The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-02-22
WEATHER BUntAU.
A Bill Embodylng Many Valucois
Features.

!
culture, has introduced bill into
! Congress to recrganiZe the Weather
| Bureau en- rather radical lines. The
bill proposes to divide the employees OF
the Bureau into nine grades, including
messengers and stenographers, with a
definite salary for each grade, and re-
quiring not less than two years service
in any one grade before becoming elig-
ible for promotion tc the next higher
grade, as we'll as having to pass pre-
scribed examination. The salary for
the lowest grade is fixed at $3.50. and OF
the highest or ninth grade at from
$500 to $4,000.
The bill also provides that the chict
of the Bureau shall be selected from
among the officials of the seventh OF
higher grade, and all the ether execu'
tive officials of the bureau, in their Or
der. are to be selected from the sub
ordinate officials. This feature OF the
bill is to be commended as embodyins
the true principles of civil service re-
form, as compared with appointments
for reward for political services. "ha'-
ever objection might be made to th.s
system, if it was proposed to apply II
to all, do not hold good in the appll-
cation of the system to a strictly SCI
entific bureau where 1t can not be but
salutary. as the Weather Bureau has
nothing whatever to do with the poi!cE
OF any cne administration as compared
with any other. Its work is always the
same, and for the benefit Of the whole
people without distinction.
The bill requires an applicant Tor d
positicn in the bureau to pass a CIVIL
service examination, as at present, but
with this difference that only such per-
sons be permitted to take the eXaml-
nation as shall have been selected ana
recommended by the Senator's and
Representatives in the order OF their
seniority and by States in alphabetical
order. The appointments from WITH
out shall be to the lowest grade IN eV-
ery case. In other words, the patron
age for positions in the bureau shall
he with Congre.smen, but they shall
have no influence in the advancement
of employees from grade to grade. "a
yoritism and political pulls" are elm
mated. while merit and length CT SER
vice are the recognized tests for pro-
motion.
The most unique portion Of the bill
is the retirement on pay feature. lnere
are two conditions specified unaer
which employees may be retired cn pay,
or on an annuity. The first on accom-"
Of physical disability, and second Dy
reason CT an age limit. The bill pro-
yides that when. after 20 years service.
an employe shall become disabled for
the performance Of hrs duties, he may
ne retired and receive an annuity ot
80 per centum Of the highest annual
nav ne may a.ve received during N"
preyious five years CT service. Tne age
limit for retirement is fixed at 6o
vars, and after 80 years OF continuous
service, and is made compulsory ne
retired pay is fixed at 10 per ceAtuN
of the highest pay received.
The length OF previous service re-
ouired before an emplcye becomes
eligible for retirement on pay. is SUI
fcient safeguard against any one seek
Ing employment in the bureau 20 take
an unfair advantage Of the retirement
fsatrue, and at the same time 1t opar-
ates as an incentive to the employees
to perform sod and faithful work
so as to retain their positions the re-
Guired length Of time, while the retir-
ed pay is small enough to be no IN
ducement to feign disability so as to
be placed on the retired list.
There is also a provision made, in
case of the death Of the employe be-
fore retirement, to pay to his heirs tae
greater portion of the money Withheld
from his salary, and in case of volun-
tary resignation the greater portion
Shall be returned to him.
While the plan is an innovation that
should be carefully studied before be-
ing enacted into. law, yet it seems but
an act of fairness and justice toward
worthy class of employees to allow them
to make provision for themselves in
their old age. after having given the
best years of their lives to certain
line of work which is peculiar and
technical in its nature, and units
rather than Ats them for an a",iye
business career. They are never s..re
of their location, and held themselves
in readiness for change of station at
any time that the exigencies OF the
service may require, thus they are in
large measure debarred from the ad-
vantages and privileges that accrue
frou, q long residence in any commu-