The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-12-10

amount OF arrears, it is found that every
case allowed would require, for the first
payment upon it, the sum of 1850 dol
lars. Multiplying this amount BY the
whole number of probable admissions
gives $3.50 000,000 as the sum required
Tor first payments. This represents the
sum which must be paid upon claims
which were filed before July
|, 1880, and are now pending
and entitled to the benefits of the
arrears act. From this amount
lS250 ,O00, O00) may be deducted from
ten to fifteen millions for cases where,
the claimant dying, there is no person
who under the law would be entitled to
the pension, leaving $685. ,000, 900 as the
probable amount to be paid. In these
estimates no account has been taken of
the 800 cases filed since June 80,
1880, and now pending, which must re-
ceive attention as current business, but
which do not involve payment of any
arrears beyond the date of filing the
claim of this number. 1t is estimated
that eighty-six per cent will be allowed
as has been stated. With the pres
ent force of the pension bureau
- CTS clerks - it is estimated
that it will take six years to dis
pose of the claims now pending. 1t is
stated by the commissioner of pensions
that by an addition of $50 clerks lin.
creasing the adjudicatory force rather
than the mechanicall double the amount
OF work could be accomplished, so that
these cases could be acted upon within
three years. Aside from the consider.
ations of justice which may be urged
| for speedy settlement of the claims
now on the files of the pension office
1t is no less on the score of economy.
inasmuch as fully one-third of the
clerical force OF the office is now wholly
occupied In giving attention to cor
respondence with the thousands of
| claimants whose cases have been on
bile tor the past eighteen years, The
| TACT that sum so enormous NAV be
expended by the government to meet
| demands for arrears Of pensions is an
admonltlon to Congress and the EXecu-
tive to give cautious consideration to
any similar project in the future. The
| great temptation to the presentation OF
| fictitious claims. afforded BY the fact
that the average sum obtained upon
each application is 81 800, leads me to
| suggest the propriety Of making some
special appropriation for the prevention
of fraud.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
In my letter of acceptance of the
nomination for Vice-President I stated
that, in my Judgment. s no man should
be an incumbent of an Office the duties
of which he is, for any cause, unfit to
perform; who is lacking in the ability,
fidelity or integrity which proper adj
ministration of such office demands;
This sentiment would doubtless meet
with general acceptance, but opinion
has been widely dividedupon the wisdom
and practicability of the various re-
formatory schemes which have been s,lg-
gested, and of certain proposed regula-
tons governing appointments to public
office. The efficiency of such regulations
have been distrusted mainly because
they have seemed to eXalt mere cduca-
tional and abstract tests above general
business capacity, and even special fit
ness for the particular work in hand. 1t
seems to me that the rules which should
be applied to the management of the
public service may properly conform in
the main to such as regulate the con-
duct of successful private business.
Original appointments should be based
upon ascertained fitness.
+ The tenure of office should be stable.
Positions of responsibility should, so far
as practicable, be filledby the promotion
of worthy and efficient officers. The
investigation of all complaints, and the
punishment Of all official misconduct,
should be prompt and thorough.
Tho riayxrc avpraccod ~, no foraUoipo
letter are those which will govern my
administration of the Executive office.
They are doubtless shared by all intelli-
gent and patriotic citizens, however
divergent in their opinions as to the
best methods of putting them into prac-
teal operation.
For example, the assertion that
original appointments should be based
upon ascertained fitness" is not open
to dispute. But the question how, in
practice, such fitness can be most effect
ually ascertained, is one which has fr
years excited interest and discussi,
The measure, which slight variations
its details, has lately been urged ups.
the attention of Congress and the ESI Il
cutive has as its principal feature tiA 9
scheme of competitive examination,
save for certain exceptions which need
not here be specified, This plan wouldap-
ply to the service only in its lowest grade,
and would accordingly demand that ali
vacancies in higher positions should be
filled by promotion alone. In these
particulars it is in conformity with the
existing civil service system of Great
Britain. And, indeed, the success which
has attended that system in the country
I of its birth is the strongest argument
which has been urged for its adoption
here.
The fact should not, however. be
overlooked that there are certain feat
ures of the English system which have
not generally been received with favor
in this country, even among the fore
most advocates of civil service reform.
Among them are:
l. A tenure of Office which is sub
stantially a life tenure.
2. A limitation of the maximum age
at which an applicant can enter the
service, whereby all men in middle life,
or older, are, with some exceptions,
! riOidly ayclr1dad