Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-02
List of Positions Abolished by
Majority of the. House.
SAVING OF 1882, 600 A YEAR
Regarded as Most Radical Reform
Ever Attempted in Congress.
MANY PLACES OF HIGH GRADE
Salaries Range From $72O to $2,75O
"a Year-Distribution Of Re-
naming Patronage. !

naming Patronage.
! An even hundred jobs connected with
the House of Representatives were abol-
| ished by yesterdays democratic caucus.
! as result of the recommendations Of the
| special committee. OF which Representa-
F.! tive y. Mitchell Palmer of Pennsylvania
! is chairman
| The committee was designated to in
vestigate the patronage question.
This is admittedly the most radical re-
! form in the patronage line that has been
attempted in the House of Representa-
tiyes in many years. A saving of $lS2.oW
a year wilt he effected as a result OF the
abolition of the one hundred positions.
List Of the Positions.
! Following are the positions abolished
| Under the Speaker-Assistant stenog-
ra pher to committees, $1,000; janitor to
official reporters, $500: janitor TO stenog-
| rapher to committees. $40: total, $3.50.
Under the clcrk-JouInal clerks office.
| clerk. $500: assistant index clerk, 81, 100;
stenographer 10 journal clerk. $3.50; JAM
tor to index room. $40; .janitor, s720.
Bills, etc.-rrinting and bill clerk,
SS,dVU, nOtlHcat1On clPfK. SZ,5VV. OlS-
tributing clerk, $3.50: document and
bin clerk. $1,000: resolution and petit
ton clerk, $4,000: printing and docu-
ment clerk. $4,000: additional enrolling
clerk, $1,000; assistant printing and
bill clerk, s1.s60.
and binding clerk. $1,000; superinten d.
ent. $1,000: special employee. $3.50; as
sfstant, $3.50: telegraph operator. $I40o;
assistant ass teles1apl, operator. s11.4oo:
one clerk, $3.50 page, 5000; assistant.
bathroom. s1.4oo; one laborer, bath
room. 5000: janitor. clerks ONCE. $s4o;
janitor House library $500: 1anitor,
fiieroom. $500; assistant in clerks office,
$4,000; clerk. charge Of pairs, $500;
assistant bookkeeper, $1,000.
Under the sergeant-at-Arms.
Thirtyfour private policemen, $3.50;
one lieutenant. Capitol. s1.aO0: one cap
tain, House Office building, $LeO0: one
lieutenant, House Office building, S1,2UO;
five privates at $1,000. $3.50
Under the doorkeeper-Clerk to door
keeper, $1.2oo; assistant doorkeeper.
5000: two attendants, old library space
5000; messenger at Speakers table,
$500.
Folding room-Chief clerk. 5000; one
clerk, $1,000: two assistant foremen
81, 400; two night watchmen. $1.44O: nine
messengers al: .1eo $1,000; six labor
ers at $72o, $500; one skilled laborer,
$500; one laborer' in ". c.. $40.
Distribution of Patronage.
The caucus created a committee on or
ganization, consisting OF three members
charged with the duty Of dispensing the
remaining House patronage on a pro
rata basis. The rules and regulations
covering this subject, which were adopt
ed by the caucus, are as follows:
That the Speaker shall have the right
| to name the persons to fill the positions
included in the list Of officers and en-
ployes Of the House as compiled for. the
committee on accounts by William Tyler
Page. clerk, and published February Z,
1911. and named therein. under the
Speaker: except such as shall be abol-
ished IN accordance with section ! hereof
right to name the journal clerk now I'M
der the clerk, and the messenger at the
| Speakers desk, now under the dOorkeep-
| er; and that the sergeant-at-arms, door
keeper and postmaster and clerk Of the
House shall appoint none Of their sub
ordinates, except upon the recommended
ton as hereinafter provided by the COM
| mittee on organization.
Creates Committee on Organization.
THAT the democratic members, Of the
| committee on ways and means lie and
they are hereby instructed to nomina te to
| the caucus for it's action a committee OF
three members, to be known as the COM
| mittee on organization, who shall have
charge Of the proper distribution of all OF
the appointive places in the House or
ganization, as provided herein; except the
cloakroom men and such other places as
are by law or resolution to be filled by
the minority.
And that said committee shah dis
| tribute said appointive places among the
various state delegations, giving to each
state the proportion in number Of places
and aggregate salaries thereof, as nearly
as may be done, which it's democratic
delegation, exclusive OF committee chair
men having patronage, as under section
4. bears to the entire democratic MEM
bership of the House, excluding such
chairmen. leaving to the individual MEM
bers Of the several state delegations or
the several state delegations the nomina
ton of persons to the places to which
such state shall be so entitled; provided
that each member from state shall
receive, SO far as practicable, fair and
equal proportion Of the patronage to
which his state is entitled; and said
committee to have entire charge Of the
adjustment Of such appointive places
after the nominations have been made to
said committee by the various state del
egations: and the several elective ON
GERS Of the House shall appoint only such
persons to fill the various appointive Of
fees as shall have been named by the
said committee on orga ton, provided
that the elective officers shall not be
charged to any member or deiegat ton. !
Rights Of the Chairmen.
THAT the distribution Of patronage.
the clerk. the assistant clerk, janitor.
messenger, or other employees Of each
standing committee shall be charged to
the chairman OF the committee. who shalt
have the right to appoint the. same by
and with the approval of his committee;
and that such chairman shall receive
no other patronage until every other
member shall have been given the OPP
portunity to name the occupants OF
positions whose salaries shall equal
those OF the persons SO appointed by the
respective committee chairman.
THAT the practice which has heretofore
obtained Of annually giving to the
various employees Of the, House one
months extra pay shall be discontinued.
THAT the following committees of the
House shall be abolished: Pacific rat1-
roads. manufactures, militia, private lani
claims, levees and improvements OF the
Mississippi river. and ventilation and
acoustics. and that the committee on
rules he and. they are hereby instructed