The Washington times., 1910-12-31
Increased Pay Would Re
suit in Greater Efficiency,
Says ]. w. Buck.
NO CHANGE IN PAY
SINCE 1858, HE ADDS
In Other Fields Advances Have
Come With Higher Cost
of Living.
CCentiaued from First Page1


mat some prompt measures should be
taken 20 eliminate superannuated en-
ployes-
The fact that only $50 positions out OF
15a,VJ having salaries increased were in
the classified civil service was a reve-
lstlon TO hundreds OF people. ard should
nave great weight on Congress That
NongIeSs apprentices, IN a measure that
me cost OF living IS higher Is evidenced
by the acton ia ken in the 1900 cases.
Increase the salaries and the eff-
cheney or the service viii be raised IN
greater standard and the superau0u-
alton problem viii be solved. for then
Il VIII be al easy matter TO get the
EiletT bill through The old clerk vvfTI
give way TO the new, and II he does
not measure Nd TO the mark u WILL 10
an easy matter to get one VINO does for
when salary Is worth while men Wort n
while VIII be after It
Howeve-s as Ions as the salary is only
SuCuEn 10 Keep the wolf from the door
me labor goes to the place that will
take care OF IL best and the Govern
ment viii be forced 70 take what is left
Cannot Take New Chances
great majority Of those in the serv-
Ice row came IN when Il was an EASY
matter 10 take a dollar 20 market and
bring home what Two dolIarssvgiU hardly
buy now. and most Of them are too old
IN me service 70 take new business
cares ard chances
Ny plea IS 10 Increase all salaries ar,=
then take care Of these old ard faithful
employees and provide for those who
shan follow them.
England IS today suffering terribly be-
cause those who ruled In the past did
not realize that the greatest piece of
legislation was TO provide vveII-paid Ia
Dor for its subjects An uncertain nan-
sion system was adopted. End for years
the employees have groEaed under the
pain Of Door salaries. Fth the prospect
OF getting pension when old and de-
crepit-
Uncle Sam shoyad take heed and be
guided oy the experience, sad IN many
Instances, Of other countries, and at the
oUtse- should put salaries on a living
basis, and then take IMMEDIATE stems
70 retire the aged.
There are abundant reasons on every
hand 70 prove why salaries Of the civil
service employees should be increased TO
keep Tase with the Increasing cost OF
living
Salaries Remain the Same.
During the last few years the en-
plOyeTs Of labor in this country have
experienced a degree Of prosperity never
before attained, but prices have jumped
ahead and since 1883 the salaries Of the
Government employees have practically
remained stationary
From the O1e-mau blacksmith ShOD
10 the bilhOn-doIlar steel corporation
from the One-horse cabman to the
contineut-encircling railroad from the
little town council 10 the great Gov
ernmenf Of the United States, pros
peT1ty has waved its gOIG en- banner and
every buyer Of labor has felt the touch
OF the magic wand This Is all well
anc good every one has, IN q measure.
raped some fruits from this general
prosperity and the man who labors
whether It be In the fields, behind the
counter, IN the pulpit, OF in the Gov
ernmei-t service, has had steady en-
plOymenJ, If not increased wages. and
for tins he should and does feel
thankful
But during this same period the cost
OF living has Increased in leaps and
pounds mis- may have been caused
by high tariIs, by mOnOpoIfstic comb
nations, OF by any Of half dozen other
causes The cause IS not important
as a result Of this greatly increased
cost OF living and OF the remarka Die
era Of prosperity they v-zTe enjoying.
many employers OF labor have stsf-sn-
tariiy increased the wages of their
employees, thus sharing with them a
measure OF their own increased earn
ings-
Congress Increased Own Pay.
Congress. acting on the same plea.
have seen Mt to increase their Own
salaries % per cent. and they have been
scarcely less generous with the Presi-
dent, the Cabinet officers, and the
army and navy personnel These in
creases were allowed, not because it
was worth more or required more skill
OF labor to perform the duties OF these
offices now than formerly. but solely
IN r7T he -
living.
There are several thousand clerks,
hookkeepers, and other minor classes OF
employees in the departments in wash
s. EJou and scattered over the country,
w-sO have to live on their salaries or
va EeS- They depend, Ike others. or
fheI~ wages, being paid on the same
scale Of wages fixed by Congress in 1888
CThis = not literally true. for the scale
as 1z-ed ID 1888. run from $500 10 81, 500;
silCe 'haI tine II has been lowered. 50
as 10 -dnCe from $500 TO $3.50 per an
nuls--S f they -Sre paid 5uStly in IS5.}-
and Congress fixed their pay then-it
would certainly seem that they are I'M
derpaid now
i a Congressman feels the Increase in
cost OF living on his $500 salary, why
should not Tire clerk on $50 10 $3.50 feel
II alsO2
Depend On Wages for Living.
The Government amploye depends o.
his wages for a living he has no i'm
I;1unitv from hard ZINES, and his gro
uerymau and coal dealer favor him with
no rebaJes- \ cabbage for his dinner
costs him no less than IT does the man
whose salary has been Increased 80 ue-
cent All this is true Of every minor
emplOye in washington. the mechanics
IN The NAVY Yard, and the Government
employees throughout the country. for all
the arguments In favor of Increasing
salaries Of those employed in Washing
ton are equally as foTcefuI IN behalf Of
those employed elsewhere
At the tine $3.50 WAS fixed as the
maximum SALARY Of the ordinary Gov
eminent clerk GeSS than 1 per cent Of
those IN the classified service receive
2, S09}, 20 be ? fair copyist was about
all that was required in order 10 De
rated Is Efficient Now It Is safe to say
that thsre are plenty OF places in the
departments pCvfnG meaeer S1.2o0 per
snD-ITe s5r which even not g few mem