Sunday morning globe., 1901-11-24
CLERK BAYLY
Held Up by a Posted and Intelli-
gent Correspondent
WHO RIDDLES HIS REPORT
The FathersOf General HauIes, Over Seventy
Years Of Age a Public Pauper ON the
Rolls Of tho Pension Bursau-SOmo Other
Facts 0ished Up for Mr.. BayJS OeIeCta-
lion.
To THE EDITOR OF THE GLOBE:


Chief Clerk Bayly, of the Pension
Office in his annual report says: 1t is
difficult at all times to so distribute
the official force as to obtain the best
results and meet the immediate needs
Of the service. Work requiring physi-
cal eXertion must necessarily be per-
formed by those having the strength
10 do it, That is all very well as
far as it goes, but it does not go far
enough. He should explain to an anx-
ious and eXpectant public what ply
steal eXertiOn is required to adiudicate
a pension claim? At what period in
the process Of adjudication is this
physical eXeruon required? Why is It
difficult at all times to so distribute
the official force so as to obtain the
best results? Is it not because you
Mr.. Bayly, send clerks of acknowledged
superior ability to perform duties re-
quiring no intellectual equipment, and
give your incompetents important work
for which they are not fitted, and have
you not done this very thing to crafty
the petty spite of an ignorant, narrow
minded chief Of division and even chief
of a section?
With a force Of employees, he contin-
ues, "one-half Of whom average 60
and 500 Of whom are old soldiers, it
follows that the heavier work must
fall on the few ="
By reason Of the fact that one.half
of the force average 60 years, the
heavier work must fall on the few,
and yet you are appointing and rein
stating every day men over 60 years
old. Is IL sound public policy, is it
common justice to increase the burden
Of the few who you admit are now
obliged to bear the heaviest part?
The only inference that can be drawn
from your reference to the 500 soldiers
is that they are an extra burden that
must be borne uncomplainingly. We
work" he says, because we recognize
our duties and because promotion lies
in that direction; we sometimes thing
. necessary to cultivate our "intiu-
ence' but in the end we find that merit
is its own reward"
There is but one true statement in
that paragraph and that is that merit
is its own reward" II merit is not her
own reward she will certainly 60 unre-
warded. in the Pension Office. Merit
! has never been rewarded by promo
tion under Evans-DavenportBayly ag.
gregation. Merit Is at a discount and
she must not look for any recognition
while the present system OF justice and
! favoritisrh prevails. But her day is
not far distant. There Is a light glow
ing in the East It broadens and
brightens for the day OF public righte-
BUSINESS IS at hand. Above the official
! horizon. already we may discern the
! faint CLEAN OF the sun OF absolute jus
| tice. The day OF the fell destroyers
of the merit system is rapidly drawing
to aclose, the fawning hycrocrites must
soon give an account Of their steward
ship.
Why do you sometimes think 1t nee
| essary. Mr.. Bayly. to cultivate your
influence? Is it not when promotions
are 10 be made We defy you, sir, to
state one dozen instances where a
clerk has been promoted without some
kind OF influence, political or social,
bei~g exerted IN his or her behalf.
What sort OF influence secured the
appointment OF Colonel Harrioa father
to a position io the Pension O@ce. Ie
he not over 10 years old2 Is he not
-,,reranruated. Is he not burden on
he Governwort7 In other words IS
no not a public charge-a public pau
per?
FAIR PLAY.