The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-26
AN AGE LIMITATION.

Representative Giliett. OF Massachu-
setts has introduced a bill in congress.
making e5 years the limit for continuance
in or appointment to the public service,
and excepting veterans and their widows.
There is something rather absurd about
the implication contained in this bin that
a man is not capable OF rendering efficient
service to the public after reaching the
age of s. years.
How ridiculous the assumption is may
be seen by looking. for example. over the
list OF present members of the United
States senate who have reached or passed
this limit. Commencing with the vener-
able Senator Morrill,. who is now in his
Ssth year. the list includes Sherman, Har-
ris. Morgan. Pugh, Hawley. Plat, Cullom,
Palmer. Voorhees,. Allison, Gear, PETER.
Frye. Hoar. George. walthall. Vest,
Jones OF Nevada, Stewart, Teller, Bate.
Mills and Proctor. Senator Quay, of
Pennsylvania, who lie looked upon as a
comparatively young man, lacks but
few months OF reaching the prescribed
age. Taking the senate as II stands.
nearly one-half of its members have pass
ed their Goth year.
Senator Morrill, entered the senate from
Vermont In 1857. and has held his seat
continuously ever since He passed the
prescribed age twenty-one years ago. yet
during the last twenty-ons years no pub
lie man has performed more faithful. and
few more distinguished, service than he
has done.
Senator Sherman VIII enter McKinley's
cab met In the most important position.
He is IA years of age. Under the pro-
posed law he would be ineligible for such
position, and would have so been for
the last nine years There are faw. how
ever. who believe that Senator sherman's
advanced age viii prevent his perform
ing the onerous duties OF the position he
has consented to assume. in a manner
satisfactory TO the president who has
chosen him and to his countrymen.
Senator Palmer, who has passed the pre-
scrieed age by fourteen years, was yet
thought young enough to carry the ban
ner Of true Democracy In the last cam
paign as candidate for the highest po-
sition In the gift OF the people.
No one has questioned the physical or
intellectual visor of either Senators Nor
gan or Harris. No members OF the SEN
ats take a more active or more aggressive
part In senatorial debates than do these
distinguished Southern senators. yet the
former IS upwards or ~ years of sse and
the latter fully Il.
II is quite probable shat the object OF
the proposed bin Is to put the civil service
In measure on a footing with the army
and navy In which services officers retire
at s. years OF age. Yet the difference is
apparent At IS years OF age a man may
be and generally is as well fitted for the
duties OF civi life as when twenty years
younger. A man or Ike aga. however. I'M
der ordinary circumstances would not ba
equally well htted for the hsrdshins and
exposures incident to war. The profession
OF arms calls less for great Intellectual
capacity and long experience than II does
for qualities more commonly found In
young OK comparatively young men than
In men whS have passed the meridian
OF life
There "a no analogy between the civtl
service and the military arm IN these re-
speots. and an age test which might be
Appropriate in one instance would be out
OF place IN the other.