New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-16
OPPOSING A RETIRED LIST
ASSISTANT SECRETARY VANDERBILT D
PLAN ATTACKED IN THE HOUSE
cRI11Crs,fs OF THE PROPOSAL TO PLACE SUPER
ANIMATED TREASURY EMPLOYEES ON AN
HONORABLE SERVICE ROLL


Washington. Dec 15-As might have been OK
nected the suggestion recently advanced by '"e
Treasury Department officials that the ellclc"O'
OF the service be increased by retiring to an non
ora bio service rolf clerks whose usefulness mas
been impaired by age has been met with vigor-
Gus protest on the part Of public men VINO IeV'
that an attempt now to establish what might w
REGARDED as q civil pension list would so ldl ~
discrcdit the existing merit system OF appointments
and promotions. In the House OF Representatives
to-day several outspoken friends OF the preseh.
Civil Service system including Mr.. Moody OF
Massachusetts,. and Mr.. Johnson, OF Indiana loon
occasion to put themselves on record as absolutely
opposed any scheme for the practical retirement
o. veteran clerks by transferring them to lower
salaricd grades and assigning to them less thah tue
customary allotment Of clerical duties.
1t was contendcd by the critics OF the Treasury
pan that the spirit Of the present Civil Service
regulation did not contemplate the building up OF
civil pension retired list. and that to be9h
a movement looking toward any tenure OF ONCE
not based actual performance was inviting an
assault on the whole theory OF competitive appoint
ment TO and advancement in the Government SER
vice The debate in the House was, OF course, a
Incident in the broader discussion OF the
pending Legislative. Executive and judicial APP
preparation bill but it developed an exceeding lively
and strenuous hostility In that branch OF Congress
the what might be considered the Treasury's
purpose establish a retired list for the benefit OF
its superannuated employees.
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENTS PLAN.
The Treasury scheme so far as 1t has been
actually formulated is outlined in the following
letter FORM which has been prepared for the use
OF the Secretary:
Honorable Service Roll, Treasury Department
cl.,s washington - 9inst D o Ct q; 1884,.
sir have TO advise you th2t after Fa ssrese
as related to the office in which you are now
employed, ii appears 10 be necessary TO make some
and to promote efficiency in the service In doing
this IL proposed to place your name ana r ins
which you have been related to the Goyernments
administration upon the honorable service roll, a
roll established 10 recognize and commemorate long
and faithful service. 1t would be pleasure were
least continuation Of your present rate OF remun-
eraton but the present exigencles OF tho pubic
Appointed clerk Gle OF class ~, With Compensation
al the rate OF s.. in the office OF TO take
It is hoped and believed that with this modhca-
ton your official duties may be mnde less srduous.
and that the disabilities INCIDENT to advancing
years may not prevent this Department from still
recurring tho benefit Of your knowledge and ex-
pcrencc for an extended period.
Tho following statement OF the intentions OF
Secretary Gage was given out to-day by prom
incnt Treasury ofilcal
Secretary Cage intends that the honorable service
roll for old employees shall he precisely what It's
name imports-a record OF honorable service The
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing will soon COM
eraved and it viii be bestowed by the Secretary
upon such OF his clerks as have attained the age
OF seventy years or more ~ Is NOT Ihe ln1ent b
OF Secretary Gage 70 enforce the provisions arp-
trarily a. once A careful consideration OF the
needs Of the public service. as related to the once
In which they employed will make from time
Celerate tho public service and promote the Ell.
cheney OF the service. The name and the history or
service roll established to recognize and commemo-
rate long and faithful service. Or. Nanderllp says
or AT least continuation Of the present grade OF
remuneration II would be pleasure, ~ - moReu
partmont that this act OF enrolment on this hon
orabc service roll viii result IN making oi IT,
rcai1e that the disabilities incident to advancing
Srttor. and the Department hopes that by CARRYING
their names that roll II can SUI! So -, ~
bcncnt OF tho knowledge and eIperence me CLERKS
have gained by long service There Is no; pro
vision in law for the creation OF $3.50, ron Mi he
carried upon the rolls Of the Department. 10 Satu-
Gy,ie number Of the clerks are honoraoly dis
charged Unon soldiers Of the late War OF the He mel
lion The number by years ~ 10Y Soro w"re SOL
Gers seventy one four persons, ono soldier sew
n,c uers1ns one soldier: seventy-four, -FOUR per
sons two soldiers: seveniy-hve. three persons, ewo
sodiers Four persons one soldier; seventy
eight two persons. no soldiers sevehIy nns one
Two s0d ,o pe es one soldier eighty
two two persons one soldier eighty-three Two p oi
der or total Of nftyeght persons ana 6wenH ge
five soldiers They are scaterea tD ~, re depart
many bureaus nr{c an W"shinson and the figures do
not include PsSf0pf IN nor ore in the internal
service at large nor In the customs ser''e'
THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.
7, mo House to-day. Mr.. Moody (Rep' maSS'
called attention 10 what he termed the e'1.o,.r
nary proposition" advocated by Assistant 49,,
Vanderlip in an interview puolished tii' s,,
In that interview Mr. Moody said Mt, '"4iu'''.
nronosed 10 establish In tho Treasury Depa' mem
yba, f., effect would he civil pension list AS
ono ~ ,boq who believed in the merit system 10
thought Congress ought 10 meet TINS proPoS'"o'.
nj the threshold III this system whicn We Suppo,
T. to lead to the establishment OF nnnle ought
m vino IL out Of existence. General applamse3 h
9 Ed "I oeir9iiy to civil pension list but
ON the other he did believe that tte wouId
meet the dsapproval Of the American people, S ~ saS
a friend OF Civil Service ReIorn, ~ aGhtlng il
it's worst enemies are not those VINO al sn Ike The
openly ike General Grosveaor put MN tbe Tabnet
nhr o. this Pr rd6 HMc Eh0 sy'S "oAppause
Mr.. Qugg Rep. n. ~ thous in lee ' r. would
ONCE led naturally 20 cV p1n on TO starve after
thew Mad spent their lives in the service anu "e'e
Mr. Moody denied thai was brutal TO turn out
man after he had ceased 10 be yaiu a esPT
double thai for the same service IN privdt ardd Ie Mr.
MIR; Johnson GtcP y imd he sa propositon of Mr
Vanderip and said was particularly m
this inoPpor'ssnee S SmF fs should admonsh
HIM Ills proposition violated the spri, and letter
81 Tho law Government clerks should 90 as olHe'S
| provide for rainy day -, ~ , ..or.
MIR Mr. Ouigg Mr.. Pearson RepD n g and others 1
- M involved i'm the debate. Finally Mr. Blns-
p ~ charge of the bill appealed TO tho House
90 Ict thls subject. which had been postponed unI
infer the rest OF the bill was competed 20 o'e''
| and the debate subsidized x,.,.,,v.
| Eightv-nine of the liz pages OF the Lesisauvre
L,vrcutive and Judicial bill were covered ana oh,y
| one amendment Of Importance was adopted m ~
| rnduced the clerical force OF the Pension oHices
| nInctv-ivc involving a reduction In salaries Oh
| $4,000. ,..o. ,,,,r ,on,or
| ADVOCATING CUBAN BELLIdERENC1'
MR. DE ARMoND LEADS OFF IN SUPPORT OF THE