The morning times., 1896-05-12
CLERKS OPPOSE THE Plan
Urge Their Objections to the
Proposed Annuity Scheme.
MAJORITY NOT BENEFITED
Informal Hearing Before Portion of
the House Civil Service Com mittee
Develops Strong Opposition-Ar-
guments Advanced That 1t Would
Encourage EXtravagance.

There was All informal hearing on Repre-
sentative Tawney's bill for retiring govern
ment clerks on annuities, yesterday after
noon, before portion of the House Com
mittee on Reform in the Civil Service.
The hearing had been set for O'Clock,
but owing to the Illness OF Chairman Brosius
and the absence of ma Jority of the com
mittee, there was a postponement until the.
same hour on Friday.
There were a number OF clerks present.
Much of the discussion, which was in
formal, assumed the nature OF personal
objections.
Mr.. Joseph Trainor, Of the Sixth Audi
tors office, argued that the bill would
have a demoraliZing influence upon the
younger clerks, who knowing, that they
would be provided for In their Old age.
would not be encouraged to save anything
from their salaries. A guarantee OF an
annuity after leaving the service would
result in making them reckless spend
thrifts now.
WOULD ENCOURAGE EXTRAVAGANC
He thought any man enjoying govern
menb office at good salary for term
OF thirty years should be able by IudiclOuS
management and even luxurious living, at
the end OF that time to have enough
laid by TO support himself. If he had not
he did not deserve an annuity TO be paid
by others. The younger clerks would
have to wait too long before they could
get any return from their inyestme ent,
and he did not believe the government
should compel any one to contribute to
any fund by taking a portion OF their
salary received, for any purpose.
From his observations there had been a
great reaction against the bill since it
was introduced. While mauy favored it,
perhaps a large majority at first now
upon reflection only those who were to
be its immediate bencncaTcs We're its
advocates.
Mr.. f. c. De Putron, Of the Pension Of
flee, said the government did not agree
to guarantee that the moneys paid INTO
the fund would be returned, should il be
exhausted before those who had Cong
tributei to ii should reap its benefits.
TENURE OF OFFICE.
Neither was tenure OF office guaranteed,
and should a clerk remain in office and
make his contribution regularly for twenty
nine years and then leave for better out
side position he would lose all he had con-
tributed. He did not like the tonune fea-
ture. HcindOrsed the vie ws OF Mr.. Trainor.
Government employees were no more than
the employees OF private individuals or cor
poratiOns, and no one ever Thought of
pensioning them or providing them with
annuities. AMI the great majority OF those
in private employ received less than those
in government service.
Mr.. W. z. Carr, OF the second auditors
office, and j former aCtuary ana mathema-
ticlan. was laden with figures for the
committee.
He showed that In 1900, when the first
tirnp ha hp
visions OF the bill, about 500 would be
eligible.
OF these almost all were over sixty years
of age, and yet not more than two-rifths
of those beyond that age would have served
thirty wears. Thus the efficiency OF the
service would not be improved by the re-
tirpment of this class, as those most in
efficient would continue for the purpose
of receiving the competency in a few years.
The fund created would be entirely eX
hausted by the year 1910, and he did not
believe that a deduction OF 10 per cent.
would he sufficient TO meet the require
meuts. He produced insurance tables and
the record of the civil service commission
regarding the ages of those in service to
prove that the annuity period would be
three times as long as the contributing
period, aud no fund based upon such
calculation could be we'll founded or per-
manent.
Mr. Tawney, the author of the measure,
said he had become interested in the
question solely for the purpose of improv-
ipg the service. The government was now
maintaining a lorg quasi pension roll. by
continuing in office a large number OF
clerks. who, from physical inability, old
age. and otherwise were unable 10 earn but
a small PORTION OF the salary they Were re-
ceiving. IT debarred promotions, and was
a constant loss to the country, yet the
government did not feel like turning them
out of office after they had served SO faith
fully and so long. There was an evil in the
system and sooner or later 1t must be
remedied.
:. EVIL TO BE REMEDIED.
When the people became aware of the
vast amount of money thus paid out, for
which there was no return i'll service. he
feared it would threaten even the founda-
tjons of the civil service law.
large number of department clerks
have expressed their intention of being
present at the hearing before the full com
mittee and OF vigorously attacking the
measure. 1t is said that large fund has
been subscribed for the purpose of fight
ing The consttutionality of the act, should
it become law.