The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-03-16
DOING NOTHING
FOR THE CLERKS
Government Clerks Strung
Wires From Maine to
California But it Amount
ed to Nothing.
United Press Leased Wire)
(By WINFIELD JONES.
La.u.ninl u n,hn AIirrnf. 4

Washington, March 16.-The govern
ment clerk under a Republican ad-
ministration is having a hard time.
The Taft administration and proceed
ing Republican administrations have
done nothing TO better the government
clerks condition. Agitation for better
pay for the clerks has been going on
for years. Recently, however, the de-
mand for q greater wage scale has be-
come more compelling. Consequently
during the adjournment Of congress
all those interested in the welfare of
the clerks got busy and strung wires
from Maine to California, from Mich
igan to Louisiana in the hope that
at this session Of congress some legis-
lation will be begun which will have
az its object the rase OF the pay scale
of government employees.
In the clerks fight for more pay
It is interesting to note that congress
in 1852 enacted the last law increas-
ing the compensation or government
clerks and classifying them. Not since
then has the government ay scale
been revised or increased. An analy-
sis of the bill which became law in
1869 shows that the average salary Of
clerks before the passage OF the bill
was. S1,179.49 and after the passage OF
the bill S1.29O63. Today the average
salary is S1,079, about a hundred dol
lars lower than sixty years ago.
Oldest inhabitants or Washington
general concede that the purchasing
power of 81 In 1852 was much greater
than It Is today. The reasons ascribed
are that Washington then was very
small town with a large rural popu-
lation. The contrary Is true today.
Washington is a big city and has a
large suburban population that ex-
tends for twenty miles in every di-
rection. This necessarily makes farm
produce higher. Rentals values have
likewise increased and the general
scale of living has increased proper
tionately.
The classification Of the clerks es-
tablished by law in 1852 mas changed |
little. but the number of clerks en- !
ployed in the government departments |
has grown enormously. At present |
there are 1900 clerks employed in the |
treasury department alone This Is ten |
times the number of clerks who We're |
employed in all the government in
1852. Since that period OF a half a |
century ago the government at Wash |
ington has extended Itself Into about
twenty-five branchc9 IN as many |
each with tis hundreds and !
some with its thousands OF clerks.
With this vast crowd demanding Of
it's representatives, and senators more |
deserving recognition OF the govern
ment. it is promised by those who |
seem to Know that congress at no late
date wliIlacoede to the demands OF its
employees,
The fight for the increase in tae
wage scale, however, Is going along
Printed agreements are he
ng sent out In every direction through
cut the United states and competent
men have been enlisted to engineer
he campaign One Of the arguments
sent out by the publicity committee
ii the clerks organization is to this
fleet:
Mems minds take direction from
hose with whom they associate It
3 therefore important that those
whose employments embrace intelec-
Ual labors should have for compan-
ons intelligent persons-particularly
hose conversant with matters which
're likely to come before them. With
many of the clerks these matters en-
brace a wide range. To secure such
companionshlp. requires an assimilia-
ton Of the style in which intelligent /
persons Ilve hffaif fc
Men in public office are morally
bound 70 live with and for the public.
They have no right to withdraw them
selves from associations with their
fellows. nor appear in society meanly II
clad. or without contributing some-
thing toward the general expenses of
SOCIAL intercourse. Especially is this
true of the clerk whose position nec-
essarily brings him into association
with gentlemen. He IS in fact Kind
Of representative Of the state he halls
from. and If he possesses sentiments
Which should characterize every reci-
pient of public favor he VIII feel NOR
tined II he cannot extend the rites of
Hospitality 10 such OF his friends and
- |