The National tribune., 1882-04-01
PENSION OFFICE FORCE.
COMMISSIONER puDLEYs REcoMMEN
pATloNs AS TO APPOINTMENTS.
How TO Appoint and Whom to Appoint In Order
to Facilitate the Work OF Auditing Soldiers
Claims-Preference to be Given to ex-
Soldiers, their Widows and
Daughters.

In connection with the work of properly
equipping the Pension Bureau, General Dud-
ley, the Commissioner, has addressed the fol-
lowing communication to the Civil Service
Reform Committee:
To the Select Committee on Reform in the Grill
Sercice:
GENTLEMEN: In considering how to ap-
point to, and whom TO appoint upon, the
contemplated additional force of my Office,
would suggest that board of three persons
be constituted: at least one Of whom should
be an officer of this Bureau, and one an OIL
Ger Of the Department of the Interior proper,
to whom all applications of persons eligible
to appointment ieligible as hereinafter set
forth shall be submitted, who shall designate
time and place for the examination OF all
applicants: that these examinations be oral
and written. and such as shall demonstrate
the fitness of the applicant for the peculiar
work of this office-the oral to he reduced to
writing by shorthand writer, to be detailed
for that purpose as clerk to the board, and
that their report he made direct 10 the Sec
retary Of the Interior. The Secretary Of the
Interior having a due regard 70 fair ard
equitable arportionm-nt of the whole force
among the States and Territories, shall a7-
point those persons 10 the vacant places, who.
in the Judgment Of the board. OF tvo Of its
members, shall he deemed best fitted for the
work Of this Office, who shall be commissioned
for SIX months. the c0mrairS to expire ct
that time absolutely, and rcSppointment
to be made only upon the recommendation
Of the Commissioner. If Te-appointed the
tenure should be fixed at three years, subject,
however, to removal for cause by the Secrt-
taTy Of the Interior, upon the recommends
ton Of the Commissioner. The variou.
grades provided and appropriated Tor by
Congress shall he flied, and =. vacancies
therein occur promotion shall be made from
the next lower grade and 50 on until the
lowest Of each class is reached, to which all
original appointments shall he made; pro-
vided that promotion for extraordinary merit
may be made from the clerical to the exam
ining force.
The salaries of the first OF mechanical class
shall be as follows
Fir.t-class 81 200 per annun.
1000 do.
Opy1sts............ go do.
Messengers..-.-......-...-...... $40 do.
NatchUen 40 do.
LaborerS..--...... G50 DO.
The examining force shall be paid as fol-
lows:
Principal examiners............... 1900 per annum
Examiners of fourth class. 500 do.
Examiner. of third CLASS. 1000 do.
Examiners Of second class. 1,40O do.
Examiners detailed a. special
examiners in the field. / 400 do.
Examiners of irst-class.-....... 200 do.
The persons needed for the work of this
Office may be divided into two classes viz:
1st. The clerical or mechanical force For
merely mechanical clerical work, requiring,
primarily, good moral character, good pen
manship, and a reasonable degree of accuracy
in orthography and syntax, young men and
ladies may be considered in the selection of
persons to be appointed; but the proportion
of this class to the whole number to be en-
plOyed should not exceed one-third for the
reason that mere mechanical clerical work
can be pressed and accelerated by good mar
agement. This clas. includes laborers, watch
men, messengers, copyists, and clerks, in the
selection of which ex-Union soldiers, their
sons, widows or daughters should be given
the preference, other things being nearly
equal.
ID. The examining force, those who are to
do the real work of the Office, viz. settle
claims for pensions, must exercise a sound
discretion and form ripe and well-considered
judgments. An unripe youth, who has seen
little of the world, knows little or nothing
of the habits Of the people or methods Of
public business, save that which he has
learned in the books, and which he has
knowledge Of only as abstract theories, al
though he may pass brilliant examination
in orthography, syntax and prosody, mathe-
matics, classical literature, nsence, art, geog-
raphy, and other branches Of learning, is
totally unfit for this class Of work
For this, the real work before US, two
thirds of all the force you provide should be |
men Of character and good habits, who have
settled down to the real work of life-if pcs
sible those who have fought for the Nations |
hfe-who are ripe in years and experiences,
of capacity and education sufficient TO enable |
them to discover the legal points involved |
properly weigh and apply the testimony ~
well as determine the kind and amount re-
quired to sustain declaration and TO reach |
an intelligent and just Judgment. Let this |
class be men who are fully impressed with
the peculiar character of this particular work,
and who will care more to speedily get ante
mortem pensions to the veterans who for |
years have been languishing with diseases or |
wounds, and have been kept waiting 50 long
for their rights, rather than calculate how
long they can make their own eunlovnoent
last. Who so fit in this respect. for tbi.
work, as ex-Union soldiers? Let thi. .I,y
be composed, too, solely of those who have 8
vote somewhere, and who have interest
enough in the welfare of their Nation and
State to vote at every election; and oth.r
things being equal, or nearly so. repubIic.n.