Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-04-08
SOME REASONS WHY
Pension Agencies Should Not Con-
solidate as Proposed,
Gen. SeIden Conner Gives Some Information
on the Subject.

during the day at his Office at the State
House, attending to work which has
accumulated during his absence in
Washington. D. c.
General Common has not yet received
the notice of his appointment, and con-
sequently, has not filed his bond When
he has done so, and it has been ac-
cepted, which will probably be in about
a week, he will enter upon the work as
pension agent, with which he is thor
oughly familiar, having, as everyone
knows. previously been agent of the
Augusta office.
When asked regarding the order
made by ExPresident Cleveland to
consolidate number of the pension
agencies, the Augusta and Concord
offices being among them, he replied:
Il feel assured that the order will be
rescinded. for consolidation will effect
an increase rather than a decrease in
expense beside causing an inconven-
fence to pensioners in the remote parts
of the consolidated sections.
There are these points to take into
consideration. In the case of the pro-
posed consultations, the smaller
agencies, or. at any rate, the agencies
in the smaller cities would be merged
with those in the larger cities, as fol-
lows: Augusta and Concord with Bos-
ton; Buffalo with New York; Pittsburg
with Philadelphia; Jonesvlle and
Knoxville with Washington, D. c.:
Detroit with Indianapolis; Milwaukee
with Chicago: and Des Moines and
Topeka with a new agency to be es-
tablished at st. Louis.
Now, supposing they are thus con-
solidated. Far from a saving of clerk
hire. there would be an increase
Higher wages, are, from higher cost of
living, received in the larger cities
Allowing that the work was TO greater
Gt has been shown to be impossible
that it be any the less by the changer
there is an increase in expense by
clerk hire alone. l believe that the
work would not be less but greater, by
consolidation. The average cost of
clerk hire in the offices is Al cents. In
Augusta it is 43 cents per capita; in
Boston, 81. 1t does not seem reasonable
that the change to the Boston office
would result in any reduction under
those circumstances At the Buffalo
agency, the cost of clerk hire is 81
cents per capita in New York, 6S cents.
The rents in the larger cities are
roportionately even higher than the
clerk hire. Changes from government
buildings. as in the case of Augusta,
would be the transposition of business
from quarters which cost nothing in
rents to some in Boston, which, | am
informed. would have to be provided
outside of the present accOmmoda-
tons, as they are already all taken up.
Allowing that no extra room would
have to be provided in the cities to
which the consolidation was made,
would be a presumption that those
agencies were now occupying more
room than is necessary. Admitting
that there is some extra accommoda-
ton. it is unlikely that there would be
enough to take in another agency. n
New York, the rental of the building
in which the agency is located is $40
OG0 Ii is stated that by the addition
of the Buffalo agency. as proposed by
the order. quarters equally large as
those now occupied by the New York
agency would be necessary.
But. it should be understood that
the order does not state that saving
would be made by consolidation The
saving. il claimed would be made on
account of the law made in March, 1896.
requiring payment by mail only. in
stead of in person, If desired AS
matter of fact only 10000 pensioners.
8A per cent Of the entire number, are
paid in person. In the case OF these.
80 coo who are now paid by mail, and
who formerly called in person. the
present expense is greater, on account
of the mailing. the postage on which -
no inconsiderab sum.
But, what seems to me the most I'M
reasonable feature of the order was
the Si05. 900 which was 10 be saved
based on the premise that the average
cost per capita of the clerk hire would
be So cents. The assumption that this
saving would be possible, was by tax
ing as example the Columbus ana
Topeka agencies. the clerk hire OF
which is 35 cents. But, these two are
the lowest in the country, ana, as Will
he noted from comparison with the
average, u cents per capita below II.
With the removal of the agencies to
the larger cities where the clerk hlIo
is greater. it is not clear by what
means the average will be kept where
il is-much less decreased. 1t would
seem, indeed, that, were any saving 10
he made. il could be made only by the
consolidation of the agencies IN the
greater cities with those in the smaller,
where rents are lower and wages lower
from less expensive living. AS Tar as
the reduction in the price PAID Is con-
-cerned. the secretary of the interior
has the power to place it at any hSufe'
should he make it So cents, per capita
from the present indications 1t wouia
result in many. who are now in the en-
plov of the department, seeking othef
employment.
THE question arises as to now an
actual saving in labor can be eiecteo
bv consolidation. 1t may well ne coz
sjdered here, that the rolls are eh'eieu
in books which are made up with room
for payments covering PERIODS Oh seven
wears. The books of the dlHe!ei'
agencies cover different PERIODS so una
in the case of consolidation WITH the
Boston agency, for instance. 'heie
would be three separate rolls. 10 con-
solidate these rolls would De cause
of great extra expense. rms Wouio ~.
it is estimated. 100000. Were this