THE LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE, AND JUDICIAL WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1906. LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE, AND JUDICIAL APPRO PRIATION BILL. HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE, MESSRS. H. H. WEDNESDAY, February 7, 1906. STATEMENT OF HON. ALEXANDER MCDOWELL, CLERK, HOUSE Mr. LITTAUER. How many branches of work are performed in your office? Mr. MCDOWELL. I have the enrolling room, disbursing room, the file room, the stationery room, the Clerk's office, and the bathroom. Mr. LITTAUER. Have you a force in the Clerk's office sufficient to do the work? Mr. McDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTAUER. What is the work done in the Clerk's office? Mr. McDOWELL. The members come in there for information which they very much need and also for documents. Then we issued the subpoenas. Mr. TAWNEY. How much of a force have you? Mr. MCDOWELL. I have two employees. Mr. TAWNEY. Who are they? Mr. McDOWELL. There is Aaron Russell. Mr. TAWNEY. What is the designation of that position? Mr. MCDOWELL. Assistant in Clerk's office, salary $1,400. Mr. TAWNEY. And the other one? Mr. McDOWELL. The other one is a stenographer that I am sup posed to have. Mr. LITTAUER. And do have, as provided by law? Mr. McDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. BURLESON. Do you mean to say that you have not got him? Mr. MCDOWELL. He is there. Mr. BURLESON. Is he a stenographer? Mr. MCDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. BURLESON. A good stenographer? Mr. MCDOWELL. Yes, sir. He is a nice gentleman. He is all right. I appointed him for a member, that is all. He earns his money. 3 Mr. BRICK. How much does he get? Mr. McDOWELL. One thousand two hundred dollars. Mr. LITTAUER. Will you please describe the force and work of the Clerk's office proper? Mr. MCDOWELL. First, we have the Chief Clerk. He is in charge of the buying of furniture and carpets for the House of Representatives and the general work of the building connected with the House. Then there is Mr. Phillips-he is the Journal clerk. He has charge of the Journal and all the bills, etc., that pass through the House. Messrs. Lampson and Alward are the two reading clerks. You know their work. Winthrop C. Jones is the tally clerk, at $3,000. He keeps the tally at the desk, and is a good man. Matlack is the printing and bill clerk, at $2,500. He is busy all the time. Mr. Hoyt is the disbursing clerk, at $2,500, and well earns every cent of it. Mr. LITTAUER. What does he disburse? Mr. McDOWELL. He makes out the clerk-hire checks for the members and pays the bills. It is a regular banking office. Mr. LITTAUER. And he pays the salaries of the employees of the House? Mr. McDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTAUER. And disburses the contingent fund? Mr. MCDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTAUER. And the clerk hire for members? Mr. McDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTAUER. That is your disbursing office? Mr. McDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTAUER. How many assistants does he have? Mr. McDOWELL. He has five in that office. Mr. LITTAUER. Is the work well organized? Mr. MCDOWELL. We have a good force there. The work is as well done as in any bank in the country. Mr. Williams is the file clerk, at $2,500. Mr. LITTAUER. He was appointed a year or so ago? Mr. McDOWELL. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTAUER. What salary did his predecessor get? Mr. McDOWELL. Two thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars; and Williams is a better man than his predecessor. Mr. BRICK. How does that salary compare with the salary in the Senate? Mr. LITTAUER. It is way below the Senate salary. Thave not the Senate roll, but by a comparison you will find that the House salaries are all below the salaries of similar offices in the Senate. Mr. BURLESON. Are they underpaid? Mr. McDOWELL. Well, some of them should really receive a little more compensation. Mr. Williams's salary could go back to $2,750. Mr. LITTAUER. What is the designation of the officer in the Senate who performs the same class of duties as our file clerk? Mr. McDOWELL. I do not know. Mr. LITTAUER. The file work is done in the Secretary's office in the Senate, is it not? Mr. MCDOWELL. I think in that department. Mr. LITTAUER. Is there any one in particular charge, that you know of? |