Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-11
AGAINST CIVIL EXTENSIONS
cd
Two Government Clerks Who Oppose the
Tawney Bill
One Argues From constitutional
posed Law a Plan OF Robbery.

The Tawney bill for the retirement Of
clerks continues to excite controversial in
terest of many of the governmental en-
ployes, and letters on the cubject are still
reaching The Star from all quarters. A
correspondent signing himself de Jure'
writes:
Il feel that would be- doing less than
my duty did not mention a few Of the
reasons why the government employees
whom 1t proposes to rob have not said,
written and done more in opposition there
to than they have. The most thoughtful
and best Informed ones believe that there
is no more likelihood Of such a scheme
ever becoming a law than there Is proba-
bility that the beautiful golden dome of the
new Library building will be torn away
and a common shingle roof substituted. 1t
Is not believed for minute that even
small per cent Of the intelligent legislators
Of these United States will sanction legis-
lation which proposes to systemati cally rob
the honest employees Of the government OF
a part Of their salaries; for it Is asserted
without fear Of successful contradiction
that 1t is nothing less than that to take a
certain per cent Of a man or a woman's
pay without an equivalent when they pro-
test against 1t. Good constitutional law
yers assert that it would be practically i'm
possible to frame a bill on the lines Of the
proposed Tawney law that would stand the
test Of the courts.
Robbery by unconstitutional legislation
cannot be construed to be due process Of
law. What would the Congressman think
OF a scheme to take 3 per cent of his 5000
salary each year, and lay it aside to pen
sion some member or Senator who has
been fortunate enough to have been ma
uonal legislator for twenty or thirty years,
who Is ready to retire with a clean record
ana empty pockets? l say empty pockets,
10 holt hat al anr1a
and those who were general service clerks
and members Of the signal service of the
United States army about the only ones
who advocate this bilD would not consent
to be placed before the world as mendi-
cants and pensioners at the expense of
their fellow-clerks had they not been i'm
provident and prodigal during the twenty
or thirty years that they have drawn fair
salaries. from which they could and should
have saved at least small competence.
These old employees certainly would not
seek by legislation to put their hands into
the pockets of their neighbors and steal
part of their salary had they any con-
science, self-respect or money. l feel like
reminding those clerks who advocate the
bill Of the story of the ant and cricket.
1T would perhaps be for the good of the
office before the civil service law on the
statute books. and consequently had no
educational test applied to them, were re-
tired, but 1t will not be done at the expense
D
thought for minute that the House and
Senate and the President will sanction a
scheme to rob the people who came in
through the straight and narrow gate of
competitive examination, and who are COM
petent and do efficient, Intelligent depart
mental work. for the benefit of class who
should retire themselves. Should such a
scheme ever become a law it's constitu-
tionality would be tested very soon with
out question, for 80 per cent of all the en-
poyes, who would not be beneficiaries,
whom 1t would seek to rob, have too much
self respect, assertiveness and manhood to
tamely submit to such a measure"
Civil W.. Military Service.
Justice" takes up another phase of the
case, and. in arguing against the proposed
II easure, writes:
Il should like to correct an idea held by
some civil service employees that there is a
parallel between themselves and the army
and navy. warranting civil pensions The
man who goes Into the army and navy
1oregoes all opportunities for money MAX
ing, or for public preferment. He loses his
civil status; his home is on the sea or in
barracks, his life is not his own, but his
country's. to be laid down or wrecked per-
haps at any time that his country calls for
1t In war or in hardship. With no choice of
his own he is sent to the frontier to desert
places, to pestilential chimes, to extremes of
temperature. All the ties of family and
social life are severed. His environment
either intellectual culture as found in cities
or the physical comforts of the Washington
markets. More might be said, but this is
enough to show. by happy contrast. the
Washington
Soldiers and sailors are disfranchised as
they have no fixed residence, and If civil
employees are to be put upon the life tenure
plan and taken out of politics, the civil
service law. to be consistent, should dis
franchise them. So long as they are per
mitted to go to their several states to vote
they Will be subservient to party politics.
TWO objects are sought by the civil service
commission: To secure competency and
character. and to take the service out of
politics. The value of civil service examina-
tons Is that q certain standard of uualifi-
cations Is secured, but it is a mistake to
suppose that there is something in the gov
eminent routine that is not quickly learned
and which requires special abilities Aside
from the scientific bureaus, the uualifica-
lions needed are quite inferior to those of
school teachers. who receive from one-half
to tWo-thirds the salaries of departmental
employees. Education and intelligence are
general in this country, and every Ameri-
can IS the peer of every other American in
more than a phraseology. Frequent refer
ence is made to the civil service of other
countries. but in a country where the gov
eminent is by the people for the people all
us departments are open to the people from
the President down, by limitation of Off
cial terms. The army and navy alone have
a life tenure. and the reason for that is in
the special training required and the La
ture of the service. The idea of pensions
involves risks or losses, and where are there
any such In civil employment, except in
the railway postal service? Department
clerks have the most favorable conditions
possible for comfort and safety, and an
ample. assured income, without the ne
cuniary worries and liabilities of people in
business ventures paying less. 1t seems a.
reflection upon the capacity or character of
government employees to create a pension
fund for the benefit of those longest in ser
vice, who have had the benefit Of promotion
which means larger salaries, at the expense
OF the newer clerks who are struggling with
snailer pay ana are content to do their
duty in office and to become Of some ac-
count out Of Office
In HOTEL CORRIDORc