the investigation of government
tai business methods with view to as
eertaining in what direction economical
measures may be applied II that in
quiry is sufficiently searching, it ought
to make some interesting disclosures. of
which Mr.. Bacon gave casual intimation
when he referred to the vehicles used
by higher officials and maintained at
public expense. Mr.. Bacon made seri-
Gus charge, for which there is apparent
justification. when he said that these Of
ficials are using these carriages, includ-
ing automobiles, and that their families
are making use of them. The attempt
TO find out exactly what abuses have
prevailed in that direction has been sue
cessfully frustrated. Mr. Bacon might
have been more specific. since he evil
IDENTIFY possesses definite information.
Much is made of the opportunity to
Gave public money in certain directions,
but it is going to take something more
than the perfunctory labors of an inves-
ugating committee TO bring out the facts
in the proper way and TO an effective
conclusion.
Senator Bacon expressed the belief that
there was nothing to be accomplished
by cutting down the pay or otherwise I'M
posing upon ''the people who have to do
the drudgery of official work" he added:
"That is what we are doing-devising
every possible way TO bring about econ
omy at the expense Of those who do the
drudgery, while those who have the lux
urious part OF official life are still further
encouraged in the expenditure of money
which could be better devoted TO other
purposes. This departmental economy.
this wasting at the bung while you save
at the spigot, produces great hardship
and involves great suffering We have
recently had q little illustration Of It. so
far as We could get information from the
public press. where In the economies Of
one OF the departments a number of peo-
pie have been turned out TO starve after
long years OF efficient and faithful serv-
ice. and when they have no faculty or
opportunity to engage In other occupa-
tions. I saw IN the papers to-day or yes
terday mat one poor man had absolutely
died That is not the sort OF economy
I am after. unless It can be done in a
way not to produce that kind Of suffer
ing. I think ii is a sufficient reflection
upon us thar we have raised the salaries
in all the departments of the government
OF every one who enjoys honorable place;
but those who are doing the drudgery,
the clerks in the departments and the
employees Of every kind are in the face
OF prices for living double what they
used TO be held down to their former
wages. and we take no step 10 try to re.
ueve them"
This tribute is as uncommon as 1t Is
just Congress has increased the salary
of the Cabinet officers. the pay and al
Iowances Of the commissioned personnel
and enlisted men or the entire military
naval establishment, and the pay Of
Representatives and Senators. It accom-
piished all this on the ground that the
expense Of living has increased. The peo-
pie who are doing the hard work, the
dull dreary routine which really counts.
have been ignored and apparently are
not 10 be remembered. The higher civil
fan officials and the more or less ex-
allied ranking army and navy officers
who are serving IN supervisory positions.
supposed to be Of great responsibility,
are ~ no means keeping the government
going. That very useful function is per-
formed by department clerks who are re-
eeiwng salaries greatly inferior 10 the
Importance Of their tasks, and in most
cases sadly less than sufices to pro-
vide the comforts of existence. Il is
gratifying to find that there is at least
one man in the House and Senate Of the
United States who has time enough to
think of the government clerk, and who
has courage enough 70 say something in
behalf Of the departmental employee. now
that Congress has prudently satisfied its
own desire for more pay.