The Washington times., 1916-12-15
FEDERAL AND STATE SAL
ARIES

The Times yesterday printed an
analysis Of the civil service salaries
of the New York State government
and Of the Federal establishment in
Washington, showing that the Em-
pire State actually pays much higher
compensation to the rank and file OF
its employees than does the National
Government. II has long been no.
torious that the executive officers and
judiciary Of that State are better
paid than persons in the Federal
service with whom comparison may
fairly be made. Likewise, the gross
underpayment of the civil service
people in the Federal Government
has long been so manifest that it
has been apparent that the employees
of States and cities must on the
whole be better compensated.
But The Times analysis Of the Of
fetal figures on national and New
York State wages Is particularly
convincing. II was shown that, ac-
cording to report from a commit
tee of the New York State senate,
the average wage paid to the civil
service employees of the State was
S1,207 per annum, The average
wage of civil service workers in
Washington, according TO the Census
Bureaus compilation Of very de-
tailed data in 1907, was S1,097; and
since that time this average has nc
tually been lowered. according to re-
cent calculations, because Of the in
creasing proportion Of clerks taken
into the lower grades Of the service.
As was pointed out in The Times
article discussing these facts. the
New York State senate inquiry COW
cred about 30 per cent Of the entire
civil service force Of the State; so II
must be regarded as thoroughly rep
resentative. In recent years the
wages Of the New York civil service
employees have been mounting up
ward very fast. There is much criti-
cism Of the New York civil service
organization for want Of system and
uniformity; but the tendency to per-
sistent increases in compensation
has been marked, and has persisted
despite the criticism Of results OBJ
tanned.
II is not unfair to say that, IL
their work be judged by the conclu-
sions and the discussions presented
by the Albany senate committee, the
New York civil service people do not
show anything like so satisfactory
an efficiency rating rs do those Of
the Federal Government.
Why are employees Of the New
York State government paid much
higher than the same classes Of
workers under the National Govern
ment? For one reason, Of course,
because under the government Of the
State the civil service people come in
closer touch with their rulers. are
possessed Of real political power,
maintain effective relations with
their home political organizations.
and have the advantage Of that
neighborly touch that is possible in
a smaller community. There is far
more Of personal relationship be- !
tween legislators and civil service |
people in such an organization as
that at Albany, than is possible in |
Washington.
But, regardless Of the reasons, the |
fact stands, and it is a reproach to
the National Government. II would !
be further a reproach. and more |
apparent one, if the data on costs of |
living in Washington ard Albany
could be presented in the careful |
statistical form that is possible in
the case Of wages. Washington is an
expensive city; Albany is one Of
moderate living costs. Conjecture
and estimate, even by people best
qualified to Judge conditions in both
towns, are Of little value; the broad
fact stands out, in the knowledge Of
everybody possessed of any knowl-
edge on the subject whatever, that
Washington is a more expensive
place in which to live than Albany.
Why would II not be worth while
10 have a study made, by competent
authorities, of the comparative
wages and living costs Of people in
he civil service establishments of a
group of States, and Of cities? II
would be certain TO strengthen the
Ease for the Federal employees, and
would also be of great value to the
States, in efforts to reorganize their
,ivil establishments on logical and
basis.