St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-12-17

is estimated that - per cent of the number o
claims now pending will be rejected or aban
aoned. This would secure the probable re-
lsslon of about II 800 claims, all of which in
Volvethe payment of arrears of pension. With
the present force employed, the number of ad
publications. remaining the same and no new
business intervening, the number of claims
| l93,0o0) could be acted upon in Il period
OF six years, and taking January LISA
as a near period from which to estimate in
each case an average amount of arrears, it is
| found that every case allowed would require
/ iof the nr5t payment upon it the sum of 81 $50
multiplying this amount by the whole mum
Der of probable admissions gives $3.50 900 900
rs the sum required for the first payments.
/ rms represents the sum which must be paid
upon claims which were filed before July l,
1850, and are now pending and entitled to the
Dement'S of the Arrears act. From this amount
(S2oO goo ,0O0) may be deducted from $40 600 600
TO Sl5,oo0,O0O for cases where, the claimant
dying, there Is no person who under the law
would be entitled to succeed to the pension,
| leaving S230,00O,000 as the probable amount
| to be paid. In these estimates no account has
| been taken of the $500 cases filed
since June 80, $780, and now pending which
must receive attention in 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
SO clerks-it is estimated that it will take
ing 1t IS stated by the Commissioner of Pen
slons that by an addition of $50 clerks GIN
creasing the adjudicating force rather than
the mechanically double the amount of work
could be accomplished; that these eases
could be acted upon within three years
Aside from the considerations OF justice which
may be urged for a speedy settlement of the
claims now on the flies of the Pension Office
1t Is no less important on the score of econo-
my, lnasmuch as fully one third of the
clerical force of the Office is now wholly
tn
spondence with the thousands of claim
ants whose claims have been on the
files for the past eighteen years. The fact
that sum so enormous Is to be expended by
Government to meet demands for arrears of
pensions is an admonition to Congress and
the Executive TO give continuous cOnsdera-
ton to any similar project in the future The
great temptation to the presentation of ficti-
tious claims afforded by the fact that the av-
erage sum obtained upon each application is
1850, leads to suggest the proprietv of making
some special appropriation for the preven-
ton of fraud
IMPROVING THE MISSISSIPPI
1 advise appropriations for such internal
improvements rs the wisdom of Congress
may deem to be OF public importance The
necessity of improving the navigation of the
Mississippi justifies special allusion to that
subject suggest the early adoption of some
measure for the removal OF the distractions
which now impede the navigation of that
great channel of commerce.
THE CIVIL SERVICE
In my letter of acceptance of the non,ina-
ton for the Vice Presidency stated that in
my Judgment "no man should be an incum-
bent 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 a prom
er administration of such office demands"
This sentiment would doubtless meet with
general acluiescence. but opinion has been
widely divided upon the wisdom and practi
cabtlity 9th various reformatory schemes
which have been suggested, and of certain
q O0x- mi, fi,,
ments to public office. The EFFICIENCY OF such |
has been distrusted mainly be- |
cause they have seemed to exalt the mere /
educational and abstract tests above general |
business capacity. andeven special fitness for |
the particular work in hand. 1t seems to me |
the rule that should be applied to the man
conform in the main to such as regulate
The condition of successful private bust
ness. Original appointments should
The tenure of OH ee should be Stable. Posi- Posi-.
tons OF responsibility 50 far a. practicable,
should be filed by the promotion of worthy
and a., efficient officers The investigation OF
lcial misconduct should be prompt and thor
)ugh. The views expressed in the foregoing
etter are those which will govern my admin
doubtless shared by all intelligent and patri-
'tic citizens, however divergent in their
opinion as to the best methods of putting
hem into practical operation. For example: |
The assertion that original appointment
should be based on ascei tanned fitness is not
'pen to dispute, but the que stion how in
practice such fitness can be most effectually
'scertained is one which has for years excit.
ID interest and discussion. The measure
which with slight variations in its detail
las lately been urged upon the attention of
congress and the Executive has as its princi-
al feature the scheme of competitive exam
nation, save for certain exceptions which
eed not here be specified. This plan would
royide for admission to the service ONLY In
IS lowest grade. and would accordingly de-
1and that all vacancies in higher positions
honld be filled by promotion alone. In these
articulars, 1t is in conformity with the ex-
sting civil service system of Great Britain.
nd indeed the success which has attended
hat system in the country of its birth is the
trongest argument which has been urged for .
8 adoption here. The fact should not, how |
yer, be overlooked that there are certain !
satures of the English system which have l
OF generally been RECEIVED with favor in this
ountry, even among the foremost advocates |
civil service reform. Among them are:
]. Tenure of office, which is substantially a t
fe tenure. ,
2. Limitation of the maximum age at which i
n applicant can enter the service, whereby !
II men in middle life or under are, with some J
kceptions, ligidly excluded. - &
5. retiring allowance upon going out of +
flee. q
These three elements are as important fac S
RS OF the problem as any of the others. To Il
Intimate therefrom the English system t
he avowed purpose of that system is to in v
ice the educated young men of the country p
devote their lives to public employment by t
J assurance that, having once entered upon t
they need never leave it, and that after
'luntary retirement they shall be the re- g
pfents of an annual pension. That this sys- t
in Great Britain seems to be generally q
needed even by those who once opposed Ii
; adaptation. To statute which should c
corporate all its essential features, I il
ould, feel bound to give my approval, tt
1t whether it should be for the best Il
terests OF the public to fix up-1 D
an expedient for immediate and extensive 81
'plication which embraces certain features "
the English system, but excludes or ignores s.
hers OF equal importance may be seriously D
'ubted even by those who are impressed, as c,
I'M myself. with the grave Importance of tx
Erecting the evils which inhere In the pres Is
It methods of appointments. IT, for exam C,
e, the English rules, which shuts out per. b
MS above the age of twenty five years from d
large number of public employments, is not Ii
be made an essential part of our system it I'll
CSYrn, tS Inn In a..