Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-15
Animated Attack on Secretary Gage
In the House.
THE RETENTION OF INCOMPETENTS
A Vigorous Criticism by Represen-
tative Moody of Massachusetts,.
BRIEF BUT WARM DEBATE

A brief but animated discussion occurred
in the House this afternoon over the propo-
sition which has been advanced by Secre-
tary Gage to reduce the salaries of clerks
In the department whose competency is
impaired by age and to retain them on
the pay rolls instead of dropping them
Mr.. Moody of Massachusetts, opened the
debate by declaring that Secretary Cages
proposition the first step in the di-
rection of the establishment of a civil pen
sion list. Mr.. Moody said this proposition
should be met by Congress at the very
threshold If it be true that We have
merit system which establishes a civil
pension list the American people stand
ready by majority of 100 to 1 to wipe
1t from the statute books. He did not,
however, believe the civil service law fus-
tered such an idea. There ought not to
De any Law which would retain in the
Puonc service people who are unable to
perform their duties
This proposition TO pension the aged he
said, would meet with opposition from the
American people AS a friend of the merit
system he would venture the statement
that if this proposition was insisted upon
as the policy of the administration in the
treasury department the worst enemy Of
the merit system would not be Gen. Gros-
Fehor, but would be Secretary Gage
Mr. Quigg's Question.
Mr. QuiSg of New York asked if it woull
not be infinitely brutal for the advocates
Of the merit system to throw an employe
cut of office in his old age after a lifetime
spent in the public service and at q time of
life when he could not get employment
elsewhere, and in this view of the case. If
a civil pension lis, is not a logical con-
cluSion
Mr. Moody replied he did not think 1t
would be brutal to turn a out when
ne can no longer perform his duties, espe-
cially when he had received for years a
salary double that which he could have
obtained in any other employment
Mr- johnson of Indiana, one of the
stanchest advocates in the House of the
merit system, repuaiate>i the suggestion
that the merit system leads to civil
pension list.
Mr. johnson said that no genuine adyo-
cate OF civil service ever dreamed OF a
civil pension list.
Don't you know asked Mr. Pearson
of North Carolina, that the chairman of
the committee on reform in the civil serv-
Ice has drawn bill to establish pen
sion fund.-
MIR. Johnson said the statement was in
correct. A bill was pending somewhere in
the committees to deduct monthly
from the salaries of clerks to form q
benefit fund, but he was even opposed to
the principle of this plan, and he believed
II would never pass Congress.
tended to Cripple the Law.
Mr.. johnson said this talk about a pen
sicn fund was bug-a-boo conjured up to
draw attention from the real object of
those who aim to cripple or repeal the civil
service law.
At this poiht Mr.. Bingham called atten-
ton to the fact that debate On the civil
service was out of order at this point as
an agreement had been react ed that the
debate should be postponed until the con-
sideration of the Dill Was concluded, and
the discussion ended.