Evening star., 1896-03-31
CLERKS PENSIONS
There Are Those Who Object to the
Plan Proposed.
OTHERS GIVE IT THEIR APPROVAL
Question Raised as to Its Consti-
tutionaIty.
TIL RIFT AND UNTH RIFT

The proposition to pass some sort of q
bill providing a pension system for depart
ment clerks has been subject of constant
discussion for months among those most
interested and likely to be most affected by
the idea. No bill has yet been introduced
in Congress that meets with entire ap-
proval among the clerks. Even the Tawney
hill. which emanated from the clerks them
selves, is criticised by many. There is, of
course, large number of thrifty saving
clerks. who do not need pensions to take
care of them when old age comes on, for
they have already provided for that them
selves. To such men or women the idea
of being compelled to give up a percentage
of their salaries for pension fund is objec-
tionable. They insist they would be forced
unjustly to carry other peoples burdens,
to contribute by their thrift and self-denial
to those who are prodigal and self-indul-
gent. Yet it is also apparent that there are
a large number of clerks who approve the
pension idea.
The Tawney bill and the similar one in
troduced in the Senate by Mr.. Davis pro-
vide for the retirement and pensioning Of
government employees in the classified SER
vice. under certain conditions, after July
l. 1900, the pension fund to be created by
withholding per cent Of the monthly sal
airy Of every such government employe III
the service. There are in all five bills be-
fore Congress on the general subject OF
clerks pensions Besides Mr.. Towney, Sen
ator Shoup and Senator Proctor each intro
ducsd bills; in the House Of Representa-
tiyes, Wilson Of Ohio and Powers Of Ver-
mont have also brought forward bills.
Chairman Brosius of the House commit
tee on reform in the civil service said to-
day that his committee is now working to
produce a bill providing a relief fund for
superannuated clerks in the departments,
the matter being directly in charge of the
subcommittee of which Mr. Tawney OF
Minnesota Is chairman.
II find tnat there is pretty fair division
of sentiment among the clerks for and
against the BILL" said Mr.. Brosius today.
II think the line of the division is one Of
age, as I find that the elderly clerks, as a
rule. are favorable to the bill and that
the most vigorous opposition comes from
the younger clerks. There is no doubt,
however. that there is a great deal of SEN
timent favorable to the bill, but I think
that the question as to the advisability of
legislation proposed is a serious one and
will be given full consideration by the
committee"
Clerks Favor 1t.
1.-The number Of clerks who are now In
favor of the pension bill,' said Mr.. l.. 8.
Mortimer one of the veteran employees of
the Post Office Department would today
be greatly increased if the fact were gen
orally known that the House committee
having charge Of the various bills-the
committee on reform in the civil service
had before it an amendment, and likely to
be adopted, providing that any clerk who
dies, is dismissed, or resigns, could draw
the fund accumulated to his credit with 4
per cent interest per annum. I circulated
a petition in the department., with the con-
sent of the Postmaster General, and 116 of
the clerks signed it. The sentiment in ia
vor of the proposition is. of course, yet un-
formed"
Io
receives general Endorsement. presume a
majority of clerks in government service
are now in favor of the Tawney bill
Many clerks i'll the Post Office Department
have told me they were sorry they had
not signed the petition that went to the
compittee from here.
1.-The Tawney bill would go into effect so
far as the accumulation of the per cent
goes July l, 1896. BY July l, 1900. the fund
would amount to $1,2OO,OOO At that time
there would be $50 clerks in all the ex-
ccutive departments eligible for compulsory
retirement and seventy-five who could
voluntarily retire. At the maximum PEN
sion Of $1U0 a month this would use but
$i5o,OOO of this fund, leaving S75O0OO ac-
cumulated for future use to meet with
drawals and a possible increase of the
number of eligibles as the present civil
service system takes on age and stability,
and men anu women enter on government
service, not'a makeshift, but as life
employment, just as men enter the army
OF navy.
Embracing Outside Clerks.
"There is one feature of the proposition -
said Mr.. Mortimer, (which Is peculiar A
great majority of the old clerks in the de-
partments are those of the higher classes
Of the service. 1t is perfectly natural that
after twenty or thirty years of service by
successive promotions these clerks should
be receiving from 81 GOO to $1,sOO a year.
They would therefore go on the pension roll
for the higher grades of pension. The old
est clerks in the departments are to be
found in the State Department; then in the
War, Navy and Post Office Departments
respectively. There is one clerk in the State
Department who has been there fifty years.
''The proposition must have merit in it,
for the Committee has received a great
many communications in favor of it, and
among them a number from outside of the
executive departments in Washington in
the customs and postal service, asking that
the TaWney bill be amended, so as to en-
brace outside branches of the service. This
proposition seems to meet with approval
among members of Congress and is likely
to become feature Of the measure. 1t will
only make the fund the larger and extend
the benefits of the system, without in any
way increasing the burden of it. OF course
this would not include postmasters pub
lie servants Of any kind outside of the civil
service.
A Smaller Percentage.
expressed himself very positively in favor
of the pension idea. Speaking for myself" }"
he said, 81 would be in favor of any bill pro.
viding a pension for employees who have
been long time in the service. I think
the percentage to be withheld from salaries
as proposed by the Tawney bill is too large.
Half of / per cent would produce a very
large fund when taken from thousands of
clerks and upon a large amount of salaries
in the aggregate When you deal with per-
oentages as applied to salaries you are
pretty apt to touch a man on a sore spot
Two per cent means so year on a $1,000
salary. That $50 nowadays is worth as
much as $40 was five years ago. At the
same time, if you take half Of per cent it
only means IS out of 81, 600 salary and
there is hardly a clerk in the service that
would object to betting S. once year on
this scheme. Now another thing, the max
imum pension proposed by all the bills be-
fore Congress is entirely too large. Men
are not going into this scheme as an in
vestment.
"A large proportion Of clerks don't expect
to be in the service twenty or thirty years.
A very small proportion select the public
service as a life employment. They would
simply charge up what they put into the
fund as SO much charity, which might pos
sibly in the long run of events become an
insurance for themselves.