Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-05

| third, all clerks who have served over five
consecutive years. but who are not eligible
10 retirement, who may be deprived of Of
nee by legislative enactment OF failure
OF congress to appropriate money to pay
tne,r salaries, or by a necessary reduction
OF the force in their department. The above
three classes are absolutely all who will
ever be reimbursed without being placed
on the annuity list.
Gruesome Alternative
In other words, the clerks who resign
or are dismissed, during their first five
years of service will be few and far be-
tween, and II ever a clerk is deprived of
his office, the letter of dismissal will never
state that the ground of dismissal is on
account of legislative enactment or the
Iallure or Congress to appropriate salary
or because of reduction of the force; SO
mat the only sure way to get your money
back will be to die in service.
NOW, 1t is probably true that nearly all
clerks under the civil service have been in
service over five years, or will have been
by July l, 1896 and therefore it cannot be
disputed that should any of us having
served five full years resign or be dismissed
at any time after July l, 1896, and before
retirement by reason of old age or a decline
or our mental or physical powers or for
any other cause mot attributable to the act
or failure of Congress or reduction of the
iorce), the employe so resgninS or being
dismissed would lose every cent which this
terrible Tawney bill had taken from him
or her.
Brother clerks, awake to the danger
"flch menaces you! If you wish to save
your salaries from being confiscated for the
benefit of those long service clerks, VINO
We're formerly general service clerks en-
listed for service in the executive depart-
ments and formerly enlisted members of
the signal Service of the United States
army uhe above Is the language of the
plil,' arouse yourselves. Circulate petitions
against this iniQuitou measure Go and see
your senators and Representatives and ge-
them to vote against it. Call meetings and
pass protesting resolutions. Do all you can
10 deteat this measure, which is so out
fageously unjust and so violative not only
OF the United States Constitution, but of
every principle of right to the honest hard
Working and patriotic government en-
ployes.'
Vote by Clerks Suggested.
An Indian office clerk makes the follow
ing reasonable suggestion:
lie Star of today shows the Tawney
Dill favorably reported by subcommittee
AS an employe of the government of over
twenty years standing, l would beg leave
to suggest that it would be only lust to the
large number of clerks whose salary is to
De taxed to obtain from them an express
sion of opinion, by vote on the subject. be-
fore congressional action. I. with many
at all desirable
Still another clerk sends the following OBJ
Jections to the bill:
The object of the Tawney bill is good:
put the modus cperandi of accomplishing
Its purpose is bad-unjust FOR many rea-
sons. No one acquainted with the govern
mental service can deny that there are
many superannuated clerks whose services
might be dispensed with without loss But
II the government has a worn-out servant
whose duty is it to take care Of him? If
1t is a charity. does it fall properly upon
his fellow clerks alone?
But suppose it is not the duty of the gov
eminent so much the duty of the gov
erhmcntal Clerk to support the superan-
ruated, why should the annuity ever
amount to $500. more than three times
the average income of the American fam
lily? Is it because, since his felo.y CLERKS
Day the stipend Of charity it should be
royal! Is not 500 per annum enough for
the maximum limit? There was a time
when American manhood would have
spurned the idea CT living at another's ex-
rense, and there are many of us today
who feel no need of this bill in any shape
feeilnS that we are better qualified to
manage our own affairs than any one else
can De for US: Bat if we must pay a PEN
sion is Lot $3.50 enough?
Again, if this Observation-Disclosures
association is to have the sembIance of ius-
tlce, every man who receives its benefits
should pay equally INTO the common fund
3 per cent Of his average salary received
e.
ment. before being entitled to allowance.
what kind of scheme is this to tax few
clerks to pension old ones who have en-
J"yed their salaries for a long time and
nave never contributed to the fund? Is it
a civil service law to keep partlsans in of
nee by shutting off competition for their
places, or trick to get something for
nothing? In the name of equity. let charity
be just.
There is another objection Suppose a
clerk mas paid into the common fund for
ten years, and is discharged for so-called
cause; WHY should not ne or she be en-
titled to withdraw what they have paid in,
the same as in case of death or resigna-
ton? clerk is at the mere of his su-
periCrs already; there is not for him. as
with q private in the army, the right of
trial-not even by a drum-heai court mar
tial; he must suffer the decree or edict of
his superior III rank. Because this officer
hates him or is of different party should
he have the right to charge him with some
thing, and thereby rob him of this enforced
savings? The lass of American manhood
makes this measure even plausible. If we
must have it, let it be just and equitable"
-a0