Mr. MCDO GALL. I move to amend the amendment by inserting after “State” the words “and of the Treasury, Interior, War, and postoffice Depts, and in the office of the Attorne General." I offer this amendment in good aith. I concur with the proposition of the Senfrom Massachusetts, who appears simply in behalf of the State Depart, ment; butw at is true of the State Dept is true of all employees of the Government, as well as the employees of this body. The same reasoning applies equally well. The clerks employed in any of the Depts of our government do not receive compensation enough for reasonable subsistence and clothing. They are not compensated as clerks are in commercial cities; they are not compensated as are persons of equal skill anywhere in the U.S., and here in the most expensive city of the U.S. there are reasons why, the expenses of livin g having been vastly increased, we should make some provision to meet the conseqences of that result. I bglieve in good pay and exact service. For some years past the clerks in none of the Depts have been paid sufficient compensation to live comfortably here. I believe it would be a simple act of justice to increase their pay generally on a general principle. Assuming that their present pay is averaged properly and was properly averaged 'when it was arranged by previous laws, an increase by regular proportion would bejiistunless we reor ganize 0. together the depts of the government in their clerica force a thing which should have been done long ago; which has been talked of for years but which no one has attempted. I believe the expenses of the Depts could be greatl reduced by a reorganization and a system that would make a smaller clerical force much more ellicient than the present. But there is no prospect of that being done; and their being no such pros pect I say ade uate compensation should be allowed; and I am in favor as well of the amendment of the Senfrom Massachusetts as of the Generalproposition that all the employees oft e several Depts should have their pay increased.