The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-11
PUBLIC PENSIONS.

The G Il o b e, in recently discussing
| the proposed provision of the new city
charter of Minneapolis which looks to
the pensioning of city teachers after a
certain period of service, called attention
to the fact that the movement in the di-
rection Of the pensioning of public en-
ployes was gathering headway each day.
It also adverted to the objection which
existed against the proposed pensioning
plan In the other city by reason of the
discrimination which was involved in
favor of one set of city employees.
Within a few days a meeting has been
held in the city of New York of the
| civil employees of the state, the chief OBJ
! ject of which was the enactment of such a
law as would secure a pension of one
! half salary to any city employe who had
served for a consecutive period of twen-
ty-five years. The objection has been
raised through those participating in that
meeting against favorit.sm in this direc-
ton to any particular class. At present
there dIS III LLiS DlS CiLJ CCi tclll SAty C1ll-
pIoyes, among them the. policemen ard
fremen, the teachers, the surgeons of the
police department, the employees of the
health department and of certain other
departments in the borough of Kings
which includes Brooklyn, provision for
whose pens:oning on retirement ex-
lists. The claim was very proper
ly put forward that there Is no
reason why If those for whom
pensions are already provided are entitled
to such consideration it should not also
be conferred on all other city and state
employees who seek it.
Accordingly an association is being
formed which is expected to embrace all
state employees in which an initiation fee
of membership ranging from 20 cents to
81. according to salary. It is naturally
expected that when such an association
is found to embrace all those in civil
employment in the state it will possess
much political power for the advance
nent of the material interests of its
members.
Once anything approaching civil serv-
ice system is introduced generally in the
public employment the pension movement
is quite certain to get much headway.
So too, such an organization as is out
lined. including all state employees. must
necessarily give quite an impetus to the
establishment Of civil service regulations.
In every event the tendency Is clearly
established in New York and elsewhere,
according as the spoils theory dlsap-
pears, to promote the permanency of
public employment and to secure coop
Grafton among public employees.
Objection may be raised on principle
against the entire system of pensioning
civil employees; but it is an objection
which must also extend to the military
pensions as well. 1t Will hardly ever
prove effective if once the cooperation
looked for prevails among the men and
women affected. In other lands besides
this the movement in favor of pensioning
the citizen of the state who has done his
full duty as member of the common
wealth is well under way. and is in sue
cessful operation. In England, the most
conservative of nations, the old-age pen
sion movement has reached a stage
which offers the fullest assurance of its
ultimate success. Judging by the dispo-
sition which is now so prevalent among
public employees, looking to the establish
ment of the pensioning system, it is not an
entirely remote prospect which presents
itself OF the future extension of the sys-
tenn to citizens not in public employment.