The National tribune., 1881-12-10

could be acted upon in a period of six wears: and
taking January 1884 as near period from which to
estimate IN each case an average amount of arrears
it is found that every allowed would REQUIRE
for the first payment upon it, the sum of $3.50
Multiplying this amount by the whole number of
probable admissions give $3.50 900 as the SUM re-
quired for first payments. This represents the SUM
which must be paid upon claims which were filed
before July 1, 1880, and are now pending, and
titled to the benefits of the act From this
amount $3.50 OOOO 600 may be deducted from ten to
fifteen millions, for where, the claimant dying
there is no person who, under the law, would be
titled to succeed to the pension leaving 1926 10000
as the probable amount to be paid.
In these estimates no account has been taken OF
the $500 cases filed since June 80, 1880, and now
pending, which must receive attention as current
business, but which do not involve the payment Of
any arrears beyond the date of filing the claim OF
this number it is estimated that S6 per cent. will be
allowed.
AS has been stated, with the present force of the
Pension Bureau, 675 clerks it is estimated that is
will take six years to dispose of the claims now
pending.
1t is stated by the Commissioner of Pensions that
by an addition of $50 clerks increasing the adjudi-
eating force rather than the mechanicaD double
the amount of work could be accomplished, so
that these could be acted upon within three
years.
Aside from the considerations of justice which
may be urged for speedy settlement of the claims
now the files of the Pension Office it is no less
important on the score of economy, lnasmuch as
fully third of the clerical force of the office is
now wholly occupied in giving attention to CORES
pOndence with the thousands of claimants whose
cases have been the files for the past eighteen
years. The fact that sum enormous must be
expended by the Government to meet demands for
arrears of pensions, is admonitiOn to Congress
and the Executive to give cautious consideration to
any similar project in the future. The great tempt
tOn to the presentation of fictitious claims afford
ed by the fact that the average sum obtained upon
each application is 81 ,3OO eak me to suggest the
propriety of making some sped4a appropriation for
the prevention of fraud.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
| Speaking of the Civil Service of the Government
| the President remarks:
! In my letter accepting the nomination for the
Vice-Presdency, stated that in my Judgment no
man should be the incumbent of an office the
| duties of which he is for any cause unit to per
! form-whO is lacking in ability, fidelity or integ
| rity which proper administration OF such office
demands This sentiment would doubtless meet
with general acquleScence, but opinion has been
| widely divided upon the wisdom and practcability
of the various refomatory schemes which have been
suggested and of certain proposed regulations gov
| erning appointments to public office.
THE efficiency of such regulations has been dis
| trusted. mainly because they have seemed TO exat
mere educational and abstract tests above general
business capacity, and special fitness for the
particular work in hand. 1t to me that til e
rules which should be applied to the management
of the public service may properly conform in the
main to such regulate the conduct of successful
| private business
"Orginal appointments should be based upOn as
! certained fitness.
! "The tenure of Office should be stable.
Positions of responsibility should far as prac-
| ticable, be filled by the promotion of worthy and
! efficient officers.
'The investigation of all complaints, and the
punishment of all official misconduct should be
prompt and thorough"
| The views expressed in the foregoing letter are
| those which will govern my administration of the
Executive Office They are doubtless shared by all
intelligent and patriotic citizens however divergent
in their opinions to the best methods of putting
| them into practical operation.
OUR MERCHANT MARINE.
| The continuing decline of the merchant marine
of the United States is greatly to be deplored. In
view of the fact that furnish so large proper
| tiOn of the freights of the commercial world, and
that our shipments are steadily and rapidly increas-
ing it is of surprise that not only is our navi
CATION interests diminishing but it is less than when
our exports and imports not half so large as
now. either in bulk value. There must be some
peculiar hinderance to the development of this in
| terest, the enterprise and energy of American
mechanics and capitalists would have kept this
country at least abreast of rivals in the friendly
contest for ocean supremacy. The substitution of
iron for wood and ofsteam for sail have wrought great
revolutions in the carrying trade of the world; but
these changes could not have been adverse to Amer
lea II we had given to our navigation interests
| portion of the aid and protection which have been
| so widely bestowed upon manufactures. | COM
mend the whole subject to the wisdom of Congress.
CONCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS.
: IN concluding his message the President COM
mends to the consideration of Congress the question
of additional legislation in regard to emigrant tax,
and concerning library building for Congress- the
Improvement of the Potomac river at the capital,
government for Alaska, removal of the steam rail-
ways from the streets of Washington and various
other matters of local interest.
THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE
The Importance Of timely legislation with respect
to the ascertanment and declaration of the vote for
Presidential electors sharply called to the at
tention of the people more than four years ago.
1t is to be hoped that some well-defined measure
may be devised before another national election,
which will render unnecessary resort to any ex-
pedient of temporary character, for the determi-
nation of questions upon contested returns.
Questions which concern the very existence of the
Governments nd the liberties of the people were
suggested by the prolonged illness of the late Pres
ident and his consequent incapacty to perform the
functions of his office
1t is provided by the second article of the Consti-
tutiOn III the fifth clause of its first section, that
in of the removal of the President from Office,
of his death resignation, inability to discharge
the powers and duties of said office the same shall
devove on the Vice President"
What is the intendment of the Constitution iii it's
specification of inability to discharge the powers
and duties Of said office" is of the contingen-
cies which calls the VicePreSident to the exercise
of Presidential functions?
Is the inability limited in its nature to- lOngcon-
tinued intellectual incapacity, has it broader,
import?
What must be its extent and duration?
How must its existence he established?
Has the President, whose inability is the subject
hath