The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-12-10


doned. This would secure the probable re-
lection OF 5000 eases, and the probable adj
mis- sion of about 800 claims, all OF which in
vOvethc 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
(l3OOOJ could be acted upon in period
of six years, and taking January l,lSSi,
as IA near period from which To estimate in
each case an average amount of arrears il il
found that every case allowed would require
for the first payment upon it the sum of 81, $50.
Multiplying this amount by the whole mum.
Der of probable admissions gives S2jOOOlOOO
rs the sum required for the first payments.
This represents the sum which must be paid
upon claims which were filed before july /,
lS-O and are now pending and entitled to the
benefits of the Arrears act. From this amount
(S2j0,0D0 900 may be deducted from Sl0,O0OOJO
to Slj,O1),OO) tor cases where, the claimant
dying, there is no person who under the law
would be entitled to succeed TO the pension,
leaving S900O)OOO n the probable amount
tn be paid. In these estimates no account has
been taken of the $500 cases fled
since June 90 1850 ana 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 aim.
OF this number it is estimated that So per
cent. Will be allowed. As has been stated,
with the present force of the Pension bureau
80 clcrls-it is estimated that 10 will take
six years to dispose of the claims now pend.
ing. II is stated by the Commissioner of Pen
sionS that by an addition of 80 clerks (in-
crraSlng the udjudl eating force rather than
the mechanicaD double the amount of work
could be acted upon within three years.
Aside from the considerations OF justice which
may be urged for speedy settlement OF the
claims now on the files of the Pension ONCE,
it is no less important on the score of ecOnO-
my, inuSmUCu as fully one. third of the
clerical force of the Office is now wholly
occupied in giving attention to CORE
| spOndence with the thousands of claim
| ants whose claims have been the
| llles tor the past eighteen years. The TACT
! that sum so enormous is to be expended by
! Government to meet demands for arrears of
| pensions is an almDniJiOn to Congress, AMI
! the Executive to give continuous cUuSidcla-
! ton to amy similar project in the future. The
great temptation to the pres ion of ticti-
! tiOus claims afforded by the fact that the av-
| erage sum obtained upon each application is
! $500, lead. to suggest the propriety ofmalsiug
| some special Appropriation Tor the proven
! ton OF fraud.
IMPROVING THE MISSISSIPPI
| I advise appropriations for such internal
/ Improvements US the wisdom of Congress
| may deem to be OF public importance. The
| necessity of improving the navigation of the
| Mississippi ju,tihes a special allusion to that
| subject. suggest the early adoption of some
| measure tor the removal OF the distinctions
which now impede the navigation OF that
great channel OF commerce.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
In my letter of acceptance of the nomina.
| ton for the Vice Presidency, stated that in
my Judgment mo man should be an incum-
| bent OF an office the duties of which he is tor
! any cause unit to perform, who Is lacking in
| the ability, fidelity or integrity which prop
| er administration of such Office demands"
! This sentiment would doubtless meet with
| general &C luiCSccncc. but opinion has been
! widely divided upon the wisdom and praCti-
| cabnitv o. the various rctDrmatOry schemes
| which have been suggested, ana of certain
| proposed regulations governing the appoint
! mcnts to public Office. The efficiency of such
! regulations has been distrustcd. mainly be-
cause they have seemed to eNuit the mere
| educational and abstract tests above general
| business capacity, unleVcn special fitness for
| the particular work in hand 1t seems to me
"a a lad 70, tI,A
agemcnt of the public service may properly
conform in the main to such rs regulate
the condition of successful private bust
ness. Original appointments should
| be based upon asCertaimcd fitness.
The tenure of OIL e should be stable. Posi-
| tiOns of responsibility, 50 far a. practicable,
should be filled by the promotion of worthy
/ and ell lent officers. The iuVcstgat on Of
all complaints and the punishment O. all Of
! fetal misconduct should be prompt and thor.
! ou%h. The views expressed in the foregoing
| letter are those which will govern my admin
istration OF the executive office. They are
dOubD less shared by all intelligent and pali.
Otto citizens, however diver -eut in their
opinion as to the best methods of putting
them into practical operation. For example
| The assertion that original appointment
should be based on a-cC. tanned fitness Is not
open to dispute, but the que ,tiun how in
practice such fitness can be most CifCctually
uscerained i one which has for years eNCit-
ed interest and discussion. The measure
which with slight variations in its detail
has lately been urged upon the attention of
| Congress and the Executive has AS its pIinci-
| pal feature the scheme of competitive exam
nation, save for certain exceptions, which
need not here be specified. This plan wOul
provide for admission to the service only in
its lowest grade, and would accordingly de
mand that all vacancies in higher positions
should be filled by promotion alone. In these
particulars, it is in conformity with the eX-
| listing civil service system of Great Britain
and indeed the success which has attended
that system in the country of its birth is the
strongest argument which has been urged for
its adoption here. The fact should not, how
pN-n hA lD1l -n1 thnt orc t,tf,,
features of the English system which have
not generally been received with favor in this
country, even among the foremost advocates
of civil service reform. Among them are:
!. Tenure OF Office, which Is substantially a
life tenure.
,. Limitation of the maximum age at which
an applicant can enter the service, whereby
all men in middle life or under are, with some
exceptions, rigidly excluded.
3. A retiring allowance upon going out OF
office.
These three elements are as important fac
tors of the problem as any of the others To
eliminate therefrom the English system
would effect a radical change in its practice
The ayowcd purpose of that system is to in
duce the educated young men of the country
TO devote their lives to public emniovment hy
au assurance that, having once entered upon
it, they need never leave it, and that after
voluntary retirement they shall be the re.
cipientS of an annual pension. That this sys.
tenn as an entirety, has proved very success
tul in Great Britain seems to be generally
conceded even by those who once opposed
| its adaptation. To a statute which should
I incorporate all its essential features,
should feel bound to give my approval
but whether it should be for the bes
interests of the public to fix up
on an eXpedient for immediate and extensive
application which embraces certain features
OF the English system but excludes or ignore,
others of equal importance, may be seriously
doubted even by those who are impressed, Il,
| am myself, with the grave importance q
correcting the evils which inhere in the pres
ent methods of appointments. If, for exam
T. pie, the English rules, which shuts out per
nj 6xFaN
n large number OF public emploYments, is no
to be made an essential part of our system i