The Washington herald., 1911-03-12
Ong the Widespread Interest in This Muchdcussed Mod
ern Question The Washington Herald Offers the Views
of -Four Prominent Washingtonians
By CHARLES F. BENJAMIN.


When I was a government clerk, be-
tween 1871 and 1881, saved money on a
salary of between sl.4OO and $500 a year.
couldn't save money on $500 a year
to-day.
The government clerks are victims of
the demands of their environment A
government clerk is above the average
in intelligence, but his scale of living is
fixed, not by himself, but the habits of
the community. He must live up to the
social scale to which he belongs.
Besides, whereas in my time there
were no clerkships below S1.eo0. now they
range as low as $50 for clerical work re-
quiring more than the average amount
of skill and intelligence. Of course. the
cost of living has greatly increased in
the last thirty years, but the mode of
living has improved also When I was
in the service there was no government
clerk who received less than Sl.2O0 a year.
There were four grades for the regular
cIerks-$1. 200, sl.4OO, 8. 600. and $500. Now
the salaries run as low as $40 and, l be
lieve, lower.
Much Less for Same Money.
I should say the falling off of the pur-
chasing power of money in that time has
amounted to, at the cry least. 40 per
cent Since 1873 the purchasing power of
the gold standard has declined at least
10 per cent. A gold dollar with pur-
chasing power of 100 cents then will now
have A purchasing power uf only 90 cents
ir comparison. This decline has been
constant for centuries. For example, in
the time of Queen Elizabeth a gentle
mans income was about 500. Now it is
rated at from 1000 to $500.
-, ~
power of money. leaving the decline in
the gold standard out of consideration.
has declined. One who receives a salary
of Sl.OO now is able TO command much
less for his money than he would have
on a like income thirty years ago.
Then. too, the scale. or accepted mode
of living has advanced greatly. One
would not think of living. given the same
income, to-day as I lived thirty years
ago. Then ! had to get up every morn
ing and build all the t;-es in the house
People would die now IL forced to live
in such cold houses: at least they think
they would. They won. live that way
now. And so with food. Then we bought
our breakfast food, a rough oatmeal. in
bulk form. Now we got finished prod
uct in packages because it is more con-
venient to handle it so. We bought our
-four in bulk and our vegetables in bulk.
Few Prices.
At that time we paid 10 cents a pound
for the best quality of breakfast bacon
Now We pay % or y cents a pound for
the same bacon. l can remember when
coal was as low as $50 2, ton. Now we
Pay at least $50 for the same quality.
or course, great commercial combina-
tlons have been responsible in some
measure for the increased prices.
The salaries of government clerks
should be raised at least 20 per cent, and
doubt IL that would put him on equal
footing with the government clerk Of
thirty years ago. They are not on the
same footing with the commercial clerk
Of equal salary. The demands on their
incomes for appearance" are far more
numerous and their general living eX
FenseS are of necessity greater. The
clerk has much less oppOr-
tUnity to save than has the commercial
clerk under like salary conditions in
Boston or other cities.