The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-04-11
Walls OF ANGUISH
CAN Be EXPECTED
From Those Separated From
Fat and Easy Jobs by
House Democrats.

Washington, April 11-How S1S2,6S0
has been saved by the house Demo
Gratis has just become public through
the report of the house sub-commit
tee of which Representative A. Nit.
chell Palmer, of Pennsylvania was
chairman. Ii is one of the most in.
terestinS documents produced by con
gressional authority for long time
recommending as it does. the elimina
ton of time-worn jobs that seemed to
be a part and parcel of the house OF
representatives for decades past.
On striking example of the waste
Of public salary funds, as the sub
committee Chairman was pleased to
describe ii, was the discovery that a
thirteen-year-Old daughter of Chief
Doorkeeper Lyons was on the payroll
as clerk to the Doorkecper" at a sal
AIRY OF $1,000 year, with an extra
months pay each year as a vocation
gratuity. The committee was unable
to- discover exactly what the functions
of the clerk of the DOorkeeper" were
and consequently the position was
abolished.
Jobs Never Ended.
In the course of his report Mr.
Palmer observed that numerous posi-
tons were created in the house from
time to time, but none appear ever
to have an ending. The pay envelopes
have been handed out regularly fol-
each position, from month to month
without any inquiries to the value OF
the services rendered by the persons
receiving them. Lndicrous illustra
tions of this were developed during the
course of the committees investiga
lions.
Soon after the Spanish war broke
out" Mr.. Palmer says in his report
some body's friend told somebody
cousin that somebody's aunt had
Leard some one say that a plot was
on foot to dynamite the Capitol. Thir
ty-eight extra policemen We're added
They have remained ever since"
There was a hesitancy on the part
of the committee, Mr. Palmer says. as
to whether or not these IS policemen
should be continued on the payroll
permanently because of war scare
Is years ago. The jobs were lOppeC
off at a saving of about $50, 900 an
nually.
Easy for These Boys.
A paradoXicai relic of an ancient and
fOng forgotten situation was discover
ed in connection with the service Of
two telegraph operators. Many years
before the telephone was invented q
private telegraph line was installed be
tween the War Department and the
House wing. Two operators were pro
vided for this wire.
The telephone came along and no
body used the telegraph any longer
The operators didn't say anything
about it, and it never occurred to any
body to ask what they did for theil
wages. They just drew their salaries
and drew and drew. They got sl,40'
apiece which seemed good to them
The Palmer Committee had the out
rageous indecency to get next to thei
snap, and now they are going to b.
compelled to learn the Morse cod,
again and do real work.
In 1895. the report says. the clerk
document room of the house wa
abolished. With its passage into his
tory were intended to go ali Of tn
document rooms attaches.
Salaries Still Went on.
The committee discovered that, ir
respective of the 1895 decree, tn
document room was still in existence
and so were the corps of clerks draw
ing salary total of $3.50 every year
The committee decided on its aboli
ton forthwith.
The investigation, among Other
things, reported that the House fold
ing room had attached to it two nigh
watchmen, drawing something lik'
$500 year each. AS the Capito
building is patrolled by Il police force
of "a policemen. the committee cam.
TO the conclusion the document room
could well afford to dispense with it!
pair of watchmen in the future.
Altogether the Palmer committee
found the House could exist withou
the services of clerks and other EN-
ployes to the following amounts:
Saving under Speaker ....S 2,320 o.
Saving under clerks .... 39,97O 0,
Saving under Sergeant-at-
Arms 47,050 OF
Saving under doorkeeper :. 31,34O 0'
Saving by abolishing extra
months pay ........... $4,000 0,
Savong through abolishing
six committees ......... 1900 0,
Total .s1S2 $50 OF