The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-02-18

teaching profession for many years.
And as the retirement fund is be
raised by an assessment on teachers
salaries, and not by taxation of the
general public, there is a feeling that
if the teachers want such an act, they
ought to have it. The privision of the
Dill in question apply only to cities
Of $4,000 or more population, and
therefore will affect only Minneapolis,
st. Paul and Duluth-and will not be
| in force in any one Of these cities
until thrcefourths Of the public school
teachers petition for it. Thus it IS
most thoroughly local option meas
llrc. 1t is said that eighty per cent Of
the Minneapolis pIr)lic school teachers
have expressed themselves in favor Of
sucn an act. Some Of the younger
teachers oppose it, but they are very
Short-siEit"d in doing so. For it Il
young teacher remains in the profess
sion the retirement act will hasten his
or her chances of promotion by retir-
more rapidly: and if they marry and
| leave he profession. the creation of
the fund Immediately ceases to be
burden on them. Is it not better for
Il Young teacher to contribute Il small
percentage Of her salary while she is
young and strong and more capable
Of sc!:-deniaI, with Il view of making
| provision for old age. and then run
the risk of being thrown upon the
| world penniless when decrcptitude has
set in? Age and the failure of the
bodily and mental powers is some
thing that cannot be avcrted. II any
class Of workers need the assurance
! OF a pension, after long and faithful
service, to fall back on. it is the
| teaching class. for the occupa ton is
one Of peculiar nervous strain. After
20, 25 or 80 years Of such work. Ne
| tirement with living competence is
richly earned.
1t has been found. in cities where
the teachers retirement plan has been
| in operation for some years, hat the
fund is considerably swelled by lega-
cies and donations. The benevolentIv
| inclined find this an attractive and
| worthy channel for their .benefcencies.
The fund may also be swelled, form
time to time. by benefit entertain
ments Of one kind or another. Con-
| ce?ts, lectu fairs, private theatre
Gals, etc. Systematically planned and
conducted through a series of years,
might make handsome addition 10
the money available for pensions.
The Minnesota act proposes to tax
the teachers one per cent Of their sal
aries each month This, on salary
of 5000. would amount to 81 per
| month; on salary of $1,000, to So,
| and SO on-not a serious burden. A
| teacher. on retiring, will receive an
| annuity equal to half his or her sal
AIRY at the time of retirement
vidcd, however, that no annuity is to
exceed the sum of 5000. If there is
! not enough money in the retirement
fund to pay the full annuity, each an
| nuity is to be sealed down pro rata.
We notice. from Il carefully prepar-
ell table isucd for the information Of
the public, that the retirement fund
system has been in operation in
| Brooklyn. Detroit, Chicago, New York,
San Francisco and st. Louis since 1895.
and in Buffalo and Cincinnati and
throughout New Jersey since 1896. It
was established in Toledo, Syracuse
and Providence last year. but it is
not yet in full operation in those cit
les. In Brooklyn the maximum an
nnity is $1,000: in New York $1,000,
in st. Louis $500. and in all the other
cities 5000. except in Detroit, where
it is SlOO. The minimum service re-
qnircd to rntitIe Il teacher to pen
sion runs from 20 to 80 years. The
proposed Minnesota act makes it 20
years to secure Il teachers retirement
for disability. and from % to al years
to secure optional retirement on an
|annuity.
The bill seems to be well guarded
care and invest mcnt. Of the fund, and
to prevent favorit ism in awarding an
nUiticS. The Tribune believes it is a
praiStWOrthv measure and would like
to see it become i; law. minneapolis
Tribune