The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-12-22

sOf the Clvii-cerviceiteI0rm assoclarIOn, arc
here In the interest of the Pendleton BILL
They are decidedly In favor Of this bill as
against allits competitors. The Kasson bill
strikes them as an INGENIOUS attempt athow
for which q clerk Is to be appointed Is at
variance with the principles OF reform. The
effort to Introduce the new system all over
the country at once Is undertaking TOO much
and Is liable to fail. Thelpr0visions about
cal henchmen and personal favorites can
not be appointed there will be mo- removals
except for what everyone would recognize
as good cause. Nobody Is removed except
to let someone else In. The beauty of the
Pendleton bill. according TO these gentle
dertakes TO inangurate the reform to begin
with only In u few of the principal offices,
and 1t Is not incumbered with provisions
aDOut removals ana the cause for which per-
sons may be removed and the way In which
1t is to be done Furthermore, the Kasson
dent commissions all over the country,
which Is impracticable. The work must be
under the general management OF one com
mission. Under all circumstances these
gentlemen think the passage of the Kasson
form Of the service. The fixing Of any per
iod OF time at the end of which the appoint
ment shall expire, Is inconsistent with the
theory of tenure for good behavior, but
while the term of six years In Mr. Kasson's
original bill Is Objectionable, the reduction
of that to four by the committee is even
more Objectionable
PENSIONS.
The report OF the commissioner of PEN
sions for the fiscal year ended June 80 iSS2,
Is issued. Commissioner Dudley says: The
bounty land laws should be generally re-
modelled and simplified. Congress should
give thoughtful consideration to the entire
regarding of pensions, making disability,
rather than rank, the measure Of pension !;
the officers and men having been drawn
life. There are now LIT different grades of
pensioners. It is proposed to give the Of
ficer the benefit Of his actual rank, as an act
of simple justice. 1t Is recommended, also,
In order to place all war claims nearly upon
the same footing, that the Limitation In sec
BY the three-year limitation shall have their
date on the commencement at the time Of
filing the application, rather than that Of
the filing Of the last piece Of evidence. Wild
ows and invalid soldiers of the regular army
and navy, whose rights accrued since June
80, 1880, should be allowed reasonable time
to file their applications, and pensions
should date from the commencement Of the
accruing of the right, instead of as now,
from the date of filing the application. A
yearly salary OF SO,UU Is recommended TOT
pension agents. Speaking of the pension
population, the commissioner expresses re-
greet that no provision was made In the tenth
census for Its enumeration. The best APP
Proclamation that can be made shows that Of
2,06S, S9l soldiers who enlisted during the
war, pensions have been applied for by, or
on account of, only Is per cent. The report
concludes withia statement that, from the
best available information, it appears that
there Is surviving soldier population Of q
little over l,000, 900, out of which claims for
pensions In future may be made by those
who incurred pensi0nable disabilities.