The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-02-05
'SUBORO|NATES FOLLOW
EXAMPLE OF BRYAN
AssENTEEIsM HAS BECOME
cHRoNics IN DEPARTMENTS
At WASHINGTON.


ment. He called to see the secretary
iof labor. "The secretary has gone for
the day." explained the messenger at
the secretary's Office 1t was then 2
O'Clock. The congressman went down
to the office OF the chief clerk, think
ing he could act for the secretary. "The
chief clerk Is out OF town for q couple
of days" was the explanation of Ms
assistant. SO the congressman gave
up in disgust.
Going over to the navy department,
he went to the office of Secretary Dam
iels. When he inquired for the secre-
tary. the messenger said: '"rhe secre-
Itary did not come down today; he Is
preparing speech at home" Going
then to see Assistant Secretary Roose-
welt, the congressman again met with
failure mr.. Roosevelt is taking
few days holiday" explained his Sec
rotary And the navy department was
thus left without head.
In State Department.
Ahsenteeism in the state depart ;.
ment has been so well advertised that
no further statement is necessary.
Secretary Bryan is away from his Of
fee fully one-fourth OF the time, and
often during his absence, his assist
ants can not be found during office
hours. The same condition prevails IN
Il law 80 90 IL
According to a special correspond
ent, absenteesm has become chronic
in the government departmental SER
vice in Washington as senators and
representatives are learning to their
sorrow. The government clerks hold
ing comparatively unimportant posi-
tions are at the desks right along
from 8 until $3.50 every day, but the
higher-ups, cabinet officers, assistant
secretaries and bureau chiefs are now
notorious for the amount of time thay
spend away from their desks.
Whether or not the epidemic of alb
senteeism is the direct result Of the
example set by Secretary Bryan when
he began deserving his office every
other day to make little money OUT
side or whether it is the result Of a
laxity of. discipline permeating most
of the departments it would be hard
to say. The condition exists, however,
and few of the higher government Off
Gals now running the departments
are to be found at their desks during
office hours. Just for illustration.
One Mans Experience.
A western representative set aside
one afternoon recently to transact
business affecting his district, that
was then pending before the depart
thought 1t is to be said of Secretary
Houston that he is seldom absent save
when called away by public business.
He Sets Record.
The record for absenteeism in the
federal service is held by Logan w.
Page, director Of the bureau of public
roads in the department Of agricul-
ture. Page is wealthy fellow, pop
ular club man, and his fad Is good
roads, but while he is nominally the
head of that bureau. drawing salary
of $4,000 year which he does not need,
his work is done by subordinates and
he gets the credit. Page is such
chronic offender at absenteeism that
two western congressman having con-
siderable business at the department Of
agriculture, have standing bet that
they will never find Mr.. Page in his Of
fee when they call. They have called
upwards Of 20 times. and Mr.. Page
has never been In his Office.
The condition Of affairs is true quite
generally throughout the governmental
service in Washington, and the public
Is beginning to wonder what these Of
fcials expect to give in return for
their salaries.