The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-10-29
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 90, 1901.
v PENSION LIST.

CIVIL PENSION LIST.
The Gazette has been following
with deep interest the various ex
pressions of editorial opinion as tc
the advisability of creating a civil
pension list for the benefit Of the gov.
ernmental servitors who have grown
gray and debile while holding down
clerkships in the different depart
ments at the national capital. Many
of these men have spent almost ordi-
nary life times in the service and now
active as they once were the PROPOSE
ton is made to discharge them and
give their places to younger persons.
AS was to be expected, the idea is
meeting with much disfavor, especial
ly from the men chiefly interested and
their friends. They hold that mas
much as they have reached the stage
where their usefulness is becoming
a matter of doubt it would be out
right brutality to dismiss them and
turn them adrift, claiming that their
long years of faithful service to the
government entities them to better
treatment.
This assumption is entirely wrong
and The Gazette is free to go on rec
ord as one Of those who would be
willing to become a party to such
brutality. AS is well known the men
who are now complaining of the posi-
bic fate in store for them are holding
their positions because Of their de-
sire originally to get soft snaps
and not through any ~compulsion on
the part of the government or any one
service in which they are employed
in response to the wish for posi-
tons of ease and carrying with them
fair salaries and certainty of pay.
While a few possibly have advanced
no higher than their initial positions,
the large majority have been promot-
ed and with each successive promo
ton came increased pay, in many in
stances far above that which they
could have expected to carr in rela-
tive positions in private life. In
stead Of outstanding their means and
providing against the necessities of
old age, most of them have lived up
to every cent of their income, some
even beyond, as is notorious to all
in the least acquainted with cleri-
cal life at Washington. Why the gov
eminent should now step in and play
the gracious part of a fairy grand
mother and provide them with means
to end their lives in ease and COM
fort is not apparent. They have had
their opportunities the same as other
men who never have risen above the
station of employee, in fact much bet
ter opportunities for providing for the
expected "rainy day" than most men
similarity situated, and because they
have been improvident and reckless
is the fault of no one but them
selves.
1t has been suggested in some quar
tiers that a system Of assessments be
inaugurated, the purpose being to ere.
ate a fund to be used for the pay.
ment of pensions to old and disabled
clerks, thus providing among them
selves for the thing which they think
the government should do for them
Almost as soon as the suggestion is
made it's meets with opposition from
the younger generation of clerks, whc
declare that it would be an outrage
to compel them to give up a small
portion of their salaries for the crea
ton of such a fund, unmindful Of the
fact that the time is coming when the,
too, will find themselves in the posi-
ton of the old men whose tenure il
now threatened and like them ma,
have nothing to ease the way through
their declining years.
The matter of creating a civil pen
sion list may come up in congress
but it is safe to say that it will neyei
succeed and any introduced
having for it's object such a consum
nation will probably not advance be
yond the Introductory stage, at al
events it will not get any further thai
the committees room, that is if publ,
opinion is to be considered as hav
ing any weight or influence.
Just to emphasize their protest.
against honoring a negro to the ex
tent Of inviting him to dine in thu