The Washington times., 1912-05-01
Salaries of Clerks
Slashed in Bill
Reported in House

Abolishing the Commerce Court,
slashing salaries of Government en-
ployes, including that Of the Secretary
to the President, and dispensing with
many positions in the various depart
ments, the legislative, executive, and
judicial appropriation bill was report
ed to the House today by the Appro-
priations Committee.
The Democratic pruning knife has
been vigorously welded. Practically
every Government establishment en-
braced within the bill has felt a stab
in the interest of economy.
The bill appropriates s33. ,l94. .o6
which Is approximately $2,64O,OOO less
than the appropriations for the same
service for the current fiscal year. A
total Of 14.S7 salaries are provided for.
This Is 406 fewer specific salaries than
are appropriated for this year.
The estimates for 1913 have been cut
approximately S2,l65. 0OO
All of the reductions will be 'in
order" In the House under the rejuve-
more than a score OF years ago, and
whlch provides that legislation Is in
order on an Appropriation bill II such
legislation reduces expenses.
The bill makes no provision whatever
Tor the expenses of the recently created
commerce Court for the next year.
Instead. 1t contains a specific provision
that the court shall die a natural death
on July !. 1912. jurisdiction now vested
in the Commerce Court is transferred
70 the district courts of the United
states. The Commerce Court has been
In existence little more than a year.
Back to $4,000.
The salary of the secretary of the
President Is reduced from $500 to ss,Ooo
per annum the old figure. 1t was raised
to the higher amount since President
Taft entered the White House. the in
crease being on the representation that
1t was difficult to obtain capable
secretary to the President for Sc, 600
Among the legislative features with
which the bill is loaded is one strik-
ing at the very fabric of the present
classified service. in so far as it re-
lates to positions in the executive de-
partment in Washington proper This
provision Is that all appointments to
ments after July l, 1913, be for terms OF
nve years each. Reappointments al
the end Of this period are authorized
ed the age of siXty-five years, Nc
provision Is made for superannuated
employees above that age.
This section of the bill is fully de-
tailed in another column of The Times
today
Bureaus Abolished.
The bill abolishes the Bureau of Man.
ufactures and the Bureau of Statistics
under the Department of Commerce ant
Labor, and provides that the work OF
these bureaus hereafter shall be done
under the direction OF the State De
partment and the Census Office, respec
lively.
Laws authorizing the establishment o.
mi af
New Orleans, La. and Carson, New, al
we'll as assaJ Offices a Boise, Idaho
Charlotte. \. G; Deadwood. S. d
Helena, Mont; Seattle. Wash, and Sal
Lake City, Utah. are repealed.
Instead 1t Is proposed to maintain il
lieuSof all these newly authorized mint
and assay offices only an assay office a
San Francisco.
AS forecast, the bill strikes at Cabi
net members and other Government of
ficials who have maintained telephone
at their residences at the expense o
Uncle Sam. The appropriation bulge
stipulates that hereafter no publi
money shall be spent for a telephon
at the residence of any Government OF
ficial II a Cabinet officer or othc
Government officer would talk with hi
office after office hours, that officis
: Ae.must pay for his own telephone call
he committee ascertained that NOR
ian two score residence phones, IL
q domiciles Of various lights of of
- ialdom, have been included in Uncl
ms telephone bill.
''ag ReorganiEe Service.
The Secretary Of War is requirad t
reorganze the classified service of tn
War Department 20 as to dispense witt
the services OF not less than 10 ger cen
N OF the existing number OF employees.
" Still another section provides that n
vacancies In the CLASSIFIED service Il