Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-10
The Discussion Of the Tawney Bill
Still Goes On.
STRONG ARGUMENTS FOR and AGAINST
The Arithmetic of the Proposition
Set Forth.
THE VARIOU VIEW

The clerks in the various departments
continue to discuss the Tawney bill AS a
rule, the clerks are in favor of it. Yet the
majority VINO support the proposition
choose to say but little in regard to it,
while those who oppose 1t speak out with
uaestrained freedom in opposition to the
measure. The older and more judiciou3
officials unhesitatingly give their support
to the bill.
Mr.. Thomas A. Broadus. one of the old
clerks in the pension office. who has been
a most earnest advocate of the measure
from the beginning of the movement, said
today to a Star reporter: Il wish the prop
osition bore a name more precisely true.
1t is not a bill to pension clerks. and it
does not put the clerks rights and priv
ileges on the footing of pensioner of the
government. If 1t is called a pension there
Is likely to be confusion of ideas. People
will begin to transfer and apply to this sys-
tenn the ideas and principles applicable to
soldiers pension.
The Withdrawal Feature.
TT should be distinctly understood that
the clerk is buying an annuity for himself:
that it terminates with his own life. and
cannot be claimed by his widow or minor
children; and. it seems to me, that as a
premium on long and faithful service
clerks who voluntarily resign should not
mulated to their credit. Where, by causes
outside of himself, such legislation
which cuts off his service, dismissal or
death, the fund to his credit might prop
erly he withdrawn by himself or his heirs.
As to the constitutionality Of the measure.
i think that it is idle to discuss it. If Con-
gress passes the Tawney bill every clerk
who goes to work the day after it goes
into effect acquicsces in it, agrees to a new
contract for his services, and is bound by
IL There is compulsion about it. He is
perfectly free to resign.
THE Tawnsy bill is practical. straight
forward and TO the point. The objection
raised to the withholding of . per cen. from
salaries is absurd when you remember that
charge or death. if occurring before the
clerk is eligible 70 retirement.
Annuity Rather Than Pension.
Let us note. first. that this is not PEN
sion-a drain upon the treasury. 1t is equva-
lent to a cooperative purchase of an an
nuity against disability or age after stated
service.
And. second, the amount of deducti is
so small as TO present no obstacle at all. A
clerk at 81 800 would he assessed only S., per
month"; to provide for a certainty. to which
he could look forward. and which would
greatly ease and comfort his mind. To say
that ne could use this 81 per month in his
own way TO greater advantage is to ignore
the fact that he is purchasing an annuity
which VIII be secure from the failures and
fluctuations of all the speculative enter
prises he could possibly ind to put his 81
a month into.
And. third. this purchase of an annuity.
which will be handled by the safest Gus
todian in the worid-the United States gov
ernment-will be the logical sequence and
frl'ition of the civil service in its permanent
benefits
Arithmetic of the Bill.
Mr. Carr of the sixth auditors office is
opposed to the bill. He writes The Star as
follows:
In no way, perhaps, can the fitness or
nnfitneSS of this measure to become a law
be better demonstrated than by means of
Plain figures showing it's practical work.
1nSs and results If enacted The important
questions it involves aside from that of
public policy are those of equity and prac-
tcabhty- If 1t can be shown that it will
distribute its benefits in approximately
equal III assure among all concerned, and il
the means proposed prove adequate to the
creation and maintenance of the necessary
1und. 1t should be speedily eracted. But
If, on the contrary, it should be shown that
Its benefits are to accrue in a great meas
ure, TO less than majority of those con-
cerned with an immense grab in il for
somebody, and that the maintenance of
the fund upon the plan proposed would be
Impossible, thus necessitatinig it's aban-
comment IN few years. unless the rate of
assessment should be largely increased or
tlon, then it should he promptly rejected
" nile the bill contains both a pension
and savings fund feature the real object
and chief interest centers in the former
The average salary is, in round numbers
sl,tD Il year. The average assessment
would, therefore. be s2i a year, and the
average yearly pension 500 each-for how
long! The average age Of those to he re-
tired IN 1909 will probably be sixty-fye
years ard pension would have to be pro-
N .it,en 4or each for an average period of
eieven years. that being the average 'ex-
Iectatlon for persons of that age, as
SHOWN by De Fairs tables, a recognized
authority among American insurance com
Ianies. wan
The inequality at the Start,
we VIII be conservative, and put 1t at
Ten years, and to pension them will re-
Quire the average sum of $1,000 each. to
winch each will have contributed on an
average the magnificent sum of s96,
with such Slittering prospects-or at
least, possibilities-in view of those who cx-
Pect 10 retire on the date mentioned mr.
soon after, the extraordinary activity dis.
prayed III orcer to push the measure
through congress may be accounted for
me average age of those retiring after
1An VIII be about sixty years the nider
ones being then cut of the way). for tho
records of the civil service Commission
shoM the average age of those who pass as
traction over twenty-nine years, So 1hirIv
may De taken as the average age of an
polntees. and sixty the average age IN
completing thirty years service
The average person of sixty has four-
teen more to live. To pension all
retiring after 1900. then, Will renuira
on an average more than s12.OOO each
10 which each will have contributed
from SID to 500, according to date
OF retirement, the former sum repre
senting i've years contributions and the
latter thirty years, or the maximum: the
average individual contribution for the next
xnirty years being something over S4OO and
me average individual pension being. saw
SI"Wo. or 80 pension for each 81 contrib
uted by the pensioner. Even after the
maximum period and amount of contrihu
ZION has been reached Qhirty years hence,
each pensioner will get an average over
$ioWn for contribution of $72O, or nearly
xlo FOR 81. Now, this money must come
from somewhere. In case of the old Line
F1Te Insurance Company, the fund for nav
ment of losses is largely made up by the
contributions of those who do not suffer
loss, and therefore get nothing back. In
old line life insurance the rate of premi-
UNI Is SO adjusted that the average indi-
Vldual benefit shall not exceed Tor even
equaD the average individual contribution
In other forms of insurance the same ,..in
cfple governs. the Only difference being
In the mode Of its application
The Withdrawal Feature.