The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-02-01
q copgright. We.lsrn Nswspaper UnI0a
XVI.
WHAT OF THESE OLD MEN?

curing all heads Of departments and
independent establishments in the
federal service TO report each year to
the secretary Of the treasury the num-
Der Of employees under them who were
below a fair standard Of efficiency.
Every year this Is done and the letters
10 the secretary OF the treasury from
the various departments and bureaus
are printed in the book Of estimates OF
appropriations compiled for use by
congress in making up the annual
supply bills. Congress never pays the
slightest heed to these reports. They
are made up year after year, but the
inefficient are never fred.
For example. Inst year the chief
clerk of the treasury reported 40 en-
ployees Of the Treasury department as
below fair standard Of efficiency. But
nothing will be done about IT, The
Interior department reported 1870 in'
efIlcients, and will probably so on re-
porting them till they die Of old age
There are employees Of the govern
ment in Washington who are totally
blind and who are led from their
homes to their offices each day and
back home again in the afternoon.
knew IN 1920 one gentleman Of
ninety-two years who had been In The
government service for seyenty-twu
years. He was being paid at that time
$500 a year. His maximum pay dur
ing his long service was $500 n year.
James X. Polk was President when
this old gentleman came into tho sery-
ice. He was born on January 10,
1928. His father was captain n
I the regular army in the war Of 1872
After that service he led an active life
in other occupations until 1913, wien
he died, leaving n dependent family Of
nine persons, three Of them boys Il
fell to the lot Of one Of them to be the
chief support Of the family.
1t came to pass, then, that ut the age
Of twenty he received through the
influence Of navy friends OF his father
small clerkship at the naval obsery-
atory. then under the superintendent
Of that accomplished officer Matthew
Fontane Slaury, whom he served rs
amanucnsis Tor ten years, accounting
1t great privilege and pleasure to
have hrard Maury's voice Debating the
words Of sense and wisdom which
make IN the sailing directions, the
wind and current charts and other
publications issued from the obser-
atory for the benefit Of the world.
From n copylst at first, November o.
1913, at 50 a day, the young man was
advanced as follows;
July ], 1853. clerk at 81 200 a
year; July l. 1854, clerl; at $500 a
year; July J, 1870, principal clerk at
$500 a year; December G, 1911, clerk
at 81 400 a year; Moy /, 1915, s,enog-
rapher and typewriter Mt $500 Il year
p II will be seen that he was denoted
in December, 1911, and again In May
8 1913, to lower positions, involving less
work and responsibility These demo
tions were at his own request In
October, 1917, he received from tho
assistant secretary Of the navy Mr.
Roosevelt, the following letter:
81 have TO inform you that you have
been granted leave without pay fol
six months beginning October Is, 1917
"As you have been in the empo!
Of the government now nearly sixty
nine years, and during all that tim'
your record has been excellent, ! re
gret that there is no way in which IN,
department could continue you on tn,
rolls with compensation,
| Il desire at this time to express
the appreciation Of the department 70
your long and satisfactory service. an,
the hope that you viii be SO benefits
by this leave that you can return an
, resume your duties at its expiration.
| talbed with one of the cabine
b officers about the old and feeble en-
e ployees,
c He said: al don't know what cor
greSs intends 10 do about them, but
know what | intend to do with thos
IN my department ! intend TO leay
Il them alone. They can stay here a
9 long as they like until some proyiso
ls made for them. When l was ne'
d in The department | dismissed two c
9 these old people ana denoted anothe
!. on the ground that they We're supe
ANIMATED and inefficient and were
hindrance to the work.
"Al three of them wrote me sa
letters and promptly committed su
y eide. That was enough and MOI
= than enough for me Never agai
II will disturb one OF them i do N,
e choose to have &c ON my conscienC
chat | pronounced sentence Of deaf
on an old man or an old woman
the service Of the government. The
can an stay on here us long rs the
B like | found them here aud some
Them will he horc when leave
congress chooses to provide tor the
that IS lis obligation. But [ will new
t sentence another one Of them TO sci
, destruction no matter what tile CO
10 the taxpayer and the government
e Uncle Eben