Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-13
Two Plans for Improving the Con-
dition Of Government Employees.
A FUND TO BEAR INTEREST PROPOSED
Another Plan for Retirement After
Thirty Years Service.
WHAT MR.. WILSON SAYS

Two plans for improving the condition of
government employees in the classified serv-
ice have been proposed in Congress. One OF
these plans was proposed by Representative
Wilson of Ohio, and provides that per cent
of the salaries OF all employees in the classi-
fled service of the government be retained
saving fund for the employe, he to be
given per cent per annum on the money,
the interest to be compounded annually.
This fund is to be retained until the employe
resigns. is discharged or dies, when it will
be paid over to him or his heirs. Mr.. Wilson
has introduced in the House bill embody-
ing this plan and proposes to do all he can
to cause it to become law.
MIR. Powers Plan.
Another proposition is contained in Dill
ir trodGced in the House by MIR. Powers OF
Vermont by request. 1t provides for the re-
tirement of employees ty the creation of
fund made by Withholding from the salary
Of each employee certain amount for the
purpose of creating special deposit fund,
the beneficiaries to receive their pensions al
ter serving thirty years and icing S!Xty-fouI
years old. or suffering from total disability.
The amount CT pension proposed by the bill
is 10 per cent of the salary of the clerk.
What MIR. Wilson Says.
Representative Wilson, in speaking of his
bill to Star reporter today, said:
My attention was called to the need of
fund to be paid over to employees upon their
discharge by the large number of appeals
for help that were made to me by men and
women who had been in the government
service for a number of years and who lack
ed enough money to allow them to get to
their homes when they were discharged. 1t
seems to me that clerk will be able to live
On nineteen-twentieths of his salary if he is
able to live on the salary. By the plan pro-
posed in my bill clerk with salary of 500
a month would save $50 year, and it would
not be long before a discharge would not
find 4 clerk without means, as the savings
fund would be available at once. The gov
eminent is borrowing money at about per
cent per annum, so that there would De no
reason why it could not pay interest on this
fund.
Il will do all IN my power to forward this
bill during the present Congress 1t has
Eeen referred to the committee on reform IT
the civil SERVICE and soon as committees
are organized l will endeavor to have a
hearing on the bill.
Representative Wilson's proposition has
been received with varied expressions by
government employees. Some think that the
government is stepping beyond its province
W hen it undertakes to save money for gov
eminent employees, and they say the plan
smacks too much of paternalism. On the
other hand. great many people approve
the proposition ard believe it will do much
to correct "lorgee want
Dcpnr mental hen. Hcinl AssnciutiOns.
A case somewhat SIMILAR in the relief
sought to be secured for government EN-
ployes is cited in the case of the Depart
mental Beneficial Associations. Some years
ago death in a government department
was usually followed by a collection for the
benefit of the family of the deceased Fun
eral and other unusual expenses have to be
met on such occasions. and the suffering
that has appeared imminent caused the
friends of the deceased clerks to respond for
the relief of their families. The frequent
repetitions of such cases caused drain on
the pocketbooks of clerks and as means
of self defense the Departmental Beneficial
Associations Were formed. by which plan
each member. and nearly every employee of
the departments Joined the organiza tons.
was assessed twenty-five or fifty cents when
ever a member died, and in this way death
benefit of from 5000 to saO0 was paid. The
feeling in the departments is so strong on
the subject of these associations that if any
clerk is SO improvident and so selfish that
he or she is not willing to join the associa-
ton the general verdict of the clerks is that
their families should not apply or expect re-
lief