Evening star., 1896-04-04
CLERKS RETIREMENT FUND
Points Urged in Favor Of the Tawney
y Bill

following statement to 4 Star reporter on
the subject to-day:
1.-The report Of the civil service commits
sion for 1894 sontains detailed account of
the status Of thq civil service in all the coun-
tries wherewitH the United States have dip
lomatic relations.
"All the United States and some of the
half-civilized countries OF South America
alone excepted) make provision for the re-
tirement Of their public servants-some at
government expense, while others have the
same plan that Is now in consideration be-
fore Congress, ie., an assessment upon the
salaries of employees.
There is no better incentive to honest
and faithful performance of duties of all
classes of employees, whether public or pri-
vate, than the prospect of provision for
old age. 1t is useless to expect that at the
present time Congress will adopt any
dens upon the tax payers of the country by
the creation of a retired list for civil SER
vice employees similar to that for the
army and navy officers. hence the plan pro-
treasury.
1.-The junior members 6f the civil service
are almost unanimous in favor of this re-
tirement scheme. 1t insures them speedier
promotion. and they know that one years
increase OF their salaries will pay the re-
qulred assessment for many years to come
VI course. there are always some who
will object to the retention of any part of
their pay. they being well able to spend all
OF 1t. Such men will object to anything for
the teneft of themselves or their fellow
creatures, hence their senseess abuse Of
the proposed measure, and their talk of its
unconstitutionality. 1t Is but fair to say
that they are in the minority, and are men
who 90 not intend to remain in the employ
CT the government. which they have enter
ed as a makeshift, either to study pro-
fsssion or for other purposes; not with the
intention OF devoting their energies and
talents to the benefit of the government.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Tawney and
which is the one rrder consideration before
the committee of the House reform in
the civil service, contains the following
p1 DIVISIONS:
"A retention of per cent from the sal
aries of ell employees of the classified serv-
| Ice tc commence with July I, 1876.
From the 1st of July, 1900, the compul-
| sorry retirement Of every employe of sew
| enty or more years Of age. and of at least
| twenty-five years service.
The optional retirement Of employees Of
thirty years service and sixty years of
| age.
The retirement, after a certain number
| of years, of employees disabled in line of
| their duties.
"All retired employees to receive month
| ly salary of three-fourths Of the amount
| of the salaries they were receiving at date
| Of their retirenie mt.
Every employe who may be hOnorably
| ulScuaTSeu DS reason OF feQucllOn OF the
| fcrce, before becoming eligible for retire
ment, to receive back the amount withheld
| from him, together with four per cent
| interest, and in the event of his death. his
widow or legal representatives to receive
| the amount.
THE bin now before the committee is
in the hands. of a subcommittee for per
tection nearly as possible in all its de-
tails. and may, before being finally laid be
| fore the House for action, he considerably
amended, but 1t is earnestly hoped that it
may pass in some shape during this ses-
sion of Congress.
THE present salaries of government
| clerks have been established under the old
system. hence their liberality in compa ri
son with other countries Now, that an inn
provement of'our civil service is gradually
taking place. it is under proposition to
make reclas ifcation. with view to ere
ating clerkships of lower grades of salaries
This will be avoided should the bill become a
| law. -
THE saving m the government. by a re-
| duction of salaries Of the lower grades of
| clerkshps, will, it is believed, be more than
| sufficient to establish retiring scheme
| which will not touch TIE pockets of the op-
| ponents of the present bill and it will be a
| qualification to them to retire finally with
| out the loss of a dollar
Some Amendments Sussested
| Another department clerk in a statement
| made for The Star questions whether the
! proposed retirement scheme is approved by
A
proposed scheme is nothing more or less
| than an insurance organization. why is it
| rot founded on true and just plan Of in
surance principles? My first OBJ
lection to the bill now before
have an assessment rate according to age.
| Surely clerk forty to llfty years of age
! ought to pay more than one from twenty
kfve 10 thirty-tiNe years old; his chance Of
retirement on Il pension is greater and he
! becomes a beneficiary at less expense than
| the younger clerk.
| Why not start fair? Why not pay a clerk
irrespective of time of service. say 80 per
cent of his average annual salary during
| his tenure of Office, whenever such clerk
| shall be adjudged incapacitated by board
| of medical examiners appointed by the
! President? What is the objection to this
| is there any-unless it be from the persons
| already eligible and who fear that the fund
! would not be self-sustafning? If the Taw-
| new bill is enacted is it not class legislation
| at the beginning? The greater number Of
| clerks 1 am sure do not ask any pension
list; but II Congress is determined to i'm
pose one on this great body of helpless ser
wants, by all that Is fair and just let US
| all stand on an equal footing, and as Con-
| gress claims to represent the majority,
offer substitute to the Tawney bill-one
that think is more equitable to the ma
| jority
! The substitute bill referred TO proposes to
| withhold from the salary of clerks per
centum for clerks over twenty-one years of
age and under thirty years; per centuu)
| fer clerks over thirty years and under forty
years, per centum for clerks over forty
years Of age and under fifty years, and
per centum for clerks over fifty years of
| age. to be deposited to the credit Of the
| civil service retirement fund"
| The Retirement Fund.
! Mr. Joseph Trainor writes to The Star in
| answer to some figures presented by Mr..
Mortimer In support of the project outlined
| In the Tawney bill. Mr.. Trainor says:
"The law, Mr.. Mortimer says, going into
effect, so far as the accumulation of the 2
| per cent goes, July 1, 1896 next july, the
Iund would amount to H,2OO.OOO by July /,
1880, apparently very large and ample
sum, when it would become available for
the proposed pensions.
This accumulation, it will be readily seen.
would be at the rate of $4,000 a year for
four years, and would continue at the same
rate, presume, thereafter. He also says
that at this DATE, Guly l, 1900 there will
be 800 clerks in all the executive depart
ments eligible for compulsory retirement
and seventy-fivei who could voluntarily re-
| tire" The maximum pension. Mr.. Morti-
mer states, would be 500 per month-S1 200
per year-for' each retired employe, but I
think it would be more than this, for nearly
every one of the said employees to be retired
In 1900 has been a high-grade employe,
81, ,6OO or 81 800 per year, and the Tawnev