The Washington herald., 1911-02-13

Tut, tut with that high cost Of living
stuff
According to the honorable Senate and
House of Representatives in Congress
assembled it is a mere detail, and not
worth considering.
Such is the impression to be gained
from some of the District appropriations.
For instance, the said House and Senate
do consider as amply sufficient wages
for a perfectly good driver OF a dead
wagon for the Washington Asylum the
sum of $3.50 a year. A whole lot Of peo-
pie would not take the job at twice that
amount. and SO far none of the lame
ducks of Congress have appHed for it.
But, the coachman for the defunct is
mighty classy individual when COM
pared with some others. AS an example
of what a nice. kind government can do
in the way of a war on race suicide and
encouraging folks to settle down and get
married and raise large families, take
the two assistant cooks for the asylum.
They are to get $50 a year. Yes; all of
| that This will be dealt out to them in
semi-monthly installmentS of $50 each,
| which will be something less than 1915
week for the toiling cooks.
Financial Problem for Cooks.
II the cooks spoil the broth at the
asylum in the ensuing years they must
not be blamed too harshly. The spend
| ing of $50 every half month is a seri-
Gus matter, and doubtless the cooks
| minds will wander over and beyond
| the skillets in worrying about how to in
vest it safely.
hnStIar for
his combined functions $40 a year, or so
a month, and the driver OF the laundry
and supply wagon will be compensated
at the same rate. When you think of the
perils surrounding those with large sums
of money constantly in hand. it will be
realized what a serious burden is i'm
posed upon these men. 1t really seems
like an incentive to crime to have them
getting all of $ in current coin or bank
notes redeemabfe at the Treasury every
week in the year.
These vast masses of idle capital have
a serious tendency to cause speculation,
with all the horrors of poverty for those
who fail in that perilous pastime 1t is
earnestly hoped that the beneficiaries of
a benevolent government will not take TO
putting on spike-tailed coats and snub-
bing their friends, as so many OF the
newly-rich have done.
Servants Careful Investors.
Three servants in the Home for Aged
and Infrm are looking around for a re-
liable and trustworthy broker who deals
in the highest class of stocks. No mining
companies or rubber plantations need ap-
ply. Bonds are preferred. The said SER
wants are to get in the next fiscal year
exactly s12 a month apiece. Their firm
determination to avoid bucketshops and
get-rich-quick schemes has been highly
complimented by the officials of the in
stitution, who always recommend that the
servants put their money IN real estate.
so that they may have a neat line of
rents to collect when too old to work.
Coming to the real millionaires of the
government service, who simply can't
abide single screw yachts, and always
travel in those with double screws and
turb rbine engines. there is the superintend-
ent of the. Reform School for Girls. That
official is to be reimbursed for special
preparation, special natural ability, and
years of study at the rate of $1.3O0 a
year IfSthe superintendent is able to
control the vote in nine States, turn a
Presidential election, and keeps faith
fully on the job for nineteen consecutive
years, there is no telling but what the
salary will be raised to all of 81, go.